Rapid accretion of inshore reef slopes from the central Great Barrier Reef during the late Holocene

Abstract

Research Article| April 01, 2015 Rapid accretion of inshore reef slopes from the central Great Barrier Reef during the late Holocene George Roff; George Roff 1School of Biology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia3Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Jian-xin Zhao; Jian-xin Zhao 2Radiogenic Isotope Facility, School of Earth Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar John M. Pandolfi John M. Pandolfi 1School of Biology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia3Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information George Roff 1School of Biology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia3Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia Jian-xin Zhao 2Radiogenic Isotope Facility, School of Earth Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia John M. Pandolfi 1School of Biology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia3Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, School of Biology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 25 Nov 2014 Revision Received: 22 Jan 2015 Accepted: 26 Jan 2015 First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 © 2015 Geological Society of America Geology (2015) 43 (4): 343–346. https://doi.org/10.1130/G36478.1 Article history Received: 25 Nov 2014 Revision Received: 22 Jan 2015 Accepted: 26 Jan 2015 First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation George Roff, Jian-xin Zhao, John M. Pandolfi; Rapid accretion of inshore reef slopes from the central Great Barrier Reef during the late Holocene. Geology 2015;; 43 (4): 343–346. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G36478.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Coral reefs from the inshore Great Barrier Reef (GBR) initiated in the early Holocene, and have undergone a period of quiescence in recent millennia after reaching sea level. However, the capacity for accretion in adjacent reef slopes that are unrestricted by sea-level constraints is largely unknown. To explore this potential, we recovered 38 sediment cores (2–5 m length) from the reef slope (5 m depth) from two inshore fringing reefs (Pandora and Havannah Reefs) from the central GBR. We obtained 115 high-precision U-series ages from the core record to reconstruct a detailed late Holocene accretion record from 1000 yr ago to the present. Computed axial tomography scans of intact cores revealed a coral matrix with voids infilled with fine-grained carbonate-siliciclastic sediment. Accretion within cores was highly constrained through time (R2 > 0.9) with no evidence of age reversals, indicating continuous and rapid (average 8.8 ± 1.2 mm/yr) accretion throughout the late Holocene (i.e., 1000 yr ago to the present). Our results indicate rapid late Holocene accretion on reef slopes adjacent to senescent reef flats. Comparisons of these results with published reef accretion rates from Holocene reef flats on the inshore GBR indicate that where accommodation space is available, reef slopes continue to accrete at rates equal to and exceeding that occurring during the mid-Holocene climatic optimum. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.