Cenozoic reorganization of fluvial systems in eastern China: Sedimentary provenance of detrital K-feldspar in Taiwan

Late Oligocene Formation of the Pearl River Triggered by the Opening of the South China Sea

“…Similar drainage expansion events have also been identified from other rivers in southeastern China, for example, the Min River, which is unlikely affected by the Tibet uplift as the Min River only drains the coastal region in southeastern China (Figure 1a). Pb isotopic data from Cenozoic deposits in Taiwan suggested that the Min River migrated westwards during the late Oligocene (Zhang, Daly, Yan, et al., 2022). These various phenomena suggest that the formation of the Pearl as well as the Min rivers were likely driven by the opening of the South China Sea.…”

“…Several investigations attributed this event to the uplift of the Tibetan Plateau (Cao et al., 2018; He et al., 2020; Jin et al., 2022), as similar Oligocene drainage network reorganization has been recognized in the other large rivers originating from SE Tibet, including the Red and Yangtze Rivers (Clift et al., 2006, 2020; Zheng et al., 2013). However, other studies have indicated that the opening of the South China Sea also influenced the progressive headward erosion of the major rivers in southeastern China (Lan et al., 2016; C. Liu et al., 2022; Z. Zhang, Daly, Tian, et al., 2022; Z. Zhang, Daly, Yan, et al., 2022). Although many provenance studies have been conducted on the eastern catchments of the Pearl River (Chen et al., 2021; C. Liu et al., 2022), little attention has been paid to the western tributaries, including the Hongshui and Yu rivers (Figure 1).…”

“…In this study, Pb isotopic compositions of detrital K‐feldspar from the Pearl River and Cenozoic deposits from the northern South China Sea, including drillholes from the Pearl River Mouth Basin (PRMB) and International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Site U1501, have been analyzed to constrain the initiation of the Pearl River. The Pb signal carried in detrital K‐feldspar is now a well‐established provenance method that has been widely applied to the evolution of major river systems (Alizai et al., 2011; Blowick et al., 2019; Clift et al., 2002, 2008; Z. Zhang et al., 2016, 2017, 2021; Z. Zhang, Daly, Tian, et al., 2022; Z. Zhang, Daly, Yan, et al., 2022). Moreover, we have compared these Pb data with published detrital zircon U‐Pb age datasets from offshore basins in South China to permit a more comprehensive discussion of the drainage evolution of the Pearl River.…”

“…, 2020Zheng et al, 2013). However, other studies have indicated that the opening of the South China Sea also influenced the progressive headward erosion of the major rivers in southeastern China (Lan et al, 2016;Z. Zhang, Daly, Yan, et al, 2022).…”