Enhanced silicate weathering during glacial lowstands: new evidence from shelf sediments in the northern South China Sea
The enhanced silicate weathering on tropical continental shelves has been linked to the exposure of unconsolidated sediments during glacial lowstands, contributing to atmospheric CO2 consumption. However, the lack of sedimentary record from the exposed continental shelf limited our understanding of...
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Elsevier
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Quaternary Science Advances |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666033425000188 |
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| author | Yu Cao Sai Wang Guangrong Jin Li Liu Chuangji Feng Fatma Yehia Haiyun Ma Lihua Liu |
| author_facet | Yu Cao Sai Wang Guangrong Jin Li Liu Chuangji Feng Fatma Yehia Haiyun Ma Lihua Liu |
| author_sort | Yu Cao |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The enhanced silicate weathering on tropical continental shelves has been linked to the exposure of unconsolidated sediments during glacial lowstands, contributing to atmospheric CO2 consumption. However, the lack of sedimentary record from the exposed continental shelf limited our understanding of glacial weathering regimes. To address this, Core DG from the shelf of the northern South China Sea (SCS) was analyzed to investigate sediment provenance and weathering intensity during the late Quaternary (39–287 ka). Geochemical determination revealed five units (I to V) corresponding to two transgressive-regressive cycles. Sediment of Unit I, III, IV, and V primarily originated from southwestern Taiwan rivers, while Unit II derived mainly from the small streams in Hong Kong. Chemical weathering indices indicated three episodes of enhanced silicate weathering and which contributed mainly by secondary weathering due to the long-term exposure, however, with different patterns. One was the exposure of the continental shelf under favorable temperature and precipitation conditions during the early Marine Isotope Stage 6 (MIS6). Another one was the re-transport of secondary weathered sediments from the SCS shelf near Taiwan by glacially reactivated shelf channels during the end of MIS 6 and early MIS 5. This study provides new sedimentary evidence for enhanced silicate weathering during glacial lowstands, emphasizing the role of secondary weathering and source-to-sink processes in carbon sink on shelf and theimpact on the global carbon cycle. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-22ea096569f04a2e8358fe34b68508aa |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2666-0334 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Quaternary Science Advances |
| spelling | doaj-art-22ea096569f04a2e8358fe34b68508aa2025-08-20T03:52:43ZengElsevierQuaternary Science Advances2666-03342025-06-011810028210.1016/j.qsa.2025.100282Enhanced silicate weathering during glacial lowstands: new evidence from shelf sediments in the northern South China SeaYu Cao0Sai Wang1Guangrong Jin2Li Liu3Chuangji Feng4Fatma Yehia5Haiyun Ma6Lihua Liu7School of Energy Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China; Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, ChinaSchool of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, ChinaGuangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, ChinaSchool of Energy Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China; Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, ChinaSchool of Energy Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China; Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, ChinaSchool of Energy Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China; Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, ChinaSchool of Energy Science and Engineering, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China; Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, ChinaGuangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou, 510640, China; Corresponding author.The enhanced silicate weathering on tropical continental shelves has been linked to the exposure of unconsolidated sediments during glacial lowstands, contributing to atmospheric CO2 consumption. However, the lack of sedimentary record from the exposed continental shelf limited our understanding of glacial weathering regimes. To address this, Core DG from the shelf of the northern South China Sea (SCS) was analyzed to investigate sediment provenance and weathering intensity during the late Quaternary (39–287 ka). Geochemical determination revealed five units (I to V) corresponding to two transgressive-regressive cycles. Sediment of Unit I, III, IV, and V primarily originated from southwestern Taiwan rivers, while Unit II derived mainly from the small streams in Hong Kong. Chemical weathering indices indicated three episodes of enhanced silicate weathering and which contributed mainly by secondary weathering due to the long-term exposure, however, with different patterns. One was the exposure of the continental shelf under favorable temperature and precipitation conditions during the early Marine Isotope Stage 6 (MIS6). Another one was the re-transport of secondary weathered sediments from the SCS shelf near Taiwan by glacially reactivated shelf channels during the end of MIS 6 and early MIS 5. This study provides new sedimentary evidence for enhanced silicate weathering during glacial lowstands, emphasizing the role of secondary weathering and source-to-sink processes in carbon sink on shelf and theimpact on the global carbon cycle.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666033425000188Silicate weatheringTropical shelf sedimentSouth China SeaSource-to-sink processesCarbon sink |
| spellingShingle | Yu Cao Sai Wang Guangrong Jin Li Liu Chuangji Feng Fatma Yehia Haiyun Ma Lihua Liu Enhanced silicate weathering during glacial lowstands: new evidence from shelf sediments in the northern South China Sea Quaternary Science Advances Silicate weathering Tropical shelf sediment South China Sea Source-to-sink processes Carbon sink |
| title | Enhanced silicate weathering during glacial lowstands: new evidence from shelf sediments in the northern South China Sea |
| title_full | Enhanced silicate weathering during glacial lowstands: new evidence from shelf sediments in the northern South China Sea |
| title_fullStr | Enhanced silicate weathering during glacial lowstands: new evidence from shelf sediments in the northern South China Sea |
| title_full_unstemmed | Enhanced silicate weathering during glacial lowstands: new evidence from shelf sediments in the northern South China Sea |
| title_short | Enhanced silicate weathering during glacial lowstands: new evidence from shelf sediments in the northern South China Sea |
| title_sort | enhanced silicate weathering during glacial lowstands new evidence from shelf sediments in the northern south china sea |
| topic | Silicate weathering Tropical shelf sediment South China Sea Source-to-sink processes Carbon sink |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666033425000188 |
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