3 – The Great Barrier Reef in Time and Space: Geology and Palaeobiology
27
restricted shelf edge fringing reef development on the
eastern slopes coupled with other non-reefal modes of
coral community exploitation of the southern regions of
the GBR province during the regressive and glacial intervals. Further work into the comparative response of
coral communities and reef growth to these two end
member phases should provide important insight into
prediction of reef response to future climatic changes.
Now the GBR, like many coral reefs around the
world, is changing dramatically in response to human
interaction. But living ecological systems provide few
clues as to the extent of their degradation. The only
recourse into understanding the natural state of living
reefs is the fossil record. Our knowledge of past ecosystems on the GBR contributes to formulating sound
approaches to the conservation and sustainability of
the GBR; specifically in ensuring that policy makers
and managers use geological contexts and perspectives
in setting realistic goals and measuring their success.
ADDITIONAL READING
Sea level change
Beaman, R. J., Webster, J. M., and Wust, R. J. A. (2008).
New evidence for drowned shelf edge reefs in the
Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Marine Geology 247,
17–34.
Chappell, J., Omura, A., Esat, T., McCulloch M., Pandolfi, J., Ota, Y., and Pillans, B. (1996). Reconciliation
of late Quaternary sea levels derived from coral
terraces at Huon Peninsula with deep sea oxygen
isotope records. Earth and Planetary Science Letters
141, 227–236.
Lambeck, K., Esat, T. M., and Potter, E.-K. (2002). Links
between climate and sea levels for the past three
million years. Nature 419, 199–206.
Reef development
Larcombe, P., and Carter, R. M. (2004). Cyclone pumping, sediment partitioning and the development
of the Great Barrier Reef shelf system: a review.
Quaternary Science Reviews 23, 107–135.
Pickett, J. W., Ku, T. L., Thompson, C. H., Roman, D.,
Kelley, R. A., and Huang, Y. P. (1989). A review of
age determinations on Pleistocene corals in eastern
Australia. Quaternary Research 31, 392–395.
Webster, J. A., and Davies, P. J. (2003). Coral variation in
two deep drill cores: significance for the Pleistocene
development of the Great Barrier Reef. Sedimentary
Geology 159, 61–80.
Reef systems
Cappo, M., and Kelley, R. (2001). Connectivity in the
Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area – an overview of pathways and processes. In ‘Oceanographic
Processes of Coral Reefs: Physical and Biological
Links in the Great Barrier Reef’. (Ed. E. Wolanski.)
pp. 161–187. (CRC Press: New York.)
Hopley, D., Smithers, S., and Parnell, K. (2007).
‘The Geomorphology of the Great Barrier Reef:
Development, Diversity and Change.’ (Cambridge
University Press: Cambridge.)
Pandolfi, J. M., Tudhope, A., Burr, G., Chappell, J.,
Edinger, E., Frey, M., Steneck, R., Sharma, C., Yeates,
A., Jennions, M., Lescinsky, H., and Newton, A.
(2006). Mass mortality following disturbance in
Holocene coral reefs from Papua New Guinea.
Geology 34, 949–952.
27
restricted shelf edge fringing reef development on the
eastern slopes coupled with other non-reefal modes of
coral community exploitation of the southern regions of
the GBR province during the regressive and glacial intervals. Further work into the comparative response of
coral communities and reef growth to these two end
member phases should provide important insight into
prediction of reef response to future climatic changes.
Now the GBR, like many coral reefs around the
world, is changing dramatically in response to human
interaction. But living ecological systems provide few
clues as to the extent of their degradation. The only
recourse into understanding the natural state of living
reefs is the fossil record. Our knowledge of past ecosystems on the GBR contributes to formulating sound
approaches to the conservation and sustainability of
the GBR; specifically in ensuring that policy makers
and managers use geological contexts and perspectives
in setting realistic goals and measuring their success.
ADDITIONAL READING
Sea level change
Beaman, R. J., Webster, J. M., and Wust, R. J. A. (2008).
New evidence for drowned shelf edge reefs in the
Great Barrier Reef, Australia. Marine Geology 247,
17–34.
Chappell, J., Omura, A., Esat, T., McCulloch M., Pandolfi, J., Ota, Y., and Pillans, B. (1996). Reconciliation
of late Quaternary sea levels derived from coral
terraces at Huon Peninsula with deep sea oxygen
isotope records. Earth and Planetary Science Letters
141, 227–236.
Lambeck, K., Esat, T. M., and Potter, E.-K. (2002). Links
between climate and sea levels for the past three
million years. Nature 419, 199–206.
Reef development
Larcombe, P., and Carter, R. M. (2004). Cyclone pumping, sediment partitioning and the development
of the Great Barrier Reef shelf system: a review.
Quaternary Science Reviews 23, 107–135.
Pickett, J. W., Ku, T. L., Thompson, C. H., Roman, D.,
Kelley, R. A., and Huang, Y. P. (1989). A review of
age determinations on Pleistocene corals in eastern
Australia. Quaternary Research 31, 392–395.
Webster, J. A., and Davies, P. J. (2003). Coral variation in
two deep drill cores: significance for the Pleistocene
development of the Great Barrier Reef. Sedimentary
Geology 159, 61–80.
Reef systems
Cappo, M., and Kelley, R. (2001). Connectivity in the
Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area – an overview of pathways and processes. In ‘Oceanographic
Processes of Coral Reefs: Physical and Biological
Links in the Great Barrier Reef’. (Ed. E. Wolanski.)
pp. 161–187. (CRC Press: New York.)
Hopley, D., Smithers, S., and Parnell, K. (2007).
‘The Geomorphology of the Great Barrier Reef:
Development, Diversity and Change.’ (Cambridge
University Press: Cambridge.)
Pandolfi, J. M., Tudhope, A., Burr, G., Chappell, J.,
Edinger, E., Frey, M., Steneck, R., Sharma, C., Yeates,
A., Jennions, M., Lescinsky, H., and Newton, A.
(2006). Mass mortality following disturbance in
Holocene coral reefs from Papua New Guinea.
Geology 34, 949–952.