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November 24, 2017

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Map of ancient continental shelf drafted

Chinese scientists have drawn a map of the East China Sea’s continental shelf that dates back 7,000 years by analyzing sedimentary core taken from the Yangtze River Delta.

Scientists drilled 26 boreholes in various parts of the delta, part of a research program backed by the China National Natural Science Foundation.

The average sea level in the area 7,000 years ago was 2 meters higher than now, and the temperature was warmer by 1-2 degrees Celsius, the research showed.

The scientists concluded that the delta was fully submerged under the sea at that time.

The sea level began to decline about 6,000 years ago when the delta’s landform was gradually taking shape.

The Yangtze River Delta ranges from the city of Lianyungang in east China’s Jiangsu Province to Hangzhou City in east China’s Zhejiang Province.

The research findings were published in this month’s issue of the Journal of Paleontology.

In the last glacial period 20,000 years ago, the sea level dropped about 120 meters,
exposing most of the East China Sea continental shelf, said Li Baohua, a member of the research team.

Before the latest research, there was little data on the changes of the landform in the post-glacial period.

The research will help scientists to understand how climate and marine environmental changes affect marine life.




 

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