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Recent and relict topography of Boo Bee patch reef, Belize

By: , and 
Edited by: D.L. Taylor

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Abstract

Five core borings were taken on and around Boo Bee Patch Reef to better understand the origin of such shelf lagoon reefs. The cores reveal 4 stages of development: (1) subaerial exposure of a Pleistocene "high" having about 8 meters of relief, possibly a Pleistocene patch reef; (2) deposition of peat and impermeable terrigenous clay 3 meters thick around the high; (3) initiation of carbonate sediment production by corals and algae on the remaining 5 meters of hard Pleistocene topography and carbonate mud on the surrounding terrigenous clay; and (4) accelerated organic accumulation on the patch reef. Estimates of patch reef sedimentation rates (1.6 m/1000 years) are 3 to 4 times greater than off-reef sedimentation rates (0.4-0.5 m/1000 years). During periods of Pleistocene sedimentation on the Belize shelf, lagoon patch reefs may have grown above one another, stacking up to form reef accumulation of considerable thickness.

Study Area

Publication type Conference Paper
Publication Subtype Conference Paper
Title Recent and relict topography of Boo Bee patch reef, Belize
Volume 2
Year Published 1977
Language English
Publisher Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science
Publisher location Miami, FL
Contributing office(s) Coastal and Marine Geology Program
Description 7 p.
Larger Work Type Book
Larger Work Subtype Conference publication
Larger Work Title Proceedings: Third International Coral Reef Symposium
First page 29
Last page 35
Conference Title Third International Coral Reef Symposium
Conference Location Miami, FL
Conference Date May, 1977
Country Belize
Online Only (Y/N) N
Additional Online Files (Y/N) N
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