通过对澧阳平原野外考察、典型剖面YC自然沉积剖面的系统采样、室内地球化学元素Li、Rb、Sr、Ba和Li/Ba、Rb/Sr比值的分析,以及沉积物年代样品的OSL和AMS14C年代测定,探讨了长江中游地区澧阳平原末次冰期-早全新世的气候环境变化过程。结果表明,MIS3阶段晚期（31.80~23.80 ka BP）暖湿期记录明显,对应的沉积物含大量黑色铁锰膜和铁锰结核,地球化学元素Li含量、Rb含量、Rb/Sr比值、Li/Ba比值出现峰值,而Sr含量、Ba含量出现低谷,表明此时期冬季风减弱,夏季风增强,降水量增大,温度上升,风化作用显著增强。澧阳平原YC剖面很好的记录了56.00~6.96 ka BP的气候环境演变过程,大致经历了冷干期（56.00~31.80 ka BP）、相对暖湿期（31.80~23.80 ka BP）、冷湿期（23.80~10.60 ka BP）、暖湿期（10.60~6.96 ka BP）4个气候变化阶段。
Holocene environmental change and environmental archaeology are important components of an international project studying the human-earth interaction system. This paper reviews the progress of Holocene environmental change and environmental archaeology research in the Yangtze River Valley over the last three decades, that includes the evolution of large freshwater lakes, Holocene transgression and sea-level changes, Holocene climate change and East Asian monsoon variation, relationship between the rise and fall of primitive civilizations and environmental changes, cultural interruptions and palaeo- flood events, as well as relationship between the origin of agriculture and climate change. These research components are underpinned by the dating of lacustrine sediments, stalagmites and peat to establish a chronology of regional environmental and cultural evolution. Interdisciplinary and other environment proxy indicators need to be used in comparative studies of archaeological site formation and natural sedi- mentary environment in the upper, middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River Valley. Modern tech- nology such as remote sensing, molecular bioarchaeology, and virtual reality, should be integrated with currently used dating, geochemical, sedimentological, and palaeobotanical methods of analysis in envi- ronmental archaeology macro- and micro-studies, so as to provide a greater comprehensive insight into Holocene environmental and cultural interaction and change in the Yangtze River Valley area.
