Sedimentary provenance studies, which aim to identify the original source of sedimentary material, can offer valuable insights into transportation processes that occur within a given basin. Zircon and K-feldspar are complimentary and commonly used minerals in provenance tracing studies, given their representation of both stable and labile mineral components of different density. However, integration of detrital zircon and K-feldspar data has not been extensively explored for determining the source areas of the Yellow River Basin, which is one of the largest drainage basins in the world. In this study, published detrital zircon UPb ages ( = 4773) and K-feldspar Pb isotopic compositions ( = 902) in the Yellow River Basin have been compiled and analyzed. Multidimensional scaling and inverse Monte Carlo modeling, allow holistic source-to-sink relationships for sediments in different sections of the Yellow River Basin to be established. Results show that: (1) There is no significant provenance relationship between the sediments from the upper Yellow River and those from the middle and lower reaches. (2) Sediments in the source area of the Yellow River primarily come from northeastern regions of the Tibetan Plateau. Additionally, the Western Loess Plateau and deserts contribute to the material composition of the upper Yellow River. The Yinchuan and Hetao plains are the main areas in the upper reaches of the Yellow River where substantial sediment deposition occurs. These sediments are from the recycling of older sediments transported from the upper reaches of the Yellow River to the Yinchuan and Hetao plains in the early Quaternary. (3) The detrital material in the middle reaches of the Yellow River directly from the Western North China Craton, which also supplied the Eastern Loess Plateau. Sanmen Gorge, located in the middle reaches of the Yellow River, serves as a depocentre for the detrital material from the Jinshan Gorge of the Yellow River and the Wei River, which is a major tributary of the Yellow River. (4) Sediment in the lower reaches of the Yellow River is mostly derived from the middle reaches of the river, with minor contributions from the Qinling Shan. The composition of detrital material in the Yellow River Basin exhibits spatial variations influenced by aeolian and fluvial transport processes resulting from tectonic and climatic activities in the upper and middle Yellow River. Human activities, such as the construction of reservoirs and the flushing of water and sediment along the Sanmen Gorge, have a notable impact on the material composition of the downstream section of the middle and lower Yellow River. The construction of reservoirs alters the natural flow of the Yellow River, leading to changes in sediment transport and deposition downstream. This can result in a decrease in sediment load, which affects the material composition of the riverbed and banks. Additionally, the flushing of water and sediment through the Sanmen Gorge can further modify the sediment distribution in the downstream section of the Yellow River. The UPb ages of detrital zircon grains in the upper, middle, and lower reaches of the Yellow River exhibit broad agreement with the Pb isotope tracing results obtained from detrital K-feldspar grains, with proportional differences interpreted as relating to zircon recycling. This study provides an example of integrating multiple proxies to reconstruct the source of sediment in a large river system. The findings of this study can be used in the implementation of effective measures aimed at reducing the erosion of soil and protecting the ecology of the Yellow River Basin.

中文翻译：

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黄河流域碎屑锆石和钾长石溯源区

沉积物来源研究旨在确定沉积物质的原始来源，可以为特定盆地内发生的运输过程提供有价值的见解。锆石和钾长石是物源追踪研究中互补且常用的矿物，因为它们代表了不同密度的稳定和不稳定矿物成分。然而，碎屑锆石和钾长石数据的整合尚未得到广泛探索，以确定黄河流域（世界上最大的流域之一）的源区。本研究对已发表的黄河流域碎屑锆石UPb年龄（=4773）和钾长石Pb同位素组成（=902）进行了整理和分析。多维尺度和逆蒙特卡罗建模可以建立黄河流域不同河段沉积物的整体源-汇关系。结果表明：（1）黄河上游沉积物与中下游沉积物之间不存在显着的物源关系。（2）黄河源区泥沙主要来自青藏高原东北部地区。此外，西部黄土高原和沙漠也对黄河上游的物质组成做出了贡献。银川、河套平原是黄河上游泥沙大量淤积的主要地区。这些沉积物是第四纪早期从黄河上游搬运到银川、河套平原的较老沉积物的再循环。（3）黄河中游的碎屑物质直接来自华北克拉通西部，也供给了东部黄土高原。三门峡位于黄河中游，是黄河金山峡和黄河主要支流渭河碎屑物质的沉积中心。（4）黄河下游泥沙主要来自黄河中游，秦岭山贡献较小。黄河流域碎屑物质的组成表现出受黄河中上游构造和气候活动引起的风沙和河流输送过程影响的空间变化。沿三门峡修建水库、冲沙等人类活动对黄河中下游下游河段的物质组成产生显着影响。水库的建设改变了黄河的自然水流，导致下游泥沙输送和沉积发生变化。这可能会导致沉积物负荷减少，从而影响河床和河岸的物质成分。此外，通过三门峡冲水冲沙，可以进一步改变黄河下游河段的泥沙分布。黄河上、中、下游碎屑锆石颗粒的UPb年龄与碎屑钾长石颗粒的Pb同位素示踪结果基本一致，比例差异解释为与锆石回收有关。本研究提供了一个整合多个代理来重建大型河流系统中沉积物来源的示例。本研究结果可用于实施旨在减少水土流失、保护黄河流域生态的有效措施。