Late Quaternary diatom and sea level changes in estuarine plain of the Jiulong River

Four units and twenty-four zones of diatom have been discerned in the Borehole ZKS in the estuarine plain of the)iulong River,Fujian Province.Comprehensive analysis of these,together with microbiological assemblages and age determinations in some other boreholes,shows that during the Late Wiirm Glacial,sea level of the study area rose and fell frequently,but had principally been in the environments of estuary-bay.This mainly resulted from the tectonic subduction.In this period 3 low sea levels occurred,at 18,16 and 12 kaBP respectively.During Hokx"ene,sea water intruded massively and the sea level over the transgression maximum had been 5-10 m higher than that of the present.