Fluvial geomorphic elements in modern sedimentary basins and their potential preservation in the rock record: A review

Empirical observations used to constrain controls on large global modern river systems typically use catchment delineations depicting drainage patterns of rivers to oceans. A key component in the spatial and temporal discharge of sediment to oceans are terrestrial sinks that act as buffers and sequestrate sediment and nutrients along its route, however, a global catchment model depicting the drainage patterns of rivers to terrestrial sinks does not currently exist. We propose a new global terrestrial sink catchment (GTSC) database that delineates the distribution of high-resolution global river networks in relation to mapped modern terrestrial sinks. The results show a distinct set of characteristics defining the morphology, climate, lithology and sediment discharge of source catchments contributing to terrestrial sinks by tectonic regime. Foreland, intracratonic, extensional and strike-slip tectonic regimes are characterized by small, numerous, densely spaced and wide source catchments where the largest source catchment contributes on average 50%, 43%, 36% and 36%, respectively, of the total suspended sediment load. Forearc and passive margin tectonic regimes are characterized by few, large source catchments where the largest source catchment contributes on average 64% and 63% of the total suspended sediment load. In contrast to forearc and passive margin settings, foreland, intracratonic, extensional and strike-slip settings show source catchments with a range of lithologies and a dominance of seasonal climates, which will likely increase along-strike variability in sediment discharge to their terrestrial sink. The variability of along-strike sediment discharge, sediment composition and source-derived perturbations in sediment discharge to the terrestrial sink will influence the sediments stored and propagation of sediment discharge signals. On geological timescales, marine sedimentary successions and the sediment routing system, likely represents the characteristics of remobilized terrestrial sink sediments during millennial scale perturbations in water discharge. The GTSC database provides a valuable resource to further our quantitative understanding on the role of the terrestrial sink on the broader sediment routing system.

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“…Such fans have been well documented in literature (DeCelles and Cavazza, 1999;Leier et al, 2005;Weissmann et al, 2015).…”

Section: Source Catchment Climatementioning

confidence: 82%

The distribution of rivers to terrestrial sinks: Implications for sediment routing systems

2018

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“…Furthermore, an understanding of fluvial system as DFS deposits can be used as a predictive framework for evaluating continental sedimentary successions (Weissmann, 2010;Weissmann et al, 2015). These findings provide a new idea for largescale sandstone oil and gas exploration in large areas of western China with arid climates.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 88%

“…However, studies of the well-exposed three-dimensional fluvial outcrops fill this gap, because they necessarily focus on what is actually preserved. A series of researches on the fluvial systems have made a major breakthrough, that includes (a) fluvial patterns and classification (Assine, Silva, Latrubesse, Chen, & Stevaux, 2009;Rosgen, 1994;Schumm, 1977;Schumm & Khan, 1971;Wu et al, 2016); (b) a survey of modern fluvial systems (Langford, 2010;Przegiętka, Molewski, Juśkiewicz, Palczewski, & Chabowski, 2016;Sambrook Smith et al, 2010;Weissmann et al, 2015); (c) the facies and modelling (Bridge & Lunt, 2006;Cant & Walker, 1978;Davidson, Leleu, & North, 2011;Lunt & Bridge, 2004;Miall, 1977b); (d) the sequence stratigraphy of fluvial systems (Beer, 2005;Catuneanu & Eriksson, 2006;Colombera, Mountney, & McCaffrey, 2015;Miall, 2002;Miall, 2006); (e) the architecture element (Allen, 1983;Miall, 1985;Miall, 1992;Miall, 1996a;Miall, 2002;Miall, 2006;Miall, 2014a); (f) the simulation of sedimentation (Jang, Shimizu, & Lee, 2015;Kettner, Restrepo, & Syvitski, 2010). A series of researches on the fluvial systems have made a major breakthrough, that includes (a) fluvial patterns and classification (Assine, Silva, Latrubesse, Chen, & Stevaux, 2009;Rosgen, 1994;Schumm, 1977;Schumm & Khan, 1971;Wu et al, 2016); (b) a survey of modern fluvial systems …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Braided–meandering system evolution in the rock record: Implications for climate control on the Middle–Upper Jurassic in the southern Junggar Basin, north‐west China

