QUATERNARY STRATIGRAPHY IN CHINA
中国第四纪地层

Quaternary sediments in China are mainly consisting of aeolian sediments, lacustrine sediments, glacial sediments, weathering crust sediments, biotic deposits, cave deposits, volcanic deposits, and sea faces sediments. Among them, loess and lacustrine sediments are characterized by their vast distribution, tremendous thickness, almost complete sequence, and long term continuity. Loess-paleosol sequence is typical Quaternary stratigraphy in China, which can be subdivided in to three units named Wucheng Huangtuan, Lishi Huangtuan and Malan Huangtuan from the bottom to the top in the fifth edition of International Geological Time Table. Quaternary in China was used to be divided into four parts: Early Pleistocene (Q1), Middle Pleistocene (Q2), Late Pleistocene (Q3), and Holocene (Q4). This division is unconformity with international dichotomy of Pleistocene (Q1), and Holocene (Q2). To avoid confusion, we propose to substitute Qp for Q1 (Pleistocene), including Chinese Q1, Q2 and Q3, and substitute Q2 for Q2 (Holocene). Pleistocene can be further divided into Lower Qp1, Middle Qp2, and Upper Qp3. The present Pleistocene / Pliocene boundary is at the top of the Olduvai normal subchron, corresponding to the bottom of MIS 62 and bottom of paleosol S24 in China loess--paleosol sequence. International Geological Time Table adopts 1.8--l.6MaB. P. as start--age of Quaternary. Some Chinese scientists suggest that the Pleistocene/Pliocene boundary is fit lower to Matuyama/Gauss reversal (2.6MaB.P.),which is corresponding to the boundary of loess/red clay and the end of the MIS 104. Qp2 / Qp1, boundary locates at Brunhes/Matuyama reversal (0.78MaB.P.), corresponding to the lower Part of loess L8 and the end of MIS 19. Qp3,/Qp2 boundary is 0.128MaB.P., corresponding to the bottom of paleosol S1 and the beginning of MIS 5e. Qh/Qp boundary is 0.01 IMaB.P., corresponding to the bottom of paleosol S0 and the end of MIS 1.