Linkage between Granite Weathering and Gully Erosion in Subtropical Region

Abstract

Granites, widely distributed in the Earth’s crust, undergo pedogenic processes, shaping diverse soil-mantled landscapes influenced by climatic factors in different regions. Investigating the geochemical signatures in granite weathering profiles across varying climatic conditions provides valuable insights into the intricate interplay between weathering and landscape evolution. In this study, the geochemical features, particularly major and rare earth elements, and the weathering degree of granites across temperate to subtropical regions in China were examined. The results indicated significant variations in the geochemical characteristics of granite weathering profiles, both at a pedon and regional scale (p < 0.01). With increasing hydrothermal conditions from north to south, soil pH shifted from neutral to acidic, accompanied by the leaching of major elements (K2O, Na2O, CaO, and MgO) and the enrichment of Al and Fe. The total rare earth elements (∑REEs) ranged from 75 to 352 ppm, and light rare earth elements (LREEs) from 71 to 317 ppm, exhibiting less significant variations across the study area, while heavy rare earth elements (HREEs) showed higher concentrations in the subtropical region (3 to 35 ppm). Plagioclases dominated the weathering process in temperate regions, with K-feldspar progressively increasing and, eventually, dominating from temperate to subtropic regions, resulting in a shift in clay minerals from 2:1-type in the temperate to 1:1-type in the subtropic. The chemical index of alteration (CIA) and comprehensive weathering index (W) increased from fresh rock to residual soils along the weathering profiles and from north to south across the study area, ranging from 50.72 to 97.44 and 35.11 to 70.62, respectively. The intensified granite weathering degree was significantly influenced by climatic conditions (p < 0.05), especially the multi-year average precipitation (22.4%) and relative humidity (9.1%) (p < 0.01). Gully erosion on the granite weathering mantle was concentrated in granites with a comprehensive weathering index exceeding 52.51, and the spatial variation of the granite weathering degree aligned with the spatial distribution of gully density across the study area.