丹霞地貌概念释义

丹霞地貌的概念自创立之初至今,众说纷纭,莫衷一是,对其误解目前甚有扩大化的明显趋势。文章通过文献和野外调研,追溯了丹霞地貌的缘起,梳理了它的内涵,得出如下认识:(1)丹霞山地形,起初为描述红层即丹霞层(后称丹霞组)而总结出来的颜色+地形特征的地层单位野外识别标志,属地层学范畴;后因地貌奇观等观赏价值才转为地貌学研究的范畴;引起歧义的关键所在是修饰地貌的“丹霞”二字被误解为红色或红黄色的形象。它实为广东丹霞山一带山地的名称,即丹霞地貌是“丹霞山式地貌”的简称。(2)该地貌作为一种特殊的地貌类型,具顶平、身陡、麓缓的显著特征,其成因条件必然具有一定的特殊性:一是厚层的红色碎屑岩,且含有可溶钙质胶结物和砾石;二是岩层产状近水平,且发育两组高角度相交的近乎直立的构造节理;三是形成时代较新,仍处于发育的壮年期。(3)红黄色砂岩中的雕岩谷(如陕北延安雕岩谷和美国羚羊谷)以及褶皱倾斜互层岩石中的彩丘(如张掖彩丘和秘鲁彩虹山)的成因和形貌特征与丹霞地貌迥异,即使侵蚀继续进行,也不可能发育成丹霞地貌。因此,丹霞地貌的概念应回归到1983年《地质辞典》的定义,切不可继续张冠李戴,失去科学的严谨性与合理性。

On the Definition of Danxia Landform

There is clear need for a genetic definition of Danxia landform based on well specific criteria matching geological observations. The Danxia landform is characterized by a cluster of isolated buttes with shapes of tall, flat-topped, steep, often vertical sided tables and towers of red sandstone and conglomerate. The buttes were created through the process of erosion (the gradual wearing away of rocks by water, wind, and ice) preferentially along orthogonal tensile joints or conjugate shear fractures within flat-lying sedimentary rocks. The Danxia landform was initially used by Chinese geologists after Mount Danxia in Guangdong as a characteristic stratum to distinguish it from other formations. Although its use is prevalent in China, the southwestern USA such as Arizona and Utah (e.g., Monument Valley) has the most typical collection of Danxia landforms in the world. In English, butte, mesa, tableland, hoodoo, inselberg, tent rock, and fairy chimney are commonly used to stand as synonyms for various Danxia landforms.