Abstract Rivers are amongst the most dynamic geomorphological elements of the landscape.One spectacular hypothesis，i.e., the prominence of the meandering river in the Middle Paleozoic was genetically and closely related to the bloom of terrestrial vegetation， leads to the further research on the sedimentological impact of the terrestrial vegetation to fluvial deposits.Although there were some different recognitions or controversies，more and more geological facts supported that terrestrial vegetation had made obvious impact on fluvial sedimentation.On the basis of the research results finished by predecessors，this paper will introduce the coupling relationship between the origin and evolution of the terrestrial vegetation and the fluvial sedimentation especially for the change of river styles according to evolutionary stages of the terrestrial vegetation and the key events occurred in the early-middle period of the Paleozoic.Seeking these important advancements will be helpful to the right interpretation of fluvial deposits，and will provide insights for the modern and ancient fluvial processes.Furthermore，the Paleozoic colonization of terrestrial landscapes by embryophytes(land plants)was among the most profound changes in the long river of Earth history.Global changes that are genetically related to this profound change include: (1)drawdown of atmospheric CO2 due to enhanced rock weathering and carbon storage;(2)the Late Paleozoic glaciation;and (3)marine extinctions linked to increased runoff of terrestrial nutrients，and so on.Therefore，the sedimentological impact of the terrestrial vegetation on fluvial sedimentation becomes an important theme on biosedimentation studies.
About author: Mei Mingxiang，born in 1965，graduated from China University of Geosciences（Beijing）with his Ph.D.degree in 1993.Now he is a professor at School of Earth Sciences and Resources，China University of Geosciences(Beijing)，and is engaged in sedimentology and stratigraphy.E-mail:meimingxiang@263.net.
Cite this article:
Mei Mingxiang,Liu Shaofeng. Sedimentological impact of terrestrial vegetation on fluvial sedimentation: An important theme on biosedimentation studies[J]. JOURNAL OF PALAEOGEOGRAPHY, 2013, 15(1): 1-10.
Mei Mingxiang,Liu Shaofeng. Sedimentological impact of terrestrial vegetation on fluvial sedimentation: An important theme on biosedimentation studies[J]. JOPC, 2013, 15(1): 1-10.
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