Mid-Miocene terrestrial carbon isotope shift driven by atmospheric CO2 in the Xining Basin, NE Tibetan Plateau

The Mid-Miocene Climatic Optimum (MMCO; ~17–15 Ma) was a relatively recent warming event unrelated to human activity that provides an ideal analogue for our global warming future. However, the terrestrial ecosystem response to the MMCO remains unclear because of limited records. Continuous sedimentation from the Tashan Borehole (TSB) in the Xining Basin, northeastern Tibetan Plateau (NETP) spans the entire MMCO, with dates of 18.5–13.5 Ma from high-resolution paleomagnetic studies. Here, we explore the organic carbon isotope (δ13CTOC) record of TSB to investigate the NETP terrestrial ecosystem response to the MMCO. The sediments are typical floodplain deposits with δ13CTOC values ranging from −28.03‰ to −25.16‰, indicating terrestrial C3 plants were the dominant NETP terrestrial vegetation during MMCO. Further, an obviously negative shift of 0.6‰ occurred in TSB δ13CTOC during ~17.6–14.2 Ma. TSB δ13CTOC values show the opposite trend to global benthic δ13C values, both in the long-term Monterey Excursion event and short-term carbon maxima events. Increased atmospheric CO2 during the MMCO enhanced the carbon isotope fractionation through photosynthesis by terrestrial plants and resulted in more 12C-enriched organic matter. Similar processes on a global scale subsequently accounted for part of the Monterey carbon isotope excursion. Therefore, in warm and humid conditions, the carbon isotope cycle of terrestrial C3 plants in the Xining Basin was mainly controlled by atmospheric CO2 concentration, with superimposition of effects of enhanced East Asian summer monsoon precipitation. •Continuous δ13CTOC record is obtained on the NE Tibetan Plateau at 18.5–13.5 Ma.•δ13CTOC values show opposite trend to global benthic δ13C record.•Increased atmospheric CO2 controls plant δ13C change within terrestrial ecosystem.•Decrease of organic carbon δ13C accounts for part of the Monterey Excursion Events.