compared and Abaco the third worst. Turks/Caicos ranked
“average.” Coral bleaching, such as the worldwide event
during El Niño conditions in 1998, and consequent diseases may be the most destructive agents. Since the survey,
a new threat to the fish population, and perhaps the entire
reef ecosystem, has arisen through the accidental introduction of the voraciously carnivorous lionfish, Pterois
volitans, from the Indo-Pacific. Despite this gloomy picture, it seems possible that Bahaman reefs, now near the
low-temperature limit, may benefit from global warming
by shifting toward a more tropical ecology.
AGRRA surveys in the Bahamas, as elsewhere, show
that recruitment rates of “brooder” corals such as Porites
spp. and Agaricia spp. are much higher than those of broadcast spawners, including Acropora spp. and Montastrea
spp., the former dominants on shallow and deep reefs,
respectively (Kramer, 2003). If this portends a shift in reef
populations, perhaps the words of Opdyke et al. (2007),
“I have seen the future, and it is Porites,” are prophetic.
Nevertheless, Bahaman reefs could remain productive and
beautiful (Figure 6).
Summary
The Bahama Banks and adjacent platforms, the largest area
of coral-reef development in the Western Hemisphere, are
excellent analogs for the isolated carbonate platforms in
the rock record. Bank/barrier reefs line the windward margins of most platforms. Patch reefs are widely distributed
across those platforms with more open circulation and hard
substrates. Into this century Montastrea annularis “complex” dominated the fore reef and patch reefs; Acropora
palmata the bank/barrier-reef crest. Octocorals, sponges,
and calcareous algae are important and diverse components
of Bahaman reefs.
Bibliography
Adey, W. H., 1978. Algal ridges of the Caribbean Sea and West
Indies. Phycologia, 17, 361–367.
Austin, J. A. Jr., and Schlager, W., 1988. Leg 101 – an overview.
In Austin, J. A., Schlager, W., and Palmer, A. A., et al. (eds.),
Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Scientific Results.
College Station, Texas, Vol. 101, pp. 455–472.
Ball, M. M., 1967. Carbonate sand bodies of Florida and the
Bahamas. Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, 37(2), 556–591.
Beach, D. K., and Ginsburg, R. N., 1980. Facies succession of
Pliocene–Pleistocene carbonates, northwestern Great Bahama
Bank. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin,
64(10), 1634–1642.
Bergman, K. L., Westphal, H., Janson, X., Poiriez, A., and Eberli,
G. P., 2010. Controlling parameters on facies geometries of the
Bahamas, an isolated carbonate platform environment. In
Westphal, H., Riegl, B., and Eberli, G. P. (eds.), Carbonate
Depositional Systems: Assessing Dimensions and Controlling
Parameters. Heidelberg: Springer, Chap. 2.
Black, M., 1933. The precipitation of calcium carbonate on the
Great Bahama Bank. Geological Magazine, 832(10), 455–466.
Broecker, W. S., and Takahashi, T., 1966. Calcium carbonate precipitation on the Bahamas Banks. Journal of Geophysical
Research, 71, 1575–1602.
Bunt, J. S., Williams, W. T., and Chalker, B. E., 1981. Coral associations at depths of 45 to 125 feet in the Bahamian region. In
Proceedings 4th International Coral Reef Symposium. Manila,
Philippines, Vol. 1, pp. 707–714.
Cant, R., 1977. Role of coral deposits in building the margins of the
Bahama Bank. Miami, Florida: In Proceedings 3rd International
Coral Reef Symposium, 2(3), 9–13.
Carew, J. L., and Mylroie, J. E., 1997. Geology of the Bahamas. In
Vacher, H. L., and Quinn, T. M. (eds.), Geology and Hydrogeology of Carbonate Islands. Amsterdam: Elsevier Science. Developments in Sedimentology, Vol. 54, pp. 91–140.
