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The northeastern Tibetan Plateau exhibits steep topography and strong internal or external dynamic geological effect and is frequently subjected to strong earthquakes and heavy rainfall. The geological evolution has resulted in a wide distribution of ancient landslides, which has become a hotspot for studying ancient landslide formation and reactivation. In recent decades, several ancient landslides on both banks of the Longwu River, Qinghai Province, China were reactivated, causing serious economic losses and casualties. This study conducted remote sensing interpretation and ground surveys on these ancient landslides. Totally 59 ancient landslides were identified, and the formation mechanism, evolution process, and resurrection mechanism of the Longwu Xishan No.2 ancient landslide were analyzed by means of a detailed field geological survey, drilling, and series of experimental tests such as the particle size distribution test, the X-ray diffraction test and the mechanical properties test. The results show that the formation of these ancient landslides is closely associated with the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau and the erosion of the Longwu River. Firstly, the intermittent uplift of the Tibetan Plateau lead to the diversion and downcutting of the Longwu River basin, which forms the alternate slope topography with steep and slow slopes, thereby providing favourable topography and slope structure conditions for the formation of landslides. Secondly, 34.5% clay-mineral content in the Neoproterozoic mudstone with 32.7% particle size less than 0.005 mm, and the corrosion and softening effects of the Neogene mudstone with high clay mineral content under the erosion of water provides favourable material conditions for the formation of landslides. Thirdly, rainfall and human activities are the primary triggering factors for the revival of this ancient landslide group. It is revealed that the evolution process of the ancient landslides on both banks of the Longwu River can be divided into five stages namely tectonic rapid uplift slope formation, river erosion creep-sliding deformation, slope instability critical status, landslide failure-movement-accumulation, and slope reactivation under rainfall erosion and engineering excavation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The northern and northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) is regarded as one important source region of the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP). However, how the fine grain sediments in this region were transported to the CLP remains debatable. In this study, we dated aeolian sediments, alluviums, beach sediments, and sand wedges in the northeastern QTP using optical dating, combined with previously reported ages, explored the aeolian sediment deposition patterns in this region. The dating results shown that aeolian sediments mainly accumulated during the marine isotope stage (MIS) 3 and since the last deglaciation, alluvial sediments mainly deposited during the middle to late MIS 3 (between ∼40 ka and 22 ka), and sand wedges formed during the MIS 4 and MIS 2 cold intervals. Based on the sedimentary stratigraphic characteristics and existing optical dating chronologies, we propose that fine grain sediments in the northern and northeastern QTP were eroded and carried to the CLP by westerly wind during last glacial and stadial cold stages. However, during last interglacial and interstadial warm stages, aeolian sediments deflated from western barren lands and deserts were mainly trapped in the northeastern QTP, and some were transported to the Alax arid zone or Yinchuan-Hetao plain by rivers that flow out of QTP, then transported to the CLP by northwesterly Asian winter monsoon (AWM). This cold stage westerly wind transport, warm stage rivers plus AWM transport pattern has existed at least since the late middle Pleistocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Qinghai Lake is of significance for paleoclimate research because it lies in a pivotal region that is influenced by both the mid-latitude Westerlies and the low-latitude Asian summer monsoon (ASM). Most published lake level histories of Qinghai Lake are interpreted from drill-core proxies. Here we combine geomorphic shoreline investigations with optically stimulated luminescence dating to constrain lake level variations since the last deglacial. The results indicate that two periods of highstands occurred during the last deglacial (∼16-14.9 and ∼12.6-12.2 ka), and that lake levels were 6-7.4 m higher than at present. Lake levels dropped abruptly during the Younger Dryas, and were generally low with frequent fluctuations during the early Holocene. Qinghai Lake reached its highest Holocene level, 9.1 m higher than modern, at ∼5 ka, and has regressed during the past 2 ka. We propose that high lake levels during the last deglacial were due mainly to melting glacial and permafrost waters, supplemented by enhanced Westerlies precipitation and decreased evaporation during Heinrich Event 1 (∼16-14.9 ka) and increased ASM rainfall during the Bølling-Alleröd warm period (∼14-12 ka). Lake level fluctuations during the Holocene were generally in accordance with moisture variations in the marginal monsoon zones of inland China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paleoshorelines indicative of multiple high lake stages can be found around many lakes on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP). Conspicuous paleoshorelines associated with the most recent highstands can be readily observed on satellite images and during field investigations. However, earlier paleoshorelines have been identified at only a few sites around these lakes due to a lack of clear shoreline features and limited spatial extension of those that can be identified. We investigated past lake highstands using published chronologies, Aster-DEM, Google Earth, and ArcGIS 9.2 software. These data suggest that (1) paleoshorelines of the most recent lake highstand were formed during the Holocene; (2) during this highstand, lake levels reached more than 90, 60-90, and 30-60 m higher than present in the central Gangdise and western Qiangtang areas, while in the eastern Qiangtang, Holxil-Yushu, and northeastern QTP areas highstands did not exceed 30 m above modern; (3) during the early Holocene, some lakes on the southwestern QTP combined to form large lakes, while lakes in the inland areas of the QTP were only a little larger during the Holocene high lake level stages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the geological survey of two geological researchers A. M. Hudson and J. Quade on the Holocene increased size of lakes on the Tibetan Plateau. The researchers mention the major reason behind the increased lake expansion is the climatic difference. An overview of several reasons behind the lake expansion is presented including meltwater of glacier, river diversion and rainfall.

A correction to the article "Holocene lake level variations on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau" published in the previous issue is presented in which a figure is wrong.