Rapid topographic growth of the Taiwan orogen since ~1.3-1.5 Ma.

We present the first paleotopographic reconstruction of Taiwan by measuring the hydrogen isotope composition of leaf waxes (δ2HnC29) preserved in 3-Ma and younger sediments of the southern Coastal Range. Plant leaf waxes record the δ2H of precipitation during formation, which is related to elevation. Leaf waxes produced across the orogen are transported and deposited in adjacent sedimentary basins, providing deep-time records of the source elevation of detrital organic matter. δ2HnC29 exported from the southern Taiwan orogen decreased by more than 40‰ since ~1.3-1.5 Ma, indicating an increase of >2 kilometers in the organic source elevation. The increase in organic source elevation is best explained by rapid surface uplift of the southern Central Range at around ~1.3-1.5 Ma and indicates that this part of the orogen was characterized by maximum elevations of at least 3 km at this time. Further increase in organic source elevation from ~0.85 to ~0.3 Ma indicates continued topographic growth to modern elevations.

Integrating Earth-life systems: a geogenomic approach.

For centuries, scientists have recognized and worked to understand how Earth's mutable landscape and climate shape the distribution and evolution of species. Here, we describe the emerging field of geogenomics, which uses the reciprocal and deep integration of geologic, climatic, and population genomic data to define and test cause-effect relationships between Earth and life at intermediate spatial and temporal scales (i.e., the mesoscale). Technological advances now power the detailed reconstruction of landscape and evolutionary histories, but transdisciplinary collaborations and new quantitative tools are needed to better integrate Earth-life data. Geogenomics can help build a more unified theory and characterize the boundary conditions under which geologic and climatic processes generate new biodiversity, how species' responses differ, and why.