Late holocene sea-level fall and turn-off of reef flat carbonate production: rethinking bucket fill and coral reef growth models

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorHarris, DLen_AU
dc.contributor.authorWebster, JMen_AU
dc.contributor.authorVila-Concejo, Aen_AU
dc.contributor.authorHua, Qen_AU
dc.contributor.authorYokoyama, Yen_AU
dc.contributor.authorReimer, PJen_AU
dc.date.accessioned2020-05-25T00:56:06Zen_AU
dc.date.available2020-05-25T00:56:06Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2015-02-01en_AU
dc.date.statistics2020-05-25en_AU
dc.description.abstractRelative sea-level rise has been a major factor driving the evolution of reef systems during the Holocene. Most models of reef evolution suggest that reefs preferentially grow vertically during rising sea level then laterally from windward to leeward, once the reef flat reaches sea level. Continuous lagoonal sedimentation (“bucket fill”) and sand apron progradation eventually lead to reef systems with totally filled lagoons. Lagoonal infilling of One Tree Reef (southern Great Barrier Reef) through sand apron accretion was examined in the context of late Holocene relative sea-level change. This analysis was conducted using sedimentological and digital terrain data supported by 50 radiocarbon ages from fossil microatolls, buried patch reefs, foraminifera and shells in sediment cores, and recalibrated previously published radiocarbon ages. This data set challenges the conceptual model of geologically continuous sediment infill during the Holocene through sand apron accretion. Rapid sand apron accretion occurred between 6000 and 3000 calibrated yr before present B.P. (cal. yr B.P.); followed by only small amounts of sedimentation between 3000 cal. yr B.P. and present, with no significant sand apron accretion in the past 2 k.y. This hiatus in sediment infill coincides with a sea-level fall of ∼1–1.3 m during the late Holocene (ca. 2000 cal. yr B.P.), which would have caused the turn-off of highly productive live coral growth on the reef flats currently dominated by less productive rubble and algal flats, resulting in a reduced sediment input to back-reef environments and the cessation in sand apron accretion. Given that relative sea-level variations of ∼1 m were common throughout the Holocene, we suggest that this mode of sand apron development and carbonate production is applicable to most reef systems. Copyright © 2020 Geological Society of Americaen_AU
dc.identifier.citationHarris, D. L., Webster, J. M., Vila-Concejo, A., Hua, Q., Yokoyama, Y., Reimer, P. J. (2015). Late holocene sea-level fall and turn-off of reef flat carbonate production: rethinking bucket fill and coral reef growth models. Geology, 43(2), 175–178. doi:10.1130/G35977.1en_AU
dc.identifier.govdoc9543en_AU
dc.identifier.issn0091-7613en_AU
dc.identifier.issue2en_AU
dc.identifier.journaltitleGeologyen_AU
dc.identifier.pagination175-178en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1130/G35977.1en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttp://apo.ansto.gov.au/dspace/handle/10238/9477en_AU
dc.identifier.volume43en_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherGeoScienceWorlden_AU
dc.subjectAustraliaen_AU
dc.subjectAustralasiaen_AU
dc.subjectCarbon 14en_AU
dc.subjectCarbonate rocksen_AU
dc.subjectQuaternary perioden_AU
dc.subjectCenozoic Eraen_AU
dc.subjectPacific Oceanen_AU
dc.subjectReefsen_AU
dc.subjectQueenslanden_AU
dc.subjectSea levelen_AU
dc.subjectSedimentsen_AU
dc.subjectShoresen_AU
dc.titleLate holocene sea-level fall and turn-off of reef flat carbonate production: rethinking bucket fill and coral reef growth modelsen_AU
dc.typeJournal Articleen_AU
Files
License bundle
Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Thumbnail Image
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.71 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description:
Download
Collections
Journal Articles