Carbonate platforms are built mainly by corals living in shallow light-saturated tropical waters. The Saya de Malha Bank (Indian Ocean), one of the world's largest carbonate platforms, lies in the path of the South Equatorial Current. Its reefs do not reach sea level, and all carbonate production is mesophotic to oligophotic. New geological and oceanographic data unravel the evolution and environment of the bank, elucidating the factors determining this exceptional state. There are no nutrient-related limitations for coral growth. A switch from a rimmed atoll to a current-exposed system with only mesophotic coral growth is proposed to have followed the South Equatorial Current development during the late Neogene. Combined current activity and sea-level fluctuations are likely controlling factors of modern platform configuration.
Betzler C., Lindhorst S., Lüdmann T., Reijmer J.J., Braga J.-C., Bialik O.M., Reolid J., Eisermann J.O., Emeis K., Rixen T. and Bissessur D. (2021) Current and sea level control the demise of shallow carbonate production on a tropical bank (Saya de Malha Bank, Indian Ocean). Geology 49(12): 1431-1435. 10.1130/G49090.1
@article{Betzler2021,
Title = {Current and sea level control the demise of shallow carbonate production on a tropical bank (Saya de Malha Bank, Indian Ocean)},
Author = {Betzler, Christian and Lindhorst, Sebastian and Lüdmann, Thomas and Reijmer, John J. and Braga, Juan-Carlos and Bialik, Or M. and Reolid, Jesus and Eisermann, Jan Oliver and Emeis, Kay and Rixen, Tim and Bissessur, Dass},
Editor = {},
Journal = {Geology},
Year = {2021},
Pages = {1431-1435},
Volume = {49},
Doi = {10.1130/G49090.1},
Abstract = {Carbonate platforms are built mainly by corals living in shallow light-saturated tropical waters. The Saya de Malha Bank (Indian Ocean), one of the world's largest carbonate platforms, lies in the path of the South Equatorial Current. Its reefs do not reach sea level, and all carbonate production is mesophotic to oligophotic. New geological and oceanographic data unravel the evolution and environment of the bank, elucidating the factors determining this exceptional state. There are no nutrient-related limitations for coral growth. A switch from a rimmed atoll to a current-exposed system with only mesophotic coral growth is proposed to have followed the South Equatorial Current development during the late Neogene. Combined current activity and sea-level fluctuations are likely controlling factors of modern platform configuration.},
}
TY - JOUR
AU - Betzler, Christian
AU - Lindhorst, Sebastian
AU - Lüdmann, Thomas
AU - Reijmer, John J.
AU - Braga, Juan-Carlos
AU - Bialik, Or M.
AU - Reolid, Jesus
AU - Eisermann, Jan Oliver
AU - Emeis, Kay
AU - Rixen, Tim
AU - Bissessur, Dass
TI - Current and sea level control the demise of shallow carbonate production on a tropical bank (Saya de Malha Bank, Indian Ocean)
T2 - Geology
PY - 2021
SP - 1431-1435
VL - 49
DO - 10.1130/G49090.1
AB - Carbonate platforms are built mainly by corals living in shallow light-saturated tropical waters. The Saya de Malha Bank (Indian Ocean), one of the world's largest carbonate platforms, lies in the path of the South Equatorial Current. Its reefs do not reach sea level, and all carbonate production is mesophotic to oligophotic. New geological and oceanographic data unravel the evolution and environment of the bank, elucidating the factors determining this exceptional state. There are no nutrient-related limitations for coral growth. A switch from a rimmed atoll to a current-exposed system with only mesophotic coral growth is proposed to have followed the South Equatorial Current development during the late Neogene. Combined current activity and sea-level fluctuations are likely controlling factors of modern platform configuration.
ER -
