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Drainage morphometry of the Lishui catchment in the middle Yangtze basin, China: morphologic and tectonic implications

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Abstract

Drainage network pattern preserves an important history of river activity in response to regional tectonics and morphologic evolution. Various drainage morphometric parameters in the Lishui River basin and their correlation with tectonics have long been a challenge. In this paper, a detailed morphometric analysis including drainage asymmetry and anomalous morphological features was made by utilizing field data and a Digital Elevation Model (DEM), using Geographic Information System (GIS). The entire study basin was divided into 32 sub-basins so that the spatial variation of morphological parameters and its link to tectonics could be analyzed. Our study indicates that higher values in parameters occurred in the north Lishui River basin, which are associated with more mature drainage networks and largely differ from those of the south Lishui catchment. The basin asymmetry and relief features suggested the different stages of morphologic evolution on both sides. At least seven tectonic events have been identified in the study area. We speculate that these tectonic events initiated an important role in the formation of the geomorphic configuration of the Lishui Catchment. In addition, higher terrace sequences are selectively presented in the Loushui, Maoxi, and Youshui River valleys with structural complexity and active uplift in the late Early Pleistocene, highlighting a relatively earlier morphologic evolution. This, however, was followed by the later prompt incision of most areas in the Daoshui, Dieshui, and Suoxi River valleys, probably during the Middle Pleistocene. As a result, the hard rocks of these sub-basins were incised, producing the dissected topography. Our study further suggests that seven structural systems and later neotectonic events are the major controlling factors which frame the geomorphic pattern of the Lishui River valley. The outcome of the study may be of value to sustainable watershed level planning and management while implementing soil and water conservation measures in the region.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Pengcheng Zhu and Xiuming Li for their help with in-situ survey. We would like to thank Prof. Changsheng Huang for his helpful comments on the geological setting of the study area. In particular, we sincerely thank the two anonymous reviewers and editors for their excellent comments and suggestions.

Funding

This study is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 41172167), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Nos. 2652017216 and 2652017285), and the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (special financial grant no. 2014T70059).

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Correspondence to Guifang Yang or Zhenghong Chen.

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Responsible Editor: Stefan Grab

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Yang, G., Chen, Z. & Jiang, J. Drainage morphometry of the Lishui catchment in the middle Yangtze basin, China: morphologic and tectonic implications. Arab J Geosci 13, 561 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-020-05481-w

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