A study of the Quaternary lacustrine strata in Zhaling Lake and Eling Lake basin of Qinghai Province

Abstract：Based on field geological work and section survey of the lacustrine strata in the lacustrine terrace around the bank of the Zhaling Lake and the Eling Lake, the authors studied and divided the strata, defined the rock and stratigraphic units, set up the biostratigraphic and chronostratigraphic sequence of Early Plestocene-Holocene epoch in the study area. The Huangheyuan（QH） stratigraphic unit and the Early Pleistocene-Holocene lacustrine strata in southeastern Qinghai were established. The Yellow River Source Group（QH）stratigraphic unit was divided into four formations, i.e., the Yeniugou Formation（Qp1y） of Lower Pleistocene, the Elinghu Formation（Qp2e） of Middle Pleistocene, the Dayemaling Formation（Qp3d） of Upper Pleistocene and the Heihexiang Formation（Qhh） of Holocene. The results provide new data for the lake evolution in Qinghai-Tibet plateau, the climate variation, the paleogeographic changes, and the division and correlation of Quaternary strata in Qinghai-Tibet plateau.