Skip to main content

Advertisement

Log in

Significance of Landscape Age, Uplift, and Weathering Rates to Ecosystem Development

  • Published:
Aquatic Geochemistry Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The combined roles of chemical and physical weathering have profound effects on the development of terrestrial ecosystems. Landscapes which are tectonically active are rapidly denudated and continually produce nutrient solutes from fresh bedrock. The chemical weathering yields are related to climate, but also to geologic factors such as uplift rates. Long-term nutrient production and the phase of ecological development are closely related to geological setting. Until recently, this relationship has not been seriously considered by ecologists. Our analysis of existing information suggests, however, not only that the nature and type of geologic processes provide significant insights into landscape, but also to ecological development. In this paper, we describe the impact of geologic uplift on the long term generation of soluble nutrients from bedrock by evaluating long-term data from a number of forested sites and comparing it to newly collected data from Taiwan, an area undergoing rapid tectonic uplift.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • S. P. Anderson W. E. Dietrich G. H. Brimhall SuffixJr. (2002) ArticleTitleWeathering profiles, mass balance analysis, and rates of solute loss: Linkages between weathering and erosion in a small, steep catchment GSA Bull. 114 1143–1158 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD38XnsFGksLY%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • R. April R. Newton L. T. Coles (1986) ArticleTitleChemical weathering in two Adirondack watersheds: Past and present-day rates GSA Bull. 97 1232–1238 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaL28XlsFKnsbw%3D Occurrence Handle10.1130/0016-7606(1986)97<1232:CWITAW>2.0.CO;2

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • E. T. Brown R. F. Stallard M. C. Larsen G. M. Raisbeck F. Yiou (1995) ArticleTitleDenudation rates determined from the accumulation of in situ-produced 10 Be in the Luquillo Experimental Forest, Puerto Rico Earth Planet.Sci. Lett. 129 193–202 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0012-821X(94)00249-X Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2MXktVOju7g%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Carey A. E., Kao S.-J., Hicks D. M., Nezat C. A. and Lyons W. B. (2004) The geochemistry of rivers in tectonically active areas of Taiwan and New Zealand. In: Tectonics, Climate and Landscape Evolution (eds. S. Willet, N. Hovius, M. Brandon and D. Fisher), Geological Society of America special papers in press.

  • O. A. Chadwick L. A. Derry P. M. Vitousek B. J. Huebert L.O. Hedin (1999) ArticleTitleChanging sources of nutrients during four million years of ecosystem development Nature 397 491–496 Occurrence Handle10.1038/17276 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK1MXhtlCktro%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • O. A. Chadwick R. T. Gavenda E. F. Kelly K. Ziegler C. G. Olson W. C. Elliot D. M. Hendricks (2003) ArticleTitleThe impact of climate on the biogeochemical functioning of volcanic soils Chem. Geol. 202 195–223 Occurrence Handle10.1016/j.chemgeo.2002.09.001 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3sXpsFeksL0%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • C. -H. Chen B. -M. Jahn T. Lee C. -H. Chen J. Cornichet (1990) ArticleTitleSm-Nd isotopic geochemistry of sediments from Taiwan and implication for the tectonic evolution of southeast China Chem.Geol 88 317–332 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0009-2541(90)90096-P Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK3MXms1aksw%3D%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • T. E. Crews K. Kitayama J. H. Fownes R. H. Riley D. A. Herbert D. Mueller-Dombois P. M. Vitousek (1995) ArticleTitleChanges in soil phosphorus fractions and ecosystem dynamics across a long chronosequence in Hawaii Ecology 76 1407–1421

    Google Scholar 

  • S. J. Dadson N. Hovius H. Chen W. B. Dade M. -L. Hsieh S. D. Willett J. -C. Hu M. -J. Horng M. -C. Chen C. P. Stark D. Lague J. -C. Lin (2003) ArticleTitleLinks between erosion, runoff variability and seismicity in the Taiwan orogen Nature 426 648–651 Occurrence Handle10.1038/nature02150 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3sXps1Cksro%3D Occurrence Handle14668860

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dethier D. P. (1986) Weathering rates and the chemical flux from catchments in the Pacific Northwest, U.S.A. In: Rates of Chemical Weathering of Rock and Minerals(eds. S. M. Colman and D. P. Dethier), pp. 503–530. Academic Press.

