IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/nat/natcom/v16y2025i1d10.1038_s41467-025-63331-3.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Pleistocene terrestrial warming trend in East Asia linked to Antarctic ice sheets growth

Author

Listed:
  • Huanye Wang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Weiguo Liu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    University of Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Zhonghui Liu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    The University of Hong Kong)

  • Xiaoke Qiang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Xinwen Xu

    (Northwest University)

  • Jing Lei

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Xi’an Institute for Innovative Earth Environment Research)

  • Zhengguo Shi

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Xi’an Jiaotong University)

  • Yunning Cao

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Jing Hu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Fengyan Lu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Hongxuan Lu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Xiaolin Ma

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Youbin Sun

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Zhangdong Jin

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Xi’an Jiaotong University)

  • Hong Ao

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Zeke Zhang

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences)

  • Hu Liu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Chang’an University)

  • Yong Hu

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    National Observation and Research Station of Earth Critical Zone on the Loess Plateau)

  • Hong Yan

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Xi’an Jiaotong University)

  • Weijian Zhou

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Guanzhong Plain Ecological Environment Change and Comprehensive Treatment National Observation and Research Station
    Beijing Normal University)

  • Zhisheng An

    (Chinese Academy of Sciences
    Xi’an Jiaotong University
    National Observation and Research Station of Earth Critical Zone on the Loess Plateau)

Abstract

How terrestrial mean annual temperature (MAT) evolved throughout the past 2 million years (Myr) remains elusive, limiting our understanding of the patterns, mechanisms, and impacts of past temperature changes. Here we report a ~2-Myr terrestrial MAT record based on fossil microbial lipids preserved in the Heqing paleolake, East Asia. The increased amplitude and periodicity shift of glacial-interglacial changes in our record align with those in sea surface temperature (SST) records. However, its long-term warming trend (1.0 °C/Myr, 95% CI = 0.4–1.7 °C/Myr) during 1.8–0.6 Myr ago diverges from the contemporaneous SST cooling. We propose that the Pleistocene warming in East Asia primarily resulted from regionally enhanced heat input and greenhouse effect of rising water vapor driven by Antarctic ice sheets (AIS) growth, highlighting the important climatic effect of AIS evolution. Such long-term warming across the Mid-Pleistocene Transition might have been beneficial for archaic humans’ flourishing in Eurasia.

