7.8~7.4 ka environment of diatom-rich layer and relative sea level change in the south pain of the Haihe River, Tianjin

Objective In order to study the diatoms indication significance to the sea level and the maximum transgression range,Methods this paper analyzes the diatoms and AMS 14C dating data from three 30m deep drilling cores collected near Chenier V of northern Cangzhou, Bohai Bay.Results The results show that diatoms are rare in these drilling cores, and there is only one diatom rich layer in each core, which is composed of peat and humus gray clay. The thickness of the layer is 10 cm to 60 cm, and thinner from seaward to landward. 7473 cal BP, site of DC01 changed from a sea water influenced swamp environment to a fresh water swamp environment, indicating a relative sea level lower than -6.37m; 7513 cal BP, site of QX02 was transformed from saltmarsh environment (zone I) to sea water influenced shallow swamp, then to salt marsh environment (zone III), The elevation of the boundary between zone I and zone II indicating a relative sea level of -6.68m. 7836 cal BP, site of QX01 was transformed from a freshwater swamp (zone I) to a salt marsh environment (zone II). The boundary between zone I and zone II indicating a relative sea level of -7.68m.Conclusions Relative sea level raised~1m during these~350 years, and the sea water affected the area to the west of the Chenier V. The salt marshes and freshwater swamps were the main environmental types near the transgression maximum in the Early-Mid Holocene. Under the background of modern sea level rise, marshification is a major environmental problem that modern coastal areas must face.