  • C. T. Driscoll G. B. Lawrence A. J. Bulger T. J. Butler C. S. Cronan C. Eagar K. F. Lambert G. E. Likens J. L. Stoddard K. C. Weathers (2001) ArticleTitleAcidic deposition in the northeastern U.S.: Sources and inputs, ecosystems effects, and management strategies BioScience 51 180–198

    Google Scholar 

  • B. Dupr J. Gaillardet D. Rousseau C. J. Allegre (1996) ArticleTitleMajor and trace elements of river-borne material: The Congo Basin Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 60 1301–1321 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0016-7037(96)00043-9

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Edmonds R.L. (1982) Introduction. In: Analysis of Coniferous Forest Ecosystems in the Western United States(ed. R.L. Edmonds), US/IBP Synthesis series 14: pp. 1–27. Hutchinson Ross, Stroudsburg, Penna.

  • G. M. Filippelli (1997) ArticleTitleIntensification of the Asian monsoon and a chemical weathering event in the late Miocene–early Pliocene: Implications for late Neogene climate change Geology 25 27–30 Occurrence Handle10.1130/0091-7613(1997)025<0027:IOTAMA>2.3.CO;2 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2sXht1Sktrk%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • G. M. Filippelli C. Souch (1999) ArticleTitleEffects of climate and landscape development on the terrestrial phosphorus cycle Geology 27 171–174 Occurrence Handle10.1130/0091-7613(1999)027<0171:EOCALD>2.3.CO;2 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK1MXhs1Ggtrk%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • J. Gaillardet B. Dupr C. J. Allegre P. Ngrel (1997) ArticleTitleChemical and physical denudation in the Amazon River Basin Chem .Geol. 142 141–173 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0009-2541(97)00074-0 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK1cXlt1Q%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • R. M. Garrels F. T. Mackenzie (1971) Evolution of Sedimentary Rocks W. W. Norton and Co. New York 397

    Google Scholar 

  • R. J. Gibbs (1970) ArticleTitleMechanisms controlling world water chemistry Science 170 1088–1090 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaE3MXjsVCmtw%3D%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gudding J. A. (2003) Phosphorus in Taylor Valley, Antarctica: The connection between landscape age and nutrient limitation in aquatic ecosystem components. M. S. Thesis, The Ohio State University, 118 pp.

  • S. P. Hamburg R. D. Yanai M. A. Arthur J. D. Blum T. G. Siccama (2003) ArticleTitleBiotic control of calcium cycling in northern hardwood forests: Acid rain and aging forests Ecosystems 6 399–406 Occurrence Handle10.1007/s10021-002-0174-9 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3sXks12ru70%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hammond P. E. (1979) A tectonic model for evolution of the Cascade Range. In: Cenozoic Paleogeography of the Western United States(eds. J. M. Armentrout, M. R. Cole and H.␣Terbest Jr.), Pacific Coast Paleogeography Symposium 3: pp. 219–237.

  • T. W. Horton C. P. Chamberlain M. Fantle J. D. Blum (1999) ArticleTitleChemical weathering and lithologic controls of water chemistry in a high-elevation river system: Clark’s Fork of the Yellowstone River, Wyoming and Montana Water Resour . Res. 35 1643–1655 Occurrence Handle10.1029/1998WR900103 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK1MXjtlOqsLw%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • S. Hotchkiss P. M. Vitousek O. A. Chadwick J. Price (2000) ArticleTitleClimate cycles, geomorphological change, and the interpretation of soil and ecosystem development Ecosystems 3 522–533 Occurrence Handle10.1007/s100210000046

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • N. Hovius C. P. Stark H. -T. Chu J. -C. Lin (2000) ArticleTitleSupply and removal of sediment in a landslide-dominated mountain belt: Central Range, Taiwan J. Geol. 108 73–89 Occurrence Handle10.1086/314387 Occurrence Handle10618191

