Most of the arid and semiarid regions in China have experienced multiple arid phases throughout the Quaternary, and they are highly sensitive to climate change. However, the response of desertification to climate change is poorly understood. In the present study, we selected multiple climatic proxies and desertification evidences to estimate the responses of desertification to climate changes in arid and semiarid regions of China over the past millennium. Desertification generally decreased in western China during the Little Ice Age (LIA), but increased during the Medieval Warm Period (MWP) and the Current Warm Period (CWP), which suggested the environment in western China was inclined to meliorate in cold period and deteriorate in warm period. The central and eastern regions of China tended to experience desertification in LIA, but desertification reversed in MWP and CWP, which indicated the central and eastern regions of China were prone to undergo desertification in cold period but desertification reversed in warm period. However, the desertification cycles in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau region showed fluctuation responding to climate change.

Delimitations of arid and semiarid regions in China and locations of proxies used in this study

Desertification development and reversion cycles in arid and semiarid regions of China over the past millennium

Download from the attachment