Loess and Environmental Change on the Eastern Edges of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau

The progress in research on the loess stratigraphy on the eastern edges of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau was systematically reviewed,and the comments and prospects involved in the field of loess and environment change were proposed.The loess has been scatteredly deposited on the highland and canyons of the eastern edges of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau derived from periglacial materials under the action of wind since 1.15 Ma B.P.The loess deposits and their pedogenic characteristics indicated the paleoclimate change,cryospheric evolution,and the uplift of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau.Anthropogenic activities in ancient times played an active role in the formation of loess terraces.Furthermore,great attention should be paid to the selection and investigation of the loess profile,multi-proxies analysis,quantitative reconstruction in paleoclimate,establishment of a standard profile,and the comparative study of loess among various sites in the future.