PROXY OF MONSOON SEASONALITY IN CARBON ISOTOPES FROM PALEOSOLS OF THESOUTHERN CHINESE LOESS PLATEAU

Soil organic matter (SOM) and soil carbonate (SC) are common constitue nts in soils and are directly related to plant growth. SOM accumulates gradually from the decomposition of plant material over time, whereas SC formation is biased to dry-season soil-dissolved CO2 that derives from plant respiration during a drying phase of the growing season. In some mixed C-3-C-4 environments, the peak of C-3 and C-4 plant metabo lism differs seasonally, and the carbon source that contributes to the SOM and SC can be different. Consequently, delta(13)C(SOM) values ref lect an annual average of the floral biomass, but delta(13)C(SC) value s reflect a seasonal aspect of the plant community. The relationship b etween delta(13)C(SC) and delta(13)C(SOM) is mainly controlled by how different the seasonal conditions are. Our results suggest that the re lationship is a seasonal proxy that can be used to differentiate the s easonality effects of Indian, East Asian, and Siberian monsoons on the Chinese Loess Plateau during the last interglacial-glacial cycle.