Astronomical forcing of vegetation and climate change during the Late Pliocene–Early Pleistocene of the Nihewan Basin, North China

The Late Pliocene–Early Pleistocene is an important transitional period in the Cenozoic evolution of global climate and environment. Previously, we demonstrated the occurrence of distinct cycles in vegetation and climate in the Nihewan Basin, during 2.89–1.78 Ma. However, the specific cycles and their forcing mechanisms were not studied more in-depth. Here we present the results of wavelet and spectral analyses of pollen percentages (Picea, Pinus, xerophytic taxa and broadleaved trees), macro-charcoal concentration, clay % and sand %, and magnetic susceptibility of 340 samples from the NHA drill core in the Nihewan Basin, during 2.89–1.78 Ma. The results reveal dominant ~20-kyr and ~40-kyr cyclicities: the pollen percentages of Pinus and broadleaved trees, magnetic susceptibility, and clay %, indicating a warm and humid climate, are more significantly influenced by ~20-kyr; in contrast, the percentages of Picea and xerophytic taxa, macro-charcoal concentration, and sand %, associated with a cold and dry climate, are mainly influenced by ~40-kyr. The ~20-kyr and ~40-kyr cycles corresponding to the dominant cycles of the East Asian summer monsoon and winter monsoon, which are respectively driven by Earth orbital precession and tilt, indicating that vegetation and climate change in the Nihewan Basin during 2.89–1.78 Ma was forced by a combination of low- and high-latitude processes. Otherwise, most of the proxy indexes also show a pronounced ~100-kyr cycle, which may be a response to changes in Northern Hemisphere ice sheets, emphasizing the importance of high-latitude forcing of vegetation and climate change in the Nihewan Basin.