Geochronology of recent lake sediments from Longgan Lake, middle reach of the Yangtze River, influenced by disturbance of human activities

The impacts of human activities in Longgan Lake region on the distribution of 210Pb in lake sediment made it difficult to establish geochronological sequence. However, environmental proxies recorded these human activities and could be used as time marker to check 210Pb dating results. Based on the analysis of 210Pbexc distribution in cores LS-1 and LGL-1, and in combination with the human activities records in grain-size and element concentration, the sedimentation rates in the upper layers of these two cores were determined to be 0.19 and 0.23 cm/a respectively. The MAR (mass accumulation rates) of these two cores demonstrated that natural condition, such as precipitation and runoffs, led to the variation of MAR before human disturbance, and human activities controlled the sedimentary processes afterwards, which obviously reduced the particles influx into the lakes. During 1940s when human activity had not changed the water system within the catchment, 210Pb activity was abnormally strong in lakes along middle to lower reaches of the Yangtze River, which might be attributed to less precipitation and can be used as a time marker for geochronological research.