Located in the midlatitude subtropical region, the mountain peat bog in the Dajiuhu Basin of the Shennongjia area, Hubei abounds with climate change information. This information indicated by the profile of continuous peat deposition in the Dajuhu Basin is of great significance to reveal the climate change pattern in midlatitude China at different time scales. In this study, the Dajiuhu Basin peat was characterized with respect to its absorbance using the alkali extraction method, humification degree represented by E4/E6, and magnetic susceptibility. Combined with climatic proxies including E4/E6 and magnetic susceptibility, the chronosequence of the Dajiuhu Basin peat determined by the AMS14C dating technique was used to analyze the paleoclimate near the Dajiuhu Basin. The paleoclimate and precipitation are related to the magnetic susceptibility and E4/E6 in the same region. A higher magnetic susceptibility or a larger E4/E6 value (i.e., a lower humification degree) suggests a cold and dry climate and little precipitation. Upon the results, the climate evolution of the Dajiuhu Basin since the last deglaciation (18.7 ka BP) was reconstructed. A predominant cold and dry climate intercalated by warm and humid period was observed during 18.7-11.7 Ka BP, followed by a warm and humid climate and raised temperature in general during the Holocene (11.7-0 Ka BP). Specifically, the Early Holocene (11.7-9.3 Ka BP) was featured by a cold and dry climate (with occasional warm and humid periods), the Middle Holocene (9.3-3.5 Ka BP) warm and humid, and the Late Holocene (3.5-0 Ka BP) warm and dry.

Key words：peat; magnetic susceptibility;E4/E6; Dajiuhu basin; climate change