Suggested Citation

  • Huanye Wang & Weiguo Liu & Zhonghui Liu & Xiaoke Qiang & Xinwen Xu & Jing Lei & Zhengguo Shi & Yunning Cao & Jing Hu & Fengyan Lu & Hongxuan Lu & Xiaolin Ma & Youbin Sun & Zhangdong Jin & Hong Ao & Ze, 2025. "Pleistocene terrestrial warming trend in East Asia linked to Antarctic ice sheets growth," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-9, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-63331-3
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-63331-3
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-63331-3
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1038/s41467-025-63331-3?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Chetankumar Jalihal & Jayaraman Srinivasan & Arindam Chakraborty, 2019. "Modulation of Indian monsoon by water vapor and cloud feedback over the past 22,000 years," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-8, December.
    2. Axel Timmermann & Kyung-Sook Yun & Pasquale Raia & Jiaoyang Ruan & Alessandro Mondanaro & Elke Zeller & Christoph Zollikofer & Marcia Ponce de León & Danielle Lemmon & Matteo Willeit & Andrey Ganopols, 2022. "Climate effects on archaic human habitats and species successions," Nature, Nature, vol. 604(7906), pages 495-501, April.
    3. Thibault de Garidel-Thoron & Yair Rosenthal & Franck Bassinot & Luc Beaufort, 2005. "Stable sea surface temperatures in the western Pacific warm pool over the past 1.75 million years," Nature, Nature, vol. 433(7023), pages 294-298, January.
    4. A. J. Baxter & D. Verschuren & F. Peterse & D. G. Miralles & C. M. Martin-Jones & A. Maitituerdi & T. Meeren & M. Daele & C. S. Lane & G. H. Haug & D. O. Olago & J. S. Sinninghe Damsté, 2023. "Reversed Holocene temperature–moisture relationship in the Horn of Africa," Nature, Nature, vol. 620(7973), pages 336-343, August.
    5. E. J. Rohling & G. L. Foster & K. M. Grant & G. Marino & A. P. Roberts & M. E. Tamisiea & F. Williams, 2014. "Sea-level and deep-sea-temperature variability over the past 5.3 million years," Nature, Nature, vol. 508(7497), pages 477-482, April.
    6. T. C. Johnson & J. P. Werne & E. T. Brown & A. Abbott & M. Berke & B. A. Steinman & J. Halbur & S. Contreras & S. Grosshuesch & A. Deino & C. A. Scholz & R. P. Lyons & S. Schouten & J. S. Sinninghe Da, 2016. "A progressively wetter climate in southern East Africa over the past 1.3 million years," Nature, Nature, vol. 537(7619), pages 220-224, September.
    7. Carolyn W. Snyder, 2016. "Evolution of global temperature over the past two million years," Nature, Nature, vol. 538(7624), pages 226-228, October.
    8. Myles R. Allen & William J. Ingram, 2002. "Constraints on future changes in climate and the hydrologic cycle," Nature, Nature, vol. 419(6903), pages 224-232, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Hsun-Ming Hu & Gianluca Marino & Carlos Pérez-Mejías & Christoph Spötl & Yusuke Yokoyama & Jimin Yu & Eelco Rohling & Akihiro Kano & Patrick Ludwig & Joaquim G. Pinto & Véronique Michel & Patricia Val, 2024. "Sustained North Atlantic warming drove anomalously intense MIS 11c interglacial," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Zhenyu Qin & Xuefeng Sun, 2023. "Glacial–Interglacial Cycles and Early Human Evolution in China," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(9), pages 1-26, August.
    3. Xueke Li & Amanda H. Lynch, 2023. "New insights into projected Arctic sea road: operational risks, economic values, and policy implications," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 176(4), pages 1-16, April.
    4. Baoni Li & Lihua Xiong & Quan Zhang & Shilei Chen & Han Yang & Shuhui Guo, 2022. "Effects of land use/cover change on atmospheric humidity in three urban agglomerations in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, China," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 113(1), pages 577-613, August.
    5. Gagan Mandal & Soon-Il An & Jae-Heung Park & Kyung-Sook Yun & Chao Liu & Seungmok Paik, 2025. "Northern Hemisphere sea ice variability in a transient CGCM simulation of the past 2.6 Ma," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-14, December.
    6. Peng Jiang & Zhongbo Yu & Mahesh R. Gautam & Kumud Acharya, 2016. "The Spatiotemporal Characteristics of Extreme Precipitation Events in the Western United States," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 30(13), pages 4807-4821, October.
    7. Kehan Miao & Yong Huang & Zhi Dou & Huan Shen & Yan Zhu & Yue Su & Yin Jiang & Chaoqi Wang, 2024. "Investigating the Impacts of Seasonal Temperature Variations on the Hysteresis Response of Groundwater in the Aquitard in a Plain Reservoir area," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 38(9), pages 3389-3412, July.
    8. Shakil Ahmad Romshoo & Jasia Bashir & Irfan Rashid, 2020. "Twenty-first century-end climate scenario of Jammu and Kashmir Himalaya, India, using ensemble climate models," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 162(3), pages 1473-1491, October.
    9. Bing-Chen Jhong & Ching-Pin Tung, 2018. "Evaluating Future Joint Probability of Precipitation Extremes with a Copula-Based Assessing Approach in Climate Change," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 32(13), pages 4253-4274, October.
    10. Pavan Harika Raavi & Jung-Eun Chu & Axel Timmermann & Sun-Seon Lee & Kevin J. E. Walsh, 2023. "Moisture control of tropical cyclones in high-resolution simulations of paleoclimate and future climate," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-12, December.
    11. Megan Ceronsky & David Anthoff & Cameron Hepburn & Richard S.J. Tol, 2005. "Checking The Price Tag On Catastrophe: The Social Cost Of Carbon Under Non-Linear Climate Response," Working Papers FNU-87, Research unit Sustainability and Global Change, Hamburg University, revised Aug 2005.
    12. Yuanfang Chai & Yao Yue & Louise J. Slater & Jiabo Yin & Alistair G. L. Borthwick & Tiexi Chen & Guojie Wang, 2022. "Constrained CMIP6 projections indicate less warming and a slower increase in water availability across Asia," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-9, December.
    13. Natalie Teale & David A. Robinson, 2022. "Long-term variability in atmospheric moisture transport and relationship with heavy precipitation in the eastern USA," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 175(1), pages 1-23, November.
    14. Conrad Wasko & Rory Nathan, 2019. "The local dependency of precipitation on historical changes in temperature," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 156(1), pages 105-120, September.
    15. Bovari, Emmanuel & Giraud, Gaël & Mc Isaac, Florent, 2018. "Coping With Collapse: A Stock-Flow Consistent Monetary Macrodynamics of Global Warming," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 383-398.
    16. Fabien Prieur & Martin Quaas & Ingmar Schumacher, 2019. "Mitigation strategies under the threat of solar radiation management," EconomiX Working Papers 2019-3, University of Paris Nanterre, EconomiX.
    17. V. Kharin & F. Zwiers & X. Zhang & M. Wehner, 2013. "Changes in temperature and precipitation extremes in the CMIP5 ensemble," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 119(2), pages 345-357, July.
    18. Chao Li & Jieyu Liu & Fujun Du & Francis W. Zwiers & Guolin Feng, 2025. "Increasing certainty in projected local extreme precipitation change," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-12, December.
    19. Fuzhi Lu & Huayu Lu & Yao Gu & Pengyu Lin & Zhengyao Lu & Qiong Zhang & Hongyan Zhang & Fan Yang & Xiaoyi Dong & Shuangwen Yi & Deliang Chen & Francesco S. R. Pausata & Maya Ben-Yami & Jennifer V. Mec, 2025. "Tipping point-induced abrupt shifts in East Asian hydroclimate since the Last Glacial Maximum," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-21, December.
    20. Tristan Salles & Renaud Joannes-Boyau & Ian Moffat & Laurent Husson & Manon Lorcery, 2024. "Physiography, foraging mobility, and the first peopling of Sahul," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-14, December.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-63331-3. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.nature.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.