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Geological Journal of China Universities ›› 2024, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (03): 336-344.DOI: 10.16108/j.issn1006-7493.2024024

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Mountain Building and Silicate Weathering: A Review and Perspectives

LI Shilei1,2,CHEN Yang1,2, CHEN Jun1,2   

  1. 1. Key Laboratory of Surficial Geochemistry, Ministry of Education, School of Earth Sciences and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China;
    2. Frontiers Science Center for Critical Earth Material Cycling, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
  • Online:2024-07-03 Published:2024-07-03

Abstract: The relationship between mountain uplift and climate change has been a prominent focus of research in recent decades. Since the emergence of the famous “uplift-weathering “ hypothesis in the 1980s, which suggests that tectonic uplift of
mountains drives climate change over millions of years through silicate weathering, significant attention has been directed towards this concept. Extensive continental denudation and weathering records have been established to test this hypothesis. Despite the majority of these records aligning with the hypothesis, the presence of alternative interpretations complicates direct hypothesis testing. Consequently, numerous studies have explored contemporary weathering processes to better understand this relationship. However, these studies have unveiled that weathering in mountainous regions is not primarily controlled by physical denudation processes and is unlikely to fluctuate in response to tectonic activities. This challenges the fundamental premise of the “upliftweathering” hypothesis. This paper conducts a comprehensive review and analysis to elucidate the reasons for this contradiction. Moreover, it examines the potential of non-local weathering in floodplains as a novel weathering mechanism to resolve this inconsistency. Additionally, it delves into the opportunities and challenges within the realm of non-local weathering research. 

Key words: geological carbon cycle, continental silicate weathering, mountain uplift, floodplain weathering, surficial processes

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