Dynamic evolution of Cretaceous Paleogreography and the eastward migration of the Jehol Biota in North China

<p>Destruction of the North China Craton mainly occurred in the Cretaceous and has been in hot debate due to its important tectonic significance. It is suggested that the spatio-temporal evolution of the Jehol Biota in northeastern North China is driven by the North China Craton destruction during the Early Cretaceous, due to the abrupt changes in paleogeographic environment. However, little quantitative work on the dynamic paleogeographic evolution in North China has been done. In this study, using the paleosoil weathering indexes (PWI and CFX_Na) and carbonate isotope, we reconstructed the paleo-elevation of North China at 145 Ma. Then, factors include tectonic movements, sedimentology, paleoclimate and sea level changes were quantitatively combined into the Badlands software, we modeled the Cretaceous dynamic paleogeomorphic evlution of North China. It is revealed the eastern North China experienced an abrupt geomorphological transition from the collapse of the paleo-plateau to the formation of the Bohai Bay Basin due to the subduction retreat of the paleo-Pacific Plate. The geomorphological transition led to the formation of a series of rifted basins that migrated eastward.&#160;The eastward migrating subsidence basin and eruption of volcanoes jointly controlled the eastward migration of the Jehol Biota.</p>