Discrimination of two kinds of sedimentary laminae in maar lakes of China

Varved lacustrine sediments have been found from high latitude to low latitude, even in tropical area. Paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic research has increasingly relied on the use of varved sediments to provide high-resolution geochronologies and climatic reconstructions. However, a special depositional environment is necessary for varve formation and preservation. Generally, varves can be found in the sediments of maar lakes because of their special geological and hydrological environment. The preliminary research showed that a few carbonate laminations are developed in the Huguangyan maar lake, south China. They are poorly developed and not annual laminations, and may be related to periodically drought. Diatomaceous laminations are found in the maar lakes in northeast China. Diatomaceous laminations with cyclic nature corresponding with seasonal diatom blooming are the credible natural clock.