Links between erosion, runoff variability and seismicity in the Taiwan orogen

Simon J. Dadson (), Niels Hovius, Hongey Chen, W. Brian Dade, Meng-Long Hsieh, Sean D. Willett, Jyr-Ching Hu, Ming-Jame Horng, Meng-Chiang Chen, Colin P. Stark, Dimitri Lague and Jiun-Chuan Lin
Additional contact information
Simon J. Dadson: University of Cambridge
Niels Hovius: University of Cambridge
Hongey Chen: National Taiwan University
W. Brian Dade: Dartmouth College
Meng-Long Hsieh: National Taiwan University
Sean D. Willett: University of Washington
Jyr-Ching Hu: National Taiwan University
Ming-Jame Horng: Ministry of Economic Affairs
Meng-Chiang Chen: Fu-Su Village
Colin P. Stark: Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University
Dimitri Lague: University of Cambridge
Jiun-Chuan Lin: National Taiwan University

Nature, 2003, vol. 426, issue 6967, 648-651

Abstract: Abstract The erosion of mountain belts controls their topographic and structural evolution1,2,3 and is the main source of sediment delivered to the oceans4. Mountain erosion rates have been estimated from current relief and precipitation, but a more complete evaluation of the controls on erosion rates requires detailed measurements across a range of timescales. Here we report erosion rates in the Taiwan mountains estimated from modern river sediment loads, Holocene river incision and thermochronometry on a million-year scale. Estimated erosion rates within the actively deforming mountains are high (3–6 mm yr-1) on all timescales, but the pattern of erosion has changed over time in response to the migration of localized tectonic deformation. Modern, decadal-scale erosion rates correlate with historical seismicity and storm-driven runoff variability. The highest erosion rates are found where rapid deformation, high storm frequency and weak substrates coincide, despite low topographic relief.

Date: 2003
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DOI: 10.1038/nature02150

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