Terrestrial paleoclimate transition associated with continental weathering and drift during the Aptian?Albian of East Asia

Abstract Reconstruction of Aptian–Albian paleoclimate obtained from marine records remains a challenging topic, but studies on coeval terrestrial and trigger mechanisms have lagged substantially. In this study, new multiproxy data mudrocks in the Fuxin Basin NE China provide high-resolution climate record East Asia. Here, we demonstrate occurrence cooling during late Aptian (118–113 Ma), which interrupted mid-Cretaceous warming shown global records. Nearly uniform long-term trends attributable to tectonism, volcanism, weathering occur Early Cretaceous Basin, was characterized by increasing temperatures early Aptian, gradual subsequent enhanced Albian. Moreover, chemical humidity these intervals were low, moderate high, then moderate, respectively. A markedly reduced high-elevation paleogeomorphology under strong continental increased variability fluxes as Eurasian plate drifted SE Late Cretaceous. We suggest that combination weakened drift induced changes atmospheric CO2, while geographic setting ultimately led Aptian. Our results illustrate importance exploring tectonic-climatic-biotic feedbacks improve our understanding tectonic processes ecological transitions across various spatiotemporal scales.