Chronology and Climatic Interpretation of Last‐Glacial Sandy Deposits in the Horqin Sandy Land, Northern China

ABSTRACT

The Horqin Sandy Land is highly sensitive to monsoon variability and provides an important archive for reconstructing environmental change and soil formation since the last glacial period. In this study, we established a high‐resolution chronology for the Kailu section and combined stratigraphic, geochemical, magnetic and soil organic matter data to reconstruct its depositional and pedogenic history. The results show that sediment accumulation began at about 26.2 ka and that three sandy palaeosols developed between 21.9 and 4.4 ka, with the strongest soil formation occurring in the Ab2 horizon. Chemical weathering was generally weak throughout the section and remained at an early stage dominated by plagioclase alteration. Organic matter and magnetic susceptibility show a strong positive relationship, indicating close coupling between organic accumulation and pedogenic enhancement. Comparison with other records suggests that palaeosols development in the central‐eastern Horqin Sandy Land began earlier than in marginal areas. Overall, environmental evolution in the study area was mainly controlled by monsoon‐driven moisture changes, while the intensity and preservation of pedogenesis were also influenced by regional tectonic and hydrological conditions.