The Younger Dryas event and Holocene climate fluctuations recorded in a stalagmite from the Panlong cave of Guilin

Comprehensive studies on a stalagmite from the Panlong cave, Guilin, have s hown that the isotopic records and sedimentary characteristics can reflect the changes of both palaeotemperatures and palaeorainfall, that is to say, it is possible to get some information about the changes in climate of the area from the speleothem The results suggest that: (1) the Younger Dryas ev ent might have persisted in the area from 11 300 to 10 800 a B.P.; (2) from 9000 to 7000 a B.P., the climate got warmer and wetter, and the summer mon soon was gradually enhanced; (3) from 7000 to 4500 a B.P., the climate was warm and wet, and the summer monsoon prevailed, and (4) from 4500 a B.P. on , the summer monsoon was weakened and the modern climate pattern appeared, but there were several cold and dry periods, namely, from 4000 to 2500 a B. P., ca. 2400 a B.P. and < 1000 a B.P.