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Two cores, one 1141-cm long (An-S) and the other 885-cm long (An-A), were retrieved from Anguli-nuur Lake (41 degrees 18’-24’N, 114 degrees 20’-27’E, similar to 1315 masl), one of the largest lakes in the transition zone between a semi-humid and semi-arid climate parallel to the present limit of the southeast monsoon along the southeastern Inner Mongolia Plateau in north China. Mineral-magnetic parameters (chi(If), ARM, IRM(300mT), SIRM and IRM(-300mT)) were measured on An-S and two additional parameters (chi(ARM) and HIRM) and four inter-parametric ratios (chi(ARM)/SIRM, IRM(300mT)/SIRM, IRM(-300mT)/SIRM and SIRM/chi(If)) were calculated. Potential sources of these lake sediments (catchment soils and dune materials close to the lake and in a distant sand plain) were sampled, and the magnetic properties of the surface-material specimens were measured. A chronological model was developed for An-S by comparing and combining AMS(14)C dates of An-S with (137)Cs, (210)Pb and AMS(14)C dates of An-A. With the help of surface-material magnetism, the magnetic data of An-S in combination with particle size, TOC and C/N and pollen analyses indicate the environmental changes during the last similar to 10,000 years around this lake. Conditions began to ameliorate at 10,900 cal.yr BP (9600 (14)C yrBP) and thus relatively wet and warm environments prevailed during 10,900-8900 cal. yr BP (9600-8000 (14)C yr BP). The Holocene optimum or the wettest and warmest conditions, was during 8900-7400 cal. yr BP (8000-6500 (14)C yr BP). The environment began to deteriorate from 7400 cal. yr BP (6500 (14)C yr BP) and the driest and coolest conditions occurred during 2200-480 cal. yr BP. There may have been a minor amelioration after 480 cal. yr BP. The inferred changes in palaeoenvironmental conditions around Anguli-nuur Lake are broadly in agreement with those around most other sites on the Inner Mongolia Plateau. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.