The paleo-topography maps of different geologic evolutionary stages are hard to be correlated with each other in horizontal and vertical with flexibly and high resolution. To solve this problem，a method for paleo-topography evolution establishment was first proposed，comprising of two types of methods and three models which included a cut-out section method based on a 3D model of key strata boundary and a balanced cross section method comprising of the same key strata boundary during different evolutionary stages based on forward and inverse modeling. Furthermore，the existence of paleotopography evolutionary behaviors such as inheritance，hiatus and transformation（positive topography transformation or negative topography transformation）was analyzed and certified and the identification signatures during paleo-topography evo? lution were further discussed. The geological applications and implications of key strata paleo-topography evolution were summarized，including the analysis of paleo-topography evolutionary behaviors，tectonic-sedimentary coupling relationships under different tectonic mechanisms，progressive tectonic deformation and trap and hydrocarbon accumulation evolution. A paleo-topography evolutionary section of the Sinian top in the northwest of Sichuan Province was selected as an example to verify the geological applications and implications of paleo-topography evolution，which offered a new approach for the paleo-topography evolution analysis and provided an effective way to realize fine correlation of local paleo-topography evolution，and it was also applied to improve space-time resolution，flexibility and accuracy of paleo-topography evolution studies.