Climate and Environmental Change

Danxia landform genesis of the Qiyun Mountain, Anhui Province

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  • 1. Department of Urban and Resources Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210093, China
    2. Department of Geography, Zhongshan University, Guangzhou 510275, China
    3. People’s Government of Huangshan City, Huangshan 245000, China
    4. Department of Geography, Anhui Normal University, Wuhu 241000, China
    5. Bureau of Geology and Minerals, Huangshan City, Huangshan 245000, China
    6. Bureau of Archives in Tunxi District of Huangshan City, Huangshan 245000, China
    7. Managing Committee of Qiyun Mountain Scenic Spot, Xiuning County, Xiuning 245400, China

Received date: 2005-10-12

  Revised date: 2005-12-01

  Online published: 2006-03-25

Supported by

National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.0209131086; Doctoral Fund for Colleges and Universities of Ministry of Education, No.20050284011; “985 Project” construction of Physical Geography for Nanjing University and Foundation of Modern Analyses Center of Nanjing University

Abstract

The Danxia landform of Qiyun Mountain is mainly developed on the red granule conglomerates named Xiaoyan Group (K2x1) of middle Cretaceous series, which is controlled mainly by three faulted zones, namely, Jingdezhen-Qimen faulted zone, Jiangwan-Jiekou compressional faulted zone and Kaihua-Chun’an folding faulted zone. During the Cretaceous period, this area firstly experienced massif subsidence to become a continental faulted basin, then having thick Cretaceous red sediments accumulated on it. In the supervened neotectonism, this area experienced an uplifting process, which made the thick Cretaceous sediments into a mountain with an altitude of 500-600 m. After undergoing the processes of vertical joint development, weathering, denudation and transportation, as well as evidently differential weathering and denudation influenced by lithology and structure between sandstone and conglomerate, the grand Danxia landscape consisting of peak forests, steep cliffs, caves, mesas, castellated peaks, natural bridges and so on formed. The three nick points located respectively at 585 m, 400 m and 150 m generally reflect the three dominated uplifting processes during the neotectonism.

Cite this article

MA Chunmei, ZHU Cheng, PENG Hua, ZHENG Chaogui, XIANG Fusheng, SUN Yufei, HU Jiyuan, ZHU Guanghui, LU Jianjun, CHENG Guanghua . Danxia landform genesis of the Qiyun Mountain, Anhui Province[J]. Journal of Geographical Sciences, 2006 , 16(1) : 45 -56 . DOI: 10.1007/s11442-006-0105-3

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