Chiappone, M., Sullivan, K. M., and Lott, C., 1996. Hermatypic
scleractinian corals of the southeastern Bahamas: a comparison to
western Atlantic reef systems. Caribbean Journal of Science,
32(1), 1–13.
Chiappone, M., Sullivan, K. M., and Sluka, R., 1997a. Reef invertebrates of the Exuma cays: Part 1 – Corals. Bahamas Journal of
Science, 4(2), 30–36, (3), 28–31.
Chiappone, M., Sullivan, K. M., and Sluka, R., 1997b. Reef invertebrates of the Exuma cays: Part 2 – Octocorals. Bahamas Journal of Science, 4(3), 31–36.
Cloud, P. E. Jr., 1962. Environment of calcium carbonate deposition
west of Andros Island Bahamas. U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper, 350, 138.
Cry, G. W., 1965. Tropical cyclones of the North Atlantic Ocean:
tracks and frequencies of hurricanes and tropical storms,
1871–1963. U. S. Weather Bureau Technical Paper, 55, 148.
Dill, R. F., Shinn, E. A., Jones, A. T., Kelly, K., and Steinen, R. P.,
1986. Giant stromatolites forming in normal salinity water.
Nature, 324, 55–58.
Droxler, A. W., and Schlager, W., 1985. Glacial versus interglacial
sedimentation rates and turbidite frequency in the Bahamas.
Geology, 13, 799–802.
Eberli, G. P., and Ginsburg, R. N., 1987. Segmentation and Coalescence of platforms, Tertiary, NW Great Bahama Bank. Geology,
15, 75–79.
Eberli, G. P., and Ginsburg, R. N., 1989. Cenozoic progradation of
NW Great Bahama Bank - A record of lateral platform growth
and sea-level fluctuations. In Crevello, P. D., Wilson, J. L., Sarg,
J. F., and Read, J. F., (eds.), Controls on Carbonate Platform and
Basin Evolution. Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists. Special Publication, 44, pp. 339–351.
Enos, P., 1974. Surface sediment facies of the Florida-Bahamas
Plateau. Geological Society of America, Map Series, 5.
Feingold, J. S., Thornton, S. L., Banks, K. W., Gasman, N. J.,
Gilliam, D., Fletcher, P., and Avila, C., 2003. A rapid assessment
of coral reefs near Hopetown, Abaco Islands, Bahamas (stony
corals and algae). In Lang, J. C. (ed.), Status of Coral Reefs in
the Western Atlantic: Results of Initial Surveys, Atlantic and Gulf
Rapid Reef Assessment (AGRRA) Program. Atoll Research
Bulletin, Vol. 496, pp. 58–75.
Fukami, H., Budd, A. F., Levitan, D. R., Jara, J., Kersanach, R., and
Knowlton, N., 2004. Geographic differences in species boundaries
among members of the Montastraea annularis complex based on
molecular and morphological markers. Evolution, 58, 324–337.
Government of the Bahamas. Available at: http://www.bahamas.
gov.bs/bahamasweb2/home.nsf
Grammer, G. M., and Ginsburg, R. N., 1992. Highstand versus
lowstand deposition on carbonate platform margins – insight
from Quaternary foreslopes in the Bahamas. Marine Geology,
103, 125–136.
Hardie, L. A., (ed.), 1977. Sedimentation on the modern carbonate
tidal flats of Northwest Andros Island, Bahamas. John Hopkins
University Studies in Geology, 22, 202.
Harris, P. M., 1979. Facies anatomy and diagenesis of a Bahamian
ooid shoal: Miami, Florida, University of Miami. Sedimenta,
7, 163.
92
BAHAMAS
“average.” Coral bleaching, such as the worldwide event
during El Niño conditions in 1998, and consequent diseases may be the most destructive agents. Since the survey,
a new threat to the fish population, and perhaps the entire
reef ecosystem, has arisen through the accidental introduction of the voraciously carnivorous lionfish, Pterois
volitans, from the Indo-Pacific. Despite this gloomy picture, it seems possible that Bahaman reefs, now near the
low-temperature limit, may benefit from global warming
by shifting toward a more tropical ecology.
