The role of sea-level rise, monsoonal discharge and the palaeo-landscape in the early Holocene evolution of the Pearl River delta, southern China

The early Holocene history of the Pearl River delta is reconstructed based on a series of sediment cores obtained from one of the main palaeo-valleys in the basin. Sedimentary and microfossil diatom analyses combined with radiocarbon dating provide new evidence for the interactions between sea-level...

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Main Authors: Zong, Yongqiang, Huang, Kangyou, Yu, Fengling, Zheng, Zhuo, Switzer, Adam D., Huang, Guangqing, Wang, Ning, Tang, Min
Other Authors: School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: 2013
Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10356/97325
http://hdl.handle.net/10220/10492
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Institution: Nanyang Technological University
Language: English
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spelling sg-ntu-dr.10356-973252020-03-07T12:34:43Z The role of sea-level rise, monsoonal discharge and the palaeo-landscape in the early Holocene evolution of the Pearl River delta, southern China Zong, Yongqiang Huang, Kangyou Yu, Fengling Zheng, Zhuo Switzer, Adam D. Huang, Guangqing Wang, Ning Tang, Min School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences Earth Observatory of Singapore The early Holocene history of the Pearl River delta is reconstructed based on a series of sediment cores obtained from one of the main palaeo-valleys in the basin. Sedimentary and microfossil diatom analyses combined with radiocarbon dating provide new evidence for the interactions between sea-level rise, antecedent topography and sedimentary discharge changes within the deltaic basin since the last glacial. These new records show that river channels of last glacial age incised down to c. −40 m into an older (possibly MIS5 age) marine sequence which forms the floor of the deltaic basin and exists primarily at c. 10 m–15 m below present mean sea level. Rapid postglacial sea-level rise flooded the incised valleys by the beginning of the Holocene, and prior to c. 9000 cal. years BP, marine inundation was largely confined within these incised valleys. The confined available accommodation space of the incised valleys combined with strong monsoon-driven freshwater, high sediment discharge and a period of rapid rising sea level meant that sedimentation rates were exceptionally high. Towards c. 8000 cal. years BP as sea level rose to about −5 m, marine inundation spilled out of the incised valleys and the sea flooded the whole deltaic basin. As a result, the mouth of the Pearl River was forced to retreat to the apex of the deltaic basin, water salinity within the basin increased markedly as the previously confined system dispersed across the basin, and the sedimentation changed from fluvial dominated to tidal dominated. Sea level continued to rise, albeit at a much reduced rate between 8000 and 7000 cal. years BP, and deltaic sedimentation was concentrated around the apex area of the basin. During the last 7000 cal. years BP, the delta shoreline moved seawards, and the sedimentary processes changed gradually from tidal dominated to fluvial dominated. 2013-06-19T07:35:42Z 2019-12-06T19:41:30Z 2013-06-19T07:35:42Z 2019-12-06T19:41:30Z 2012 2012 Journal Article Zong, Y., Huang, K., Yu, F., Zheng, Z., Switzer, A., Huang, G., et al. (2012). The role of sea-level rise, monsoonal discharge and the palaeo-landscape in the early Holocene evolution of the Pearl River delta, southern China. Quaternary Science Reviews, 54, 77-88. 0277-3791 https://hdl.handle.net/10356/97325 http://hdl.handle.net/10220/10492 10.1016/j.quascirev.2012.01.002 en Quaternary science reviews © 2012 Elsevier Ltd.
institution Nanyang Technological University
building NTU Library
country Singapore
collection DR-NTU
language English
description The early Holocene history of the Pearl River delta is reconstructed based on a series of sediment cores obtained from one of the main palaeo-valleys in the basin. Sedimentary and microfossil diatom analyses combined with radiocarbon dating provide new evidence for the interactions between sea-level rise, antecedent topography and sedimentary discharge changes within the deltaic basin since the last glacial. These new records show that river channels of last glacial age incised down to c. −40 m into an older (possibly MIS5 age) marine sequence which forms the floor of the deltaic basin and exists primarily at c. 10 m–15 m below present mean sea level. Rapid postglacial sea-level rise flooded the incised valleys by the beginning of the Holocene, and prior to c. 9000 cal. years BP, marine inundation was largely confined within these incised valleys. The confined available accommodation space of the incised valleys combined with strong monsoon-driven freshwater, high sediment discharge and a period of rapid rising sea level meant that sedimentation rates were exceptionally high. Towards c. 8000 cal. years BP as sea level rose to about −5 m, marine inundation spilled out of the incised valleys and the sea flooded the whole deltaic basin. As a result, the mouth of the Pearl River was forced to retreat to the apex of the deltaic basin, water salinity within the basin increased markedly as the previously confined system dispersed across the basin, and the sedimentation changed from fluvial dominated to tidal dominated. Sea level continued to rise, albeit at a much reduced rate between 8000 and 7000 cal. years BP, and deltaic sedimentation was concentrated around the apex area of the basin. During the last 7000 cal. years BP, the delta shoreline moved seawards, and the sedimentary processes changed gradually from tidal dominated to fluvial dominated.
author2 School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences
author_facet School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences
Zong, Yongqiang
Huang, Kangyou
Yu, Fengling
Zheng, Zhuo
Switzer, Adam D.
Huang, Guangqing
Wang, Ning
Tang, Min
format Article
author Zong, Yongqiang
Huang, Kangyou
Yu, Fengling
Zheng, Zhuo
Switzer, Adam D.
Huang, Guangqing
Wang, Ning
Tang, Min
spellingShingle Zong, Yongqiang
Huang, Kangyou
Yu, Fengling
Zheng, Zhuo
Switzer, Adam D.
Huang, Guangqing
Wang, Ning
Tang, Min
The role of sea-level rise, monsoonal discharge and the palaeo-landscape in the early Holocene evolution of the Pearl River delta, southern China
author_sort Zong, Yongqiang
title The role of sea-level rise, monsoonal discharge and the palaeo-landscape in the early Holocene evolution of the Pearl River delta, southern China
title_short The role of sea-level rise, monsoonal discharge and the palaeo-landscape in the early Holocene evolution of the Pearl River delta, southern China
title_full The role of sea-level rise, monsoonal discharge and the palaeo-landscape in the early Holocene evolution of the Pearl River delta, southern China
title_fullStr The role of sea-level rise, monsoonal discharge and the palaeo-landscape in the early Holocene evolution of the Pearl River delta, southern China
title_full_unstemmed The role of sea-level rise, monsoonal discharge and the palaeo-landscape in the early Holocene evolution of the Pearl River delta, southern China
title_sort role of sea-level rise, monsoonal discharge and the palaeo-landscape in the early holocene evolution of the pearl river delta, southern china
publishDate 2013
url https://hdl.handle.net/10356/97325
http://hdl.handle.net/10220/10492
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