Travertine Distribution And Its Response To Climate Change

Travertine is a carbonate formed by the precipitation of calcium ions caused by the escape of supersaturated carbon dioxide during water flow.Its structure is ingenious,the color is dazzling,and it has high scientific value.However,the travertine in some areas has been degraded in recent years.In this paper,by arranging relevant data,analyzing the distribution of travertine and its response to climate change,the following results are obtained,and based on the results,suggestions for travertine conservation measures and restoration under the background of climate change are put forward.(1)The distribution of travertine and mid-ocean ridges is consistent with the seismic zone Travertines are very similar to mid-ocean ridges in geographic distribution,origin and depositional patterns.The global travertine is mainly distributed in the 30°N,and almost all of them are located in the terrestrial seismic belt,while the mid-ocean ridge is distributed in the marine seismic belt,and their geographical distribution is similar.Both originate from mantle material and rise to the surface or ocean floor through groundwater channels or mantle plumes to cool and deposit,and have similar deposition patterns.The difference between travertine and mid-ocean ridges is that travertine is deposited on land,while mid-ocean ridges are distributed on the seafloor.In the theory of plate tectonics,the formation of mid-ocean ridges provides the driving force for plate drift,so travertine may provide the same potential driving force for plate drift as mid-ocean ridges.(2)Global travertine distribution and the response of deposition to algal distribution Algae play a very important role in the formation and development of travertine landscapes.Algae-promoted carbonate precipitation is an important biogenesis of travertine.No research has yet subdivided algae into phyla and genera to analyze their effects on travertine deposition.The algae data of various travertine areas around the world were analyzed,and the results showed that(1)the travertine research areas in the world were mainly dominated by Cyanobacteria,Diatoms,and Chlorophyta,with a small amount of Xanthophyta,Euglena,and Charophyta.door and algae door.Among them,Cyanobacteria appeared in the highest frequency(35%)in each study area;(2)The influence of each algae on travertine deposition was: Cyanobacteria>Diatoms>Chlorophyta.Among them(Cyanobacteria)Oscillator,(Chlorophyta)Bistara,(Diatoms)Bridge Bay and(Diatoms)Fragrella,the four genera had the greatest impact on travertine deposition.(3)The relationship between the distribution and deposition of travertine in China and the Quaternary climate changeWe collected 98 published travertine age data in China and compared the age at which the travertine number peaked with the timing of typical Quaternary climate events to test the hypothesis that travertine deposition is regulated by climate change.Data analysis shows that travertines in China are mainly distributed in the southwest region with sufficient water,warm climate,large fluctuations and strong hydrodynamics.In terms of time,the frequency of peaks in the amount of travertine roughly corresponds to the 100,000-year(100 ka)glacial cycle of the climate,with the largest peaks per 100 ka occurring in the warmer periods of interglacial or transition(interglacial to interglacial transition).It is concluded that the deposition rate of travertine in China is higher in the period of warm climate and abundant precipitation or groundwater,while the deposition rate is lower in the period of decreasing temperature and water volume.(4)Effects of climate and algae on travertine deposition in HuanglongAfter sorting out the age of Huanglong travertine and algae data,comparing and analyzing the age of Huanglong travertine(that is,the time when it started to deposit)and the climate transition period of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,and statistical analysis of the data of Huanglong travertine,it was concluded that(1)Huanglong travertine was found in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.The deposition started under warm and humid climate conditions,and the warm and humid climate conditions were favorable for travertine deposition;(2)In general,the Huanglong algae were dominated by Diatoms,Cyanobacteria and Chlorophyta.Different from the characteristics of algae at the global scale,diatoms are the absolute dominant algae in the Huanglong study area,so they have a greater impact on travertine deposition.In conclusion,travertines are distributed in the seismic zone like mid-ocean ridges,and the two have similar depositional models,suggesting that travertines may provide the same driving force for continental plate drift as mid-ocean ridges,giving travertines a new geological significance.In addition,the deposition rate of travertine is faster under the warm and humid climate background,and the deposition rate is slower under the cold and dry climate background,which provides a theoretical basis for the conservation of travertine from the climate background in the future.In the process of travertine conservation,on the one hand,the damage to travertine due to extreme weather events should be avoided,and when it occurs,take advantage of the situation to alleviate its negative effects on travertine,on the other hand,promote energy conservation and emission reduction,and resist regional carbon dioxide concentration elevated algal blooms in order to better protect the travertine landscape.