The mid-Holocene hydroclimates and the forcing mechanisms over arid Central Asia (ACA) are hotly debated in the context of global climate change. It is widely assumed that ACA Holocene precipitation broadly followed and/or was out-of-phase with Northern Hemisphere solar insolation. However, here we show a broadly antiphase relationship between Holocene boreal solar insolation and ACA hydroclimatic trend revealed from a well-dated peat core (at the Big Black peatland; BBP) in northwestern China, southern Altai Mountains. Multiple proxies, including peat development rate, pollen assemblages, and peat cellulose isotopic records, show wet conditions during the early and late Holocene, but drought condition during the mid-Holocene. This hydroclimatic pattern is similar to those extracted from other peatlands nearby and those inferred from sedimentary records in lakes in adjacent regions. The trend of δ18O in BBP peat cellulose is similar to that of a stalagmite in northern Xinjiang, both of which record the Holocene atmospheric precipitation δ18O trend over ACA areas and possibly suggest a changing proportion of glacier meltwater supply. We speculate that the mid-Holocene drought over ACA could be ascribed to: (1) the northward movement of the westerlies, such that when the westerlies moved northward under warm conditions, less water vapor was transported to ACA, and vice versa, and (2) increased evaporation under mid-Holocene warm conditions. The data from this study and the potential mechanisms suggest that drier conditions are expected over ACA areas under a continuous global warming expectation.

Hai Xu

Kang’en Zhou

Jianghu Lan

Guilin Zhang

Xinying Zhou

Geology

自 1973 年出版以来，《地质学》的特点是每月快速出版约 23 篇经过评审的短篇（四页）论文。文章涵盖所有地球科学学科，包括新的调查和挑衅性话题。地球科学专业的地质学家和大学水平的学生使用这本广泛阅读的期刊来跟上科学研究的趋势。在线论坛部分促进了作者与读者的对话。在超大尺寸松散插页上包括彩色插图和偶尔的大幅面插图。

Since its inception in 1973, Geology has featured approximately 23 peer-reviewed short papers (four pages each) published rapidly each month. The articles cover all disciplines of Earth sciences, including new investigations and provocative topics. Geologists and university-level students in the Earth sciences widely read this journal to keep up with trends in scientific research. The online forum section facilitates dialogue between authors and readers. Color illustrations and occasional large-format illustrations are included on oversized loose inserts.

《Geology》自1973年创刊以来，每月快速出版约23篇经过同行评审的短篇论文（四页）。这些文章涵盖了所有地球科学领域，包括新的研究调查和具有挑战性的话题。地球科学专业的地质学家和大学生广泛阅读这本期刊，以跟踪科学研究的最新趋势。期刊的在线论坛部分促进了作者与读者之间的交流。此外，期刊还在超大尺寸的松散插页上包含彩色插图和偶尔的大幅面插图。

Category	Quartile
地球科学	1
地球科学, 地质学	1

Arid Central Asia saw mid-Holocene drought

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