Cretaceous terrestrial deposits in China

As an important part of an epidermic system, terrestrial deposits can provide a good record of major geological events in the Cretaceous epidemic system. This article is a review of the geological background, paleogeography, paleoclimate, basin evolution and sedimentary characteristics in China through the Cretaceous period, in order to provide a comprehensive understanding for interested researchers. During the Berriasian-Hauterivian age, red-mainly fluvial and shallow lacustrine deposition developed under arid and semi-arid climates in westen China when eastern China had been occupied by the “East Plateau”. During the Barremian-Albian, age coal-bearing depositions occurred to the north of the Yanshan Mountain under the wet and warm climate. However, mainly red fluvial and shallow lacustrine depositions prevailed in most of the south to the Yanshan Mountain except basins where seawater could enter and caused mostly green depositions. During the Cenomanian-Santonian age, high land uplift took place in northwestern China. Mainly red deposition with developed alluvial plains occupied southwestern China and South China when the Songliao Basin was filled by black deep lacustrine mud shale caused by transgression. Mainly red deposition under an arid and semi-arid climate occupied all basins in China during the Campanian-Maastrichtian age.