Charles Darwin's Theory of Coral Reefs and the Problem of the Chalk

Abstract

Darwin's effort to relate his theory of coral reefs to global tectonic concepts failed to impress geologists more immediately interested in European phenomena. Charles Lyell had initially regarded coral reefs as a way to explain the European Chalk formation. However, he encountered criticism from catastrophist authors who thought the Chalk was a result of chemical precipitation. Lyell embraced Darwin's coral reef theory in an effort to strengthen his argument; and though C. G. Ehrenberg explained the Chalk as the product of fossil Foramanifera, he reinforced the general case in favor of organic deposition as opposed to chemical precipitation. As a result geologists tended to follow Lyell in discussing coral reef formation in the larger context of carbonate deposition generally.