Organic-matter accumulation of the lacustrine Lunpola oil shale, central Tibetan Plateau: Controlled by the paleoclimate, provenance, and drainage system

In this drainage system, paleoclimate clearly restricted the development of rivers around the lakes. Although terrestrial organic matter (higher plants) dominated the drainage area, the main river originating from the south could only bring a certain amount of them to the lakes. Moreover, considering the filtration of the upstream ancient Baingoin Lake, minor terrestrial organic matter could be carried and deposited in the ancient Lunpola Lake. Therefore, lacustrine algae could proliferate as the main organic source and preserve in the stratified hypersaline lake to form the largest oil shale resource in Tibet.