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Y. Huh J. M. Edmond (1999) ArticleTitleThe fluvial geochemistry of the rivers of Eastern Siberia: III. Tributaries of the Lena and Anabar draining the basement terrain of the Siberian Craton and the Trans-Baikal Highlands Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 63 967–987 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0016-7037(99)00045-9 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK1MXks12gurw%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • T. G. Huntington (2000) ArticleTitleThe potential for calcium depletion in forest ecosystems of Southeastern United States; review and analysis Global Biogeochem. Cycles 14 623–638 Occurrence Handle10.1029/1999GB001193 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3cXktFagsbo%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • A. D. Jacobson J. D. Blum (2003) ArticleTitleRelationship between mechanical erosion and atmospheric CO2 consumption in the New Zealand Southern Alps Geology 31 865–868 Occurrence Handle10.1130/G19662.1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • S. -J. Kao K. -K. Liu (1996) ArticleTitleParticulate organic carbon export from a subtropical mountainous river in Taiwan Limnol. Oceanogr 41 1749–1757 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2sXis1yis7s%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • M. J. Kennedy O. A. Chadwick P. M. Vitousek L. A. Derry D. M. Hendricks (1998) ArticleTitleChanging sources of base cations during ecosystem development, Hawaiian Islands Geology 26 1015–1018 Occurrence Handle10.1130/0091-7613(1998)026<1015:CSOBCD>2.3.CO;2 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK1cXnsleju7k%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • M. J. Kohn J. L. Miselis T. J. Fremd (2002) ArticleTitleOxygen isotope evidence for progressive uplift of the Cascade Range, Oregon Earth Planet Sci. Lett. 204 151–165 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0012-821X(02)00961-5 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD38XovFensLg%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • M. C. Larsen (1991) ArticleTitleMass movement disturbance and denudation in a humid-tropical montane forest Puerto Rico Geol. Soc. Am. Programs Abstracts 23 256

    Google Scholar 

  • M. C. Larsen R. F. Stallard (2000) ArticleTitleLuquillo Mountains, Puerto Rico: A Water, Energy, and Biogeochemical Budgets Program Site USGS Fact Sheet 163 IssueID99 4

    Google Scholar 

  • G. E. Likens F. H. Bormann (1995) Biogeochemistry of a Forested Ecosystem, 2nd edn. Springer Verlag 159

    Google Scholar 

  • T. -C. Lin S. P. Hamburg H. -B. King Y. -J. Hsia (2000) ArticleTitleThroughfall patterns in a subtropical rain forest of Northeastern Taiwan J. Environ. Qual. 29 1186–1193 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3cXlt1WjsLY%3D Occurrence Handle10.2134/jeq2000.2941186x

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lyons W. B., Carey A. E., Hicks D. M. and Nezat C.A. (2004) Chemical weathering in high sediment yielding watersheds. J. Geophys. Res. Earth Surf., in press.

  • W. B. Lyons R. M. Lent N. Djukic S. Maletin V. Pujin A. E. Carey (1992) ArticleTitleGeochemistry of surface waters of Vojvodina, Yugoslavia J. Hydrol. 137 33–55 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0022-1694(92)90047-Y Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK38XlsFOhtr4%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • W. H. McDowell (1998) ArticleTitleInternal nutrient fluxes in a Puerto Rican rain forest J. Trop. Ecol 14 521–536 Occurrence Handle10.1017/S0266467498000376

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • W. H. McDowell C. E. Asbury (1994) ArticleTitleExport of carbon, nitrogen, and major ions from three tropical montane watersheds Limnol Oceanogr. 39 111–125 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2cXltFKqt78%3D Occurrence Handle10.4319/lo.1994.39.1.0111

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • W. H. McDowell C. E. Asbury (1994) ArticleTitleExport of carbon, nitrogen, and major ions from three tropical montane watersheds Limnol Oceanogr. 39 111–125 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2cXltFKqt78%3D

