Subsidence on the predominantly strike‐slip Alpine Fault, Aotearoa New Zealand

Arthur Chan; James Goff; James Terry; Masaki Yamada; Roger Bilham

doi:10.1111/1745-5871.70059

journal article Feb 01, 2026

Subsidence on the predominantly strike‐slip Alpine Fault, Aotearoa New Zealand

Arthur Chan

James Goff

James Terry Masaki Yamada

Roger Bilham

Geographical Research Vol. 64 No. 1 · Wiley

View at Publisher Save 10.1111/1745-5871.70059

Abstract

Abstract
There has been considerable research both on‐fault and in adjacent wetland environments aimed at understanding the nature and timing of movements on the predominantly strike‐slip Alpine Fault in southern Aotearoa New Zealand. Findings have documented significant horizontal displacement on its western side and uplift to the east but have as yet not reported any vertical land displacement to the west. Here, we report on a recent study of drowned forests, subsided soils, exposed tree stumps, and sedimentary evidence from Saltwater Lagoon, western South Island, which suggest multiple subsidence/compaction events. Radiocarbon dating of drowned trees revealed multiple tree ages with at least two buried soils overlain by apparent tsunami and/or slope failure deposits. The overall trend appears to be one of net lagoon subsidence/compaction. The recognition of co‐seismic subsidence/compaction events in this area may help explain a geomorphological conundrum where coastal wetlands and lagoons are maintained in a region where substantial sediment supply to the coast should cause infilling and progradation. It is important to gain a far better understanding of the nature and extent of such co‐seismic subsidence/compaction on the western side of the Alpine fault in order to determine the possible risks posed to coastal infrastructure. Equally, this applies internationally where there is potential to recognise seismic linkages between regional coastal geomorphologies such as lagoons, wetlands, drowned forests, and uplifted or isolated benches. This work highlights the significance of looking beyond the predominant nature of a fault’s movement in order to fully understand a region’s seismicity.

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Published: Feb 01, 2026
Vol/Issue: 64(1)
License: View

Authors

A

Arthur Chan

School of Psychology, Faculty of Science University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales Australia

J

James Goff

Earth and Sustainability Science Research Centre (ESSRC), School of BEES University of New South Wales Sydney Australia; School of Ocean and Earth Science, Faculty of Environmental and Life Sciences University of Southampton Southampton UK

J

James Terry

College of Natural and Health Sciences Zayed University Dubai UAE

M

Masaki Yamada

Department of Geology, Faculty of Science Shinshu University Matsumoto Nagano Japan

R

Roger Bilham

Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) and Geological Sciences University of Colorado Boulder Colorado USA

Cite This Article

Arthur Chan, James Goff, James Terry, et al. (2026). Subsidence on the predominantly strike‐slip Alpine Fault, Aotearoa New Zealand. Geographical Research, 64(1). https://doi.org/10.1111/1745-5871.70059

Subsidence on the predominantly strike‐slip Alpine Fault, Aotearoa New Zealand

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