Landscape Response to Climate and Human Impact in Western China During the Han Dynasty

Abstract

The Chinese empire experienced a large expansion to the arid regions in the west during the Han Dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE). The Hexi Corridor, the Yanqi Basin, the southeastern part of the Junggar Basin and the Tarim Basin became part of the empire. The expansion of the Han Dynasty was accompanied by the significant intensification of irrigation farming along rivers draining the Qilian, Tianshan and Kunlun Mountains. Sedimentological and geochemical analyses and dating of lake sediments and shorelines revealed that four large lakes in the region experienced falling levels, or were almost or completely desiccating. The level of Zhuyeze Lake was falling rapidly ca. 2100 years before present (a BP), and the accumulation of lake sediments was replaced by an alluvial fan setting in large parts of the basin. Lake Eastern Juyan desiccated ca. 1700 a BP. Lake Bosten experienced low levels and increasing salinities at ca. 2200 a BP. Lake sediments in the Lop Nur region were mostly replaced by aeolian sands during a period of near-desiccation at 1800 a BP. In contrast, records from fifteen lakes farther in the west, north or south of the Han Dynasty realm indicate relatively wet climate conditions ca. 2000 years ago. Thus, dramatic landscape changes including the near and complete desiccation of large

Landscape archaeology, sustainability and the necessity of change

“…The principal source of water for agriculture in western Gansu and neighbouring regions comes not from rain but from seasonal meltwater out of the mountains. The technical and agricultural ramifications of environmental change in north-west China for the management and use of seasonal water supplies have not been fully explored (Ma et al 2008;Qin et al 2012); the impact on demography and settlement patterns is consequently uncertain (Mischke et al 2019). Whilst the population of most of northern China remained relatively stable in the first millennium CE, during dry periods farmers might have been forced northwards from central China, displaced by pastoralists moving down from the steppes (Pei et al 2019).…”

On the Paleo-climatic/Environmental Impacts and Socio-Cultural System Resilience along the Historical Silk Road

“…2-6). The concept of landscape has for quite a long time been important to geo-scientists and environmental scientists in understanding human-environment systems, which is well reflected in the chapters about drying lakes in western China (Fei et al 2019;Mischke et al 2019). In Central Asia, hydrogeological systems evidenced human colonization, and the impacts of water extractions on tributaries of large river and lake systems are suspected as the main causes of water level regressions in the Ili River Delta (Deom et al 2019) and the Aral Sea (Sala 2019).…”

Inner Asian agro-pastoralism as optimal adaptation strategy of Wupu inhabitants (3000–2400 cal BP) in Xinjiang, China

“…The Lake Wulungu also was very shallow prior to 6700 cal BP (Liu et al, 2008). Benefiting from the wet climate, melt water input into Lake Lop Nur provided a suitable oasis niche for the Loulan City (Liu et al, 2016; Mischke, 2018; Yang et al, 2006), however this lake is presently a dry san playa. In addition, the temperature of Xinjiang was affected by ice sheets at high altitudes and solar radiation (Wang and Zhang, 2019).…”