The temporal distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was investigated in a sediment core from Lake Erhai in Southwest China using gas-chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) method. The total organic carbon (TOC) normalized total PAHs concentrations (sum of US Environmental Protection Agency proposed 16 priority PAHs) ranged from 31.9 to 269 microg/g dry weight (dw), and were characterized by a slowly increasing stage in the deeper sediments and a sharp increasing stage in the upper sediments. The PAHs in the sediments were dominated by low molecular weight (LMW) PAHs, suggesting that the primary source of PAHs was low- and moderate temperature combustion processes. However, both the significant increase in high molecular weight (HMW) PAHs in the upper sediments and the vertical profile of diagnostic ratios pointed out a change in the sources of PAHs from low-temperature combustion to high-temperature combustion. The ecotoxicological assessment based on consensus-based sediment quality guidelines implied that potential adverse biological impacts were possible for benzo(ghi)perylenelene and most LMW PAHs. In addition, the total BaP equivalent quotient of seven carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (BaA, CHr, BbF, BkF, BaP, DBA and INP) was 106.1 ng/g, according to the toxic equivalency factors. Although there was no great biological impact associated with the HMW PAHs, great attention should be paid to these PAH components based on their rapid increase in the upper sediments.