Evolution of Stratigraphic Sequence and Sedimentary Environment in Northern Yellow River Delta Since MIS5

Abstract

Quaternary climate has been characterized by pronounced glacial–interglacial cycles, with eustatic sea-level fluctuations directly controlling coastal sedimentary environments. The Yellow River Delta, situated on the southwestern coast of Bohai Bay, bears a distinct stratigraphic imprint of marine–terrestrial environmental transitions. However, critical knowledge gaps persist in reconstructing an integrated continental–marine stratigraphic framework. This study focuses on the nearshore core CB2302, integrating sediment lithology, grain size, foraminiferal assemblages, and geochemical proxies to establish a regional stratigraphic chronology since MIS5. Three depositional units (DU1–DU3) and 12 sedimentary subunits (C1–C12) were identified based on grain-size distributions, geochemical signatures, hydrodynamic, and microfossil assemblages. Integration of AMS ¹⁴C dating and sequence stratigraphic analysis establishes a post-MIS 5 stratigraphic framework for the northern Yellow River Delta, revealing sedimentary responses to three transgressive–regressive cycles (MIS 5e, 5c, and 5a) and confirming widespread terrestrial deposition during MIS 4–2, with no detectable marine influence in MIS 3 strata. Furthermore, correlation with representative cores across the Yellow–Bohai Sea coastal system elucidates a unified model of shoreline migration patterns driven by post-MIS5 sea-level oscillations. These findings advance the understanding of Quaternary sediment–landscape interactions in deltaic systems and provide critical stratigraphic benchmarks for petroleum exploration and coastal engineering in active depositional basins.