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • C. E. Mitchell P. Vincent R. J. Weldon SuffixII M. A. Richards (1994) ArticleTitlePresent-day vertical deformation of the Cascadia margin, Pacific Northwest, United States J. Geophys. Res. 99 12257–12277 Occurrence Handle10.1029/94JB00279

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • J. B. Mullin J. P. Riley (1955) ArticleTitleThe spectrophotometric determination of silicate–silicon in natural waters with special reference to sea water Anal. Chim. Acta 12 162–170 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0003-2670(00)87825-3 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaG2MXkvV2isg%3D%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • D. L. Peck A. B. Griggs H. G. Schlicker F. G. Wells H. M. Dole (1964) ArticleTitleGeology of the central and northern parts of the western Cascade Range in Oregon U. S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 449 56

    Google Scholar 

  • C. S. Riebe J. W. Kirchner R. C. Finkel (2003) ArticleTitleLong-term rates of chemical weathering and physical erosion from cosmogenic nuclides and geochemical mass balance Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 67 4411–4427 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0016-7037(03)00382-X Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3sXoslOit7o%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • F. N. Scatena (1990) ArticleTitleWatershed scale rainfall interception on two forested watersheds in the Luquillo Mountains of Puerto Rico J. Hydrol. 113 89–102 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0022-1694(90)90168-W

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Scatena F. N. (1995) Relative scales of time and effectiveness of watershed processes in a tropical montane rain forest of Puerto Rico. In: Miller A.J., Potter K.W., Wilcock P.R., (eds) Natural and Anthropogenic Influences in Fluvial Geomorphology; the Wolman Volume. Geophys. Monogr. 89, 103–111

  • Seiders V. M. (1971) Cretaceous and lower Tertiary stratigraphy of the Gurabo and E1 Yunque quadrangles, Puerto Rico. In: Contributions to Stratigraphy (eds. G. V. Cohee, R. G. Bates and W. B. Wright), U. S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1294-F

  • Stallard R. F. (1985) River chemistry, geology, geomorphology, and soils in the Amazon and Orinoco basins. In: The Chemistry of Weathering (ed. J. I. Drever), 293–316, Reidel, Dordrecht

  • R. F. Stallard (1995) ArticleTitleTectonic, environmental and human aspects of weathering and erosion Ann. Rev. Earth Planet. Sci. 23 11–39 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2MXlslSjtL8%3D Occurrence Handle10.1146/annurev.ea.23.050195.000303

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • R. F. Stallard J. M. Edmond (1983) ArticleTitleGeochemistry of the Amazon 2 The influence of geology and weathering environment on the dissolved load J Geophys Res 88 9671–9688 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaL2cXisFyisw%3D%3D Occurrence Handle10.1029/JC088iC14p09671

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • R. E. Stauffer B. D. Wittchen (1991) ArticleTitleEffects of silicate weathering on water chemistry in forested, upland, felsic terrane of the USA Geochim Cosmochim. Acta 55 3253–3271 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0016-7037(91)90487-P Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK38XksVeiuw%3D%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • B. W. Stewart R. C. Capo O. A. Chadwick (2001) ArticleTitleEffects of rainfall on weathering rate, base cation provenance, and Sr isotope composition of Hawaiian soils Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 65 1087–1099 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0016-7037(00)00614-1 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3MXitlOisb0%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Swank W. T. and Crossley, Jr. D. A. (1988) Introduction and site description. In:Forest Hydrology and Ecology at Coweeta(eds. W. T. Swank and D. A. Crossley), Ecological Series 66: 3–16. Springer–Verlag, New York

  • Swank W. T. and Waide J. B. (1988) Characterization of baseline precipitation and stream chemistry and nutrient budgets for control watersheds. In: Forest Hydrology and Ecology at Coweeta(eds. W. T. Swank and D. A. Crossley, Jr.), Ecological Studies 66: 57–79. Springer-Verlag, New York

