祁连山是青藏高原向北扩展形成的最年轻山体，其抬升扩展对于理解高原的扩展过程和 隆升机制以及造山带演化等科学问题具有重要意义。水系演化能够比较快速地响应山地的抬升 扩展，在祁连山地区开展水系的发育演化研究是探讨山体抬升扩展过程的重要手段。基于对剥蚀 面、河流阶地、风口和古河道等地貌记录以及新生代沉积地层开展的年代学与物源研究，当前祁连 山地区水系演化研究取得如下成果与认识：①祁连山东部黄河上游干流的形成演化是在构造抬升 或者气候变化的驱动下，河流向上游发生溯源侵蚀和袭夺的水系重组过程；②祁连山北部石羊河 与黑河流域、祁连山东部兰州盆地开展的河流阶地研究显示，气候变化与构造抬升分别控制着河 流的下切时间（冰期向间冰期过渡期、间冰期）和下切幅度，全新世以来阶地的形成主要受到气候 变化的控制（暖湿期河流下切）；③河流阶地可靠地记录了祁连山东部黄河重要支流湟水河（流向 反转）与大通河（河流袭夺）的演化过程；④祁连山北部榆木山地区与南部乌兰、查查盆地开展的新 生代沉积物年代学、物源与古水文研究，较可靠地重建了区域水系演化历史，显示出沉积地层在重 建可靠、详细的水系演化过程中潜力巨大。同时，还存在诸多亟需解决的问题，开展深入的地貌面 与沉积物定年研究，多物源方法融合的物源分析，持续的地貌特征研究，以及数值模拟与仿真模拟 研究，将成为今后研究的重点与趋势。

Abstract：The Qilian Shan, the youngest mountain range formed by the northward expansion of the Tibetan Plateau, plays a crucial role in understanding the plateau’s expansion processes, uplift mechanisms, and the evolution of orogenic belts. Drainage system evolution responds rapidly to mountain uplift, making the study of drainage development and evolution a critical approach for investigating the uplift and expansion of the Qilian Shan. Based on chronological and provenance studies of geomorphic records, including erosion surfaces, river terraces, wind gaps and ancient river channels, and Cenozoic sedimentary strata, the current research on drainage system evolution in the Qilian Shan has yielded the following findings and insights: ① The formation and evolution of the upper reaches of the Yellow River in the eastern Qilian Shan involve a process of drainage reorganization driven by tectonic uplift or climate change, characterized by headward erosion and river capture; ② Research on river terraces in the Shiyang River and Heihe River basins of the northern Qilian Shan, as well as in the Lanzhou Basin of the eastern Qilian Shan, indicates climate change and tectonic uplift independently govern the timing (transitions between glacial and interglacial periods, and interglacial periods) and extent of river incision; Since the Holocene, terrace formation has been primarily driven by climate change, with river incision occurred during warm and humid periods; ③ River terraces reliably record the evolution processes of major tributaries of the Yellow River in the eastern Qilian Shan, including the Huangshui River (flow reversal) and the Datong River (river capture); ④ Study of chronology, provenance, and paleohydrology of Cenozoic sedimentary strata in the Yumu Shan of the northern Qilian Shan, as well as the Wulan and Chacha basins of the southern Qilian Shan, has reliably reconstructed the regional drainage evolution history, highlighting the significant potential of sedimentary strata for reconstructing reliable and detailed record of drainage evolution. Simultaneously, numerous critical issues remain unresolved, necessitating further investigation. Future research is expected to prioritize and emphasize in-depth studies on geomorphic surface and sediments dating, the integration of multi-source methods for provenance analysis, continuous exploration of geomorphic features, as well as advancements in numerical simulations and simulation modeling studies.