Seasonal Pattern In the High-Elevation Fluvial Travertine From the Jiuzhaigou National Nature Reserve, Sichuan, Southwestern China

High-elevation fluvial travertine deposits in Jiuzhaigou Valley, Sichuan, exhibit unique seasonal patterns influenced by monsoon-driven climate shifts. The study reveals that low-turbulence facies, dominated by moss and cyanobacteria encrustations, transition to high-turbulence facies with distinct algal layers (Phormidium sp. in late spring and Oocardium stratum in summer–fall). These deposits, occurring at elevations up to 2900 meters, are highly sensitive to climate variability, particularly precipitation changes linked to glacial activity during the mid-Holocene. The research also documents the highest recorded elevation for encrusted chironomid larvae tubes (2860 m) and highlights the region's potential as a sensitive indicator of Quaternary glacial dynamics in the Himalayan–Tibetan area.

Lugli, S., Tang, Y., Reghizzi, M., Qiao, X., Schreiber, B. C., & Deng, G. (2017). Seasonal Pattern In the High-Elevation Fluvial Travertine From the Jiuzhaigou National Nature Reserve, Sichuan, Southwestern China. Journal of Sedimentary Research, 87(3), 253–271. https://doi.org/10.2110/jsr.2017.14