  • F. J. Swanson C. T. Dyrness (1975) ArticleTitleImpact of clear-cutting and road construction on soil erosion by landslides in the western Cascade Range, Oregon Geology 3 393–396 Occurrence Handle10.1130/0091-7613(1975)3<393:IOCARC>2.0.CO;2

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Swanson F. J., Fredricksen R. L. and McCorison F. M. (1982) Material transfer in a western Oregon forested watershed. In: Analysis of Coniferous Forest Ecosystems in the Western United States(ed. R. L. Edmonds) US/IBP Synthesis Series, 14. Hutchinson Ross, Stroudsburg, Penna., 233–266

  • Swift Jr. L. W., Cunninghan G. B. and Douglass J. E. (1988) Climatology and hydrology. In: Forest Hydrology and Ecology at Coweeta(eds. W. T. Swank and D. A. Crossley, Jr.), Ecological Series 66: 35–56. Springer-Verlag, New York

  • A. Taylor J. D. Blum (1995) ArticleTitleRelation between soil age and silicate weathering rates determined from the chemical evolution of a glacial chronosequence Geology 23 979–982 Occurrence Handle10.1130/0091-7613(1995)023<0979:RBSAAS>2.3.CO;2 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK28XktVWguw%3D%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • S. R. Taylor S. C. McLennan (1985) The Continental Crust: Its Composition and Evolution Blackwell Scientific Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • L. S. Teng (1990) ArticleTitleGeotectonic evolution of late Cenozoic arc-continental collision in Taiwan Tectonophysics 183 57–76 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0040-1951(90)90188-E

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • B. L Turner J. A. Chudek B. A. Whitton R Baxter (2003) ArticleTitlePhosphorus composition of upland soils polluted by long-term atmospheric nitrogen deposition Biogeochemistry 65 259–274 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1026065719423 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3sXnvVOrsrg%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • M. A. Velbel (1985) ArticleTitleGeochemical mass balances and weathering rates in forested watersheds of the southern Blue Ridge Am. J. Sci. 285 904–930 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaL28XltlOltQ%3D%3D Occurrence Handle10.2475/ajs.285.10.904

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • P. M. Vitousek O. A. Chadwick T. E. Crews J. H. Fownes D. M. Hendricks D. Herbert (1997) ArticleTitleSoil and ecosystem development across the Hawaiian Islands GSA Today 7 1–8 Occurrence Handle11541665

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • P. M. Vitousek H. Farrington (1997) ArticleTitleNutrient limitation and soil development: Experimental test of a biogeochemical theory Biogeochemistry 37 63–75 Occurrence Handle10.1023/A:1005757218475 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2sXislagsbY%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • T. M. Walker J. K. Syers (1976) ArticleTitleThe fate of phosphorus during pedogenesis Geoderma 15 1–19 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0016-7061(76)90066-5 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaE28Xht1Cltro%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • K. A. Welch W. B. Lyons E. Graham K. Neumann J. M. Thomas D. Mikesell (1996) ArticleTitleThe determination of major element chemistry in terrestrial waters from Antarctica using ion chromatography J. Chromatogr. A. 739 257–263 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0021-9673(96)00044-1 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK28XksF2msbc%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • A. F. White A. E. Blum (1995) ArticleTitleEffects of climate on chemical weathering in watersheds Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 59 1729–1747 Occurrence Handle10.1016/0016-7037(95)00078-E Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK2MXlvFShtbg%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • A. F. White A. E. Blum M. S. Schulz D. V. Vivit D. A. Stonestrom M. Larsen S. F. Murphy D. Eberl (1998) ArticleTitleChemical weathering in a tropical watershed, Luquillo Mountains, Puerto Rico: I Long-term versus short-term weathering fluxes Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 62 209–226 Occurrence Handle10.1016/S0016-7037(97)00335-9 Occurrence Handle1:CAS:528:DyaK1cXhvVCru7o%3D

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anne E. Carey.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Carey, A.E., Lyons, W.B. & Owen, J.S. Significance of Landscape Age, Uplift, and Weathering Rates to Ecosystem Development. Aquat Geochem 11, 215–239 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10498-004-5733-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10498-004-5733-6

Keywords

Navigation