AGRRA surveys in the Bahamas, as elsewhere, show
that recruitment rates of “brooder” corals such as Porites
spp. and Agaricia spp. are much higher than those of broadcast spawners, including Acropora spp. and Montastrea
spp., the former dominants on shallow and deep reefs,
respectively (Kramer, 2003). If this portends a shift in reef
populations, perhaps the words of Opdyke et al. (2007),
“I have seen the future, and it is Porites,” are prophetic.
Nevertheless, Bahaman reefs could remain productive and
beautiful (Figure 6).
Summary
The Bahama Banks and adjacent platforms, the largest area
of coral-reef development in the Western Hemisphere, are
excellent analogs for the isolated carbonate platforms in
the rock record. Bank/barrier reefs line the windward margins of most platforms. Patch reefs are widely distributed
across those platforms with more open circulation and hard
substrates. Into this century Montastrea annularis “complex” dominated the fore reef and patch reefs; Acropora
palmata the bank/barrier-reef crest. Octocorals, sponges,
and calcareous algae are important and diverse components
of Bahaman reefs.
Bibliography
Adey, W. H., 1978. Algal ridges of the Caribbean Sea and West
Indies. Phycologia, 17, 361–367.
Austin, J. A. Jr., and Schlager, W., 1988. Leg 101 – an overview.
In Austin, J. A., Schlager, W., and Palmer, A. A., et al. (eds.),
Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Scientific Results.
College Station, Texas, Vol. 101, pp. 455–472.
Ball, M. M., 1967. Carbonate sand bodies of Florida and the
Bahamas. Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, 37(2), 556–591.
Beach, D. K., and Ginsburg, R. N., 1980. Facies succession of
Pliocene–Pleistocene carbonates, northwestern Great Bahama
Bank. American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin,
64(10), 1634–1642.
Bergman, K. L., Westphal, H., Janson, X., Poiriez, A., and Eberli,
G. P., 2010. Controlling parameters on facies geometries of the
Bahamas, an isolated carbonate platform environment. In
Westphal, H., Riegl, B., and Eberli, G. P. (eds.), Carbonate
Depositional Systems: Assessing Dimensions and Controlling
Parameters. Heidelberg: Springer, Chap. 2.
Black, M., 1933. The precipitation of calcium carbonate on the
Great Bahama Bank. Geological Magazine, 832(10), 455–466.
Broecker, W. S., and Takahashi, T., 1966. Calcium carbonate precipitation on the Bahamas Banks. Journal of Geophysical
Research, 71, 1575–1602.
Bunt, J. S., Williams, W. T., and Chalker, B. E., 1981. Coral associations at depths of 45 to 125 feet in the Bahamian region. In
Proceedings 4th International Coral Reef Symposium. Manila,
Philippines, Vol. 1, pp. 707–714.
Cant, R., 1977. Role of coral deposits in building the margins of the
Bahama Bank. Miami, Florida: In Proceedings 3rd International
Coral Reef Symposium, 2(3), 9–13.
Carew, J. L., and Mylroie, J. E., 1997. Geology of the Bahamas. In
Vacher, H. L., and Quinn, T. M. (eds.), Geology and Hydrogeology of Carbonate Islands. Amsterdam: Elsevier Science. Developments in Sedimentology, Vol. 54, pp. 91–140.
Chiappone, M., Sullivan, K. M., and Lott, C., 1996. Hermatypic
scleractinian corals of the southeastern Bahamas: a comparison to
western Atlantic reef systems. Caribbean Journal of Science,
32(1), 1–13.
Chiappone, M., Sullivan, K. M., and Sluka, R., 1997a. Reef invertebrates of the Exuma cays: Part 1 – Corals. Bahamas Journal of
