Hydrological Evolution of a Lake Recharged by Groundwater in the Badain Jaran Desert Over the Past 140 years

Understanding the evolution of lakes in arid areas is very important for water resource management. Previous studies have mainly focused on with runoff recharge, while groundwater recharge hyper-arid still less known. In this study, an 86 cm-long sediment core was extracted from Sayinwusu Lake, one groundwater-recharge southeastern Badain Jaran Desert, Northwest China. 210 Pb and 137 Cs dating, total organic carbon (TOC) nitrogen (TN) contents, mineral content analysis were used to reconstruct lake over past 140 years. The Lake since 1880 can be divided into two periods. first period 1950, TOC TN contents low, minerals consisted all detrital minerals, which indicate that lake’s primary productivity salinity low. During second 1950 2018, TOC, TN, carbonate increased rapidly at beginning 1950s, indicating increased. Comprehensive regional climate data suggests increase evaporation caused by rising temperature factor affecting desert. Although precipitation has region China recent decades increasing temperature, enhancement effect much greater. As a record deserts, our study provides new insight projecting future changes areas.