Pastoral Intensification and Peatland Drying in the Northern Tianshan Since 1560: Evidence from Fungal Spore Indicators

Weihe Ren (), Cai Liu, Feng Qin, Quan Li, Guitian Yi, Jianhui Chen and Yan Zhao ()
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Weihe Ren: College of Geography and Tourism, Hengyang Normal University, Hengyang 421010, China
Cai Liu: College of Geography and Tourism, Hengyang Normal University, Hengyang 421010, China
Feng Qin: Key Laboratory of Land Surface Pattern and Simulation, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
Quan Li: Key Laboratory of Land Surface Pattern and Simulation, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
Guitian Yi: College of Geography and Tourism, Hengyang Normal University, Hengyang 421010, China
Jianhui Chen: MOE Key Laboratory of Western China’s Environmental Systems, College of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
Yan Zhao: Key Laboratory of Land Surface Pattern and Simulation, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China

Land, 2025, vol. 14, issue 7, 1-14

Abstract: Reconstructing historical grazing intensity is essential for understanding long-term human–environment interactions in arid and semi-arid regions. However, historical documents often lack continuous, site-specific information on land use and grazing pressure. We present a high-resolution reconstruction of pastoral activity and hydrological evolution since 1560 AD using fungal spore assemblages from a 92 cm lacustrine-peat sequence from the Sichanghu (SCH) peatland on the northern slope of the Tianshan Mountains, Central Asia. Quantitative analysis of coprophilous fungal spores and principal component analysis (PCA) of spore influxes identify three distinct phases of pastoral intensity: gradual intensification from 1560 to 1730 AD, a sharp decline from 1730 to 1770 AD, and rapid intensification from 1770 AD to the present. These transitions are consistent with historical records of land use and human migration in Xinjiang. Additionally, fungal assemblages reveal a long-term drying trend at Sichanghu, broadly consistent with regional aridification in northwestern China. However, centennial-scale discrepancies in humidity between local and regional records—particularly during the late Little Ice Age—indicate that local hydrological responses were strongly influenced by anthropogenic disturbances. This study highlights the value of fungal spores, particularly influx-based interpretations, as robust indicators of both human activities and hydroclimatic variability. It also underscores the importance of integrating local and regional signals when reconstructing past environmental changes in sensitive dryland ecosystems.

Keywords: Tianshan Mountains; fungal spores; grazing intensity; peatland hydrology; human–environment interactions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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