Various human activities during the Great Acceleration across China reflected by lake sediments

Since the industrial revolution, human activities have become a significant driver of Earth surface geological processes and ecosystem change. By the mid-20th century, the driver entered the “Great Acceleration” over the globe, when land-use and industrialization intensified soil erosion and metal pollution. However, the magnitude and timing of anthropogenic impacts vary widely across regions, sourcing from complex interactions between natural conditions and socio-ecological systems. This study presents a sedimentary record from Sihailongwan (SHLW) Maar Lake and integrates previously published data to examine human–environment interactions across China since the Great Acceleration. The results show that northeastern China experienced substantial deforestation and industrial expansion around 1950, 1975 and 2000 C.E., resulting in marked increases in soil erosion and heavy metal pollution in the region, as recorded by lithogenic element concentrations and ratios and anthropogenic metal fluxes in SHLW Lake. Compiled with other sedimentary records across China, there is a systemic intensification of anthropogenic processes represented by land use and industrialization since the Great Acceleration. However, these processes display clear differences in timing and composition, shaped by both social history and environmental conditions. In northeastern and inland China, resource-based economic development during 1950 and 2000 C.E. led to early industrialization, influenced by the regional rich natural resources and strategic location. In contrast, coastal regions, with an export-oriented economic model after 2000 C.E., experienced later industrial growth but had favorable geographical conditions for trade. Long-term monitoring and assessment at local and wider scales will aid in understanding these complex dynamics.