Abstract

Palaeogene Environmental evolution in East Asia remains ambiguous. Here we present integrative work including magnetostratigraphy, grain-size, geochemistry, and clay minerals from a 1609-m-thick fluviolacustrine sequence in eastern China. The results reveal two periods of tectonic control alternating with three periods of climatic control of the sedimentary evolution. Tectonic activity, as revealed by particle coarsening and reduced weathering, occurs during 65.6-59 Ma around the study area, and increases in Asia during 55-54 Ma in response to the India-Eurasia collision. Weathering enhances gradually in East Asia during 59-55 Ma, probably caused by global warming. Continuous global warming during 54-50.5 Ma is responsible for enhanced aridification in East Asia. From 50.5 to 37.6 Ma, global cooling weakens evapotranspiration and increases westerlies-derived moisture. Both aspects increase effective moisture and chemical weathering in East Asia. These results shed light on how alternating tectonism and climate change impact environmental evolution in Asia during the Palaeogene.