Taphonomy of coral reefs: a review

Scoffin, Terence P.

doi:10.1007/bf00357423

Cited by 154 publications

(80 citation statements)

References 99 publications

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“…Five biotic components comprise the major carbonate producers in a reef system: scleractinian corals, coralline algae, green calcified algae, molluscs and benthic foraminifera (Montaggioni and Braithwaite 2009). The carbonate budget of a coral reef is defined as the gross biogenic carbonate production by both primary and secondary sources, as well as sediment imported into the reef minus the sum of biological, physical (carbonate sediment export) and chemical erosion processes (Scoffin 1992). The long-term stability of a reef system, in particular the integrity of the three dimensional platform that accretes over time, is fundamentally dependent on maintenance of a positive carbonate budget.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The use of remote sensing to scale up measures of carbonate production on reef systems: a comparison of hydrochemical and census-based estimation methods

Hamylton

Silverman

Shaw

2013

International Journal of Remote Sensing

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(2013). The use of remote sensing to scale up measures of carbonate production on reef systems: a comparison of hydrochemical and census-based estimation methods. International Journal of Remote Sensing, 34 (18), 6451-6465.The use of remote sensing to scale up measures of carbonate production on reef systems: a comparison of hydrochemical and census-based estimation methods AbstractThe present study uses remote-sensing imagery to estimate carbonate production of the complete One Tree Island reef system, Great Barrier Reef, using hydrochemical (alkalinity reduction) and census-based (budgetary) methods. For five sites representing different benthic cover types across the reef system, carbonate production is determined using hydrochemical techniques that incubate substrates in a local aquarium and measure total alkalinity, total ammonia nitrogen, and total oxidized nitrogen. Local estimates are scaled up to the reef-system scale using a WorldView-2 satellite image, which is ground truthed against a field data set of 350 spatially referenced records of benthic assemblage. Annual total reef system carbonate production based on hydrochemical and census-based methods is estimated at 40,335 and 38,998 tonnes of calcium carbonate (CaCO3), respectively. The minimal difference (0.3%) between these estimates is attributed to under representation of small carbonate producers, such as benthic foraminifera, which are difficult to incorporate in the underwater video methodology employed to populate census budgets. This finding demonstrates the utility of remote sensing for upscaling local measures of carbonate production across reef systems accurately and consistently in spite of the use of different initial estimation methods. AbstractThe present study uses remote sensing imagery to estimate carbonate production of the complete One

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The use of remote sensing to scale up measures of carbonate production on reef systems: a comparison of hydrochemical and census-based estimation methods

Hamylton

Silverman

Shaw

2013

International Journal of Remote Sensing

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“…In this context, the degree to which a fossil assemblage reflects the composition of the original life assemblage is usually highest within low-energy environments (e.g. lagoonal and nearshore settings), where the potential for reworking and transportation is lowest (Scoffin 1992;Pandolfi and Minchin 1995;Edinger et al 2001). Within the PSRC, limited reworking and transportation of coral materials can be inferred from: (1) the overall preservation of the coral material captured within the recovered cores (ESM Figs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Palaeoecological records of coral community development on a turbid, nearshore reef complex: baselines for assessing ecological change

et al. 2017

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Understanding past coral community development and reef growth is crucial for placing contemporary ecological and environmental change within appropriate reef-building timescales. On Australia's Great Barrier Reef (GBR), coral reefs situated within coastal inner-shelf zones are a particular priority. This is due to their close proximity to river point sources, and therefore susceptibility to reduced water quality discharged from coastal catchments, many of which have been modified following European settlement (ca. 1850 AD). However, the extent of waterquality decline and its impacts on the GBR's inner-shelf reefs remain contentious. In this study, palaeoecological coral assemblage records were developed for five proximal coral reefs situated within a nearshore turbid-zone reef complex on the central GBR. A total of 29 genera of Scleractinia were identified from the palaeoecological inventory of the reef complex, with key contributions to reef-building made by Acropora, Montipora, and Turbinaria. Discrete intervals pre-and post-dating European settlement, but associated with equivalent water depths, were identified using Bayesian age-depth modelling, enabling investigation of competing ideas of the main drivers of nearshore coral assemblage change. Specifically, we tested the hypotheses that changes in the composition of nearshore coral assemblages are: (1) intrinsically driven and linked to vertical reef development towards sea level, and (2) the result of changes in water quality associated with coastal river catchment modification. Our records found no discernible evidence of change in the generic composition of coral assemblages relative to European settlement. Instead, two distinctive depth-stratified assemblages were identified. This study demonstrates the robust nature of nearshore coral communities under reported water-quality decline and provides a useful context for the monitoring and assessment of ecological change on reefs located within the most nearshore turbidzone environments of the central GBR.

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“…Beyond that time-averaging effect may occur due to sediment mixing. The time-averaging of the foraminiferal assemblage increases when reworking is deeper and the sedimentation rate is lower (SCOFFIN 1992). Due to increase bioturbation activity and high sedimentation rates in the lagoons off Belize, time-averaging can not be excluded.…”

Section: Sedimentation Rates and Bioturbationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Possible Fossil Echinoid Mass Mortality Detected in Holocene Lagoons, Belize

Gischler

2010

PALAIOS

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The development of benthic foraminiferal assemblages during the past 6,000 yrs was investigated in Holocene sediment cores from three carbonate platforms (Turneffe Islands, Lighthouse Reef, and Glovers Reef) Based on cluster analyses, seven benthic foraminiferal assemblages are distinguished during the Holocene.The three platforms exhibit characteristic differences in benthic foraminiferal fauna and diversity, which are controlled by their respective environments during the last 6,000 yrs. Turneffe Islands has four benthic foraminiferal assemblages, which are typical for restricted lagoons with fluctuating salinity. Lighthouse Reef is inhabited by two benthic foraminifera associations, which are characteristic of high water exchange with the surrounding ocean and clear waters. Glovers Reef is characterized by two benthic foraminiferal assemblages, which occur in deeper lagoons with slow water circulation. In general, during the Holocene, the highest mean diversity, evenness, and richness of benthic foraminifera were found in the Turneffe Islands and the lowest occurred at Glovers Reef. The foraminiferal faunas of the Lighthouse and Glovers Reefs had been in a "Diversification Stage" since 6,000 yrs, whereas the foraminiferal fauna of the Turneffe Islands reflects the development from a "Colonisation" (~4,000 yrs BP) to a "Diversification Stage" (~2,000 yrs to present time).Lagoonal depth, water circulation, substrate, and BW-temperature have higher influence on foraminiferal diversity as compared to lagoonal size and age. The negative correlation between diversity and lagoonal depth is based on differences in light intensity and substrate. In contrast to Lighthouse Reef, the Turneffe Islands and Glovers Reef show decreasing diversity of benthic foraminifera with increasing lagoon depth, due to finer sediment, turbid waters and/or dense mangrove growth, which reduce the light intensity and the number of species. Water Circulation also affected the benthic foraminifera modes of living and their diversity during the last 6,000 yrs.

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Taphonomy of coral reefs: a review

Cited by 154 publications

References 99 publications

The use of remote sensing to scale up measures of carbonate production on reef systems: a comparison of hydrochemical and census-based estimation methods

The use of remote sensing to scale up measures of carbonate production on reef systems: a comparison of hydrochemical and census-based estimation methods

Palaeoecological records of coral community development on a turbid, nearshore reef complex: baselines for assessing ecological change

Possible Fossil Echinoid Mass Mortality Detected in Holocene Lagoons, Belize

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