Holocene development of coral fringing reefs, leeward off Curaçao and Bonaire (Netherlands Antilles)

Abstract

Considerable Holocene reef accumulation (at least 16 m) has taken place at the leeward side of Curaçao and Bonaire upon several pre-existing submarine terraces. A head-coral reef, dominated by Montastrea annularis, has grown from a deep terrace (more than −28 m) to a depth of 12 m below sea level, closely following the Holocene transgression. An Acropora palmata reef, much closer to the shore, probably rests upon a much shallower terrace, and is now situated near sea level. Accumulation rates in the head-coral reef varied from ca. 1 mm/yr in the coral rubble facies to ca. 4 mm/yr in the framework facies.