Zhang

Shan

et al. 2018

Geological Journal

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This paper presents the current body of knowledge regarding the evolution of a braided–meandering system in the southern Junggar Basin, north‐west China, based on the preserved architecture evidences. The response to climate change was also discussed. Herein, 10 types of lithofacies are summarized, including information of their primary sedimentary structures, characteristic lithology, and geometry. This study focuses on recognizing the architectural elements within the channels (migrating channel: CHm, switching channel: CHs, transiting channel: CHt, and filling channel: CHf), the bar units (downstream accretion: DA, lateral accretion: LA, unit bar: UB, and compound bar: CB), and fine‐grained clastic deposits (floodplain fines: FF and overbank fines: OF). Three representative sections of outcrops were selected, and detailed observation and analysis of these sections revealed 3 stages can be divided: the braided stage, in which the deposits show an evidence of CHm, DA elements which are the mainly architectural elements, multichannel with aggradational filling; The transformation between braided–meandering stage, during which the fluvial system consists of CHt and CHm elements with lateral accretion; and meandering stage which is characterized by dominance of CHm, LA elements, and the channels become isolated and meandering. Finally, this paper concludes with an interpretation of climate events as manifested by the fluvial archives of the colours of sedimentary rocks, special mineral, palaeontology, geochemistry spanning the Middle–Upper Jurassic (between 166.1 and 152.1 Ma).

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“…Recent studies have focused mainly on the dynamics and evolution of megafan systems and in the Paraguay trunk river plain (Assine and Silva, 2009;Assine, 2015;Almeida et al, 2015;Pupim et al, 2017) with very few studies on the interfan systems (e.g. They are initially described as inter-cone plains (Geddes, 1960) but are also cited as interfan areas (Sinha and Friend, 1994), intermegafan areas (DeCelles and Cavazza, 1999), and inter-distributive fan systems (Weissmann et al, 2015). Interfan plains are important sink areas that collect and distribute water and sediments of coalescing distributive systems.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Hidden in plain sight: How finding a lake in the Brazilian Pantanal improves understanding of wetland hydrogeomorphology

Merino

Assine

2019

Earth Surf Processes Landf

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Wetlands are permanently or seasonally flooded areas which support countless species of plants and animals. The Pantanal, in central-west Brazil is one of the largest freshwater wetlands in the world covering an area of~150 000 km 2 . The relationships between geomorphology, hydrology, sedimentation, and vegetation cover are critical for understanding how the landscape constrains the dynamics of wetlands. We provide a detailed study of the geomorphology and surface hydrology of the Negro River Interfan System (NRIS), in the southern Pantanal, by applying multiple approaches (i.e. remote sensing analysis, geomorphological zonation and hydrosedimentological surveys). A multitemporal analysis of Landsat imagery produced an inundation frequency map (2000-2011 period) that revealed a permanently flooded area in the central portion of the NRIS. A hidden fluvial lake was previously undetected due to the accumulation of floating mats and floating meadows of macrophytes. The Negro and Aquidauana feeder rivers exhibit remarkable differences in channel planform, water discharge, and sediment load. The Negro River presents a distributary pattern with marginal levees with decreasing elevation as it progrades into the lake and remains as a subaqueous landform conditioning the water flow downstream. The lake outflow to the Paraguay River occurs mainly by sheet flow during flood seasons and through small tributary channels during dry months. The lake's geometry is outlined by east-northeast and west-northwest straight borders, suggesting that the area is tectonically controlled. A cloud-based worldwide water surface database revealed frequent channel changes within the NRIS. Recent channel avulsions in the lower course of the Negro River are noteworthy mainly because the former river channel at the confluence with the Paraguay River is no longer connected with the Negro River channel.

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Fluvial geomorphic elements in modern sedimentary basins and their potential preservation in the rock record: A review

Cited by 107 publications

References 150 publications

The distribution of rivers to terrestrial sinks: Implications for sediment routing systems

The distribution of rivers to terrestrial sinks: Implications for sediment routing systems

Braided–meandering system evolution in the rock record: Implications for climate control on the Middle–Upper Jurassic in the southern Junggar Basin, north‐west China

Hidden in plain sight: How finding a lake in the Brazilian Pantanal improves understanding of wetland hydrogeomorphology

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