Rapid fluvial incision along the Yellow River during headward basin integration

Craddock, William H.; Kirby, Eric; Harkins, N.; Zhang, Zhuqi; Shi, Xuhua; Liu, Jianhui

doi:10.1038/ngeo777

Cited by 221 publications

(194 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…They are therefore very suitable for arable agriculture, yet at the same time they are very erodible (Liu et al, 1991). Topography is variable, but large areas of the CLP are characterised by very steep slopes which are the result of strong river incision, especially during the Quaternary (Craddock et al, 2010). The combination of all these factors make the CLP a hotspot area of severe erosion where different erosion processes, such as rill and sheet erosion, gully erosion and landsliding combine, leading to very high erosion rates which may exceed 100 t ha − 1 yr − 1 on arable land (Tang et al, 1991;Zhang et al, 1997).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vegetation cover and topography rather than human disturbance control gully density and sediment production on the Chinese Loess Plateau

et al. 2016

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Vegetation cover and topography rather than human disturbance control gully density and sediment production on the Chinese Loess Plateau

et al. 2016

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“…Finally, the longitudinal profile of the upper Yellow River has at least four major knickpoints ( Figure 7f), but they are generally more gradual and graded than knickpoints shown for the Yarlung Tsangpo (Figure 7a). In this instance the origin of the knickpoints is arguably better understood, as it relates to the history of basin excavation and drainage integration during the Quaternary (Craddock et al 2010).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Prior to the existence of the contemporary Yellow River (Late Pliocene -early Pleistocene), it is believed that a series of shallow lakes (thus closed basins) existed along the stream course (Craddock et al 2010). Headward migration by a fluvial knickpoint integrated these basins into the Yellow River.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Analysis of longitudinal profiles along the eastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

Aiken

Brierley

2013

J. Mt. Sci.

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Abstract:Resulting from the collision of the Eurasian and Indian plates, the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau is commonly known as the 'roof of the world'. Collectively the Yarlung Tsangpo, Nu, Lancang, Yangtze, Yalong, and Yellow River basins drain the eastern margin of the plateau. In this paper, we utilize Shuttle Radar Topography Mission elevation data to examine morphometric and relief attributes of these basins to reveal insights into tectonic activity and rates of incision. A robust technique using Matlab is proposed to alleviate errors associated with SRTM data in the derivation of river longitudinal profiles. Convex longitudinal profiles are interpreted to be a product of uplift rates that exceed rates of channel incision along the entire margin of the QinghaiTibetan Plateau. Highest relief towards the south reflects extensive fluvial incision. High relief is also prominent along major active faults. Erosion patterns are related to distance from knickpoints. Highest rates of erosion and incision are evident towards the south, with decreasing values towards the north, suggesting a link between tectonic activity and erosion.

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“…[3] Large drainage basin reorganization events are proposed to have occurred in a number of river basins around the world including the Colorado [Lucchitta, 1979], Rhine [Petit et al, 1996;Ziegler and Fraefel, 2009], Snake [Beranek et al, 2006], Yellow [Craddock et al, 2010], Yangtze [Clark et al, 2004], Indus [Clift and Blusztajn, 2005], Ohio [Gray, 1991], and Zambezi [Thomas and Shaw, 1988] Rivers. Understanding the impact of drainage reorganization on erosion rates and processes is fundamental to understanding the controls on catchment denudation and landscape evolution in these regions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

High magnitude and rapid incision from river capture: Rhine River, Switzerland

et al. 2013

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[1] Landscape evolution is controlled by the development and organization of drainage basins. As a landscape evolves, drainage reorganization events can occur via river capture or piracy, whereby one river basin grows at the expense of another. The river downstream of a capture location will generate a transient topographic response as the added water discharge increases sediment transport and erosion efficiency. This erosional response will propagate upstream through both the captured and original river basins. Here we focus on quantifying the impact of drainage reorganization along the Rhine/Aare River system (~45,000 km 2 ) during the late Pliocene/early Pleistocene, where gravel remnants indicate total incision of~650 m during the last~4.2 Myr in the region of the recent Aare-Rhine confluence. We develop a numerical model of drainage capture to quantify the range of possible magnitudes of erosion and the transient river response resulting from the reorganization of the Rhine River. The model accounts for both fluvial incision and sediment transport. Our model estimates 400-800 m of river elevation change (lowering profiles) during the last~4 Myr due to river capture events, providing an important component to the recent exhumation budget of the Swiss Alpine Foreland. The model indicates a rapid response to capture events (re-equilibration timescale of~1 Myr). The predicted incision magnitudes are consistent with incision measured from the elevation of Pliocene and early Pleistocene river gravels, suggesting that across northern Switzerland, a significant amount of incision can be explained by drainage reorganization.

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Rapid fluvial incision along the Yellow River during headward basin integration

Cited by 221 publications

References 23 publications

Vegetation cover and topography rather than human disturbance control gully density and sediment production on the Chinese Loess Plateau

Vegetation cover and topography rather than human disturbance control gully density and sediment production on the Chinese Loess Plateau

Analysis of longitudinal profiles along the eastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau

High magnitude and rapid incision from river capture: Rhine River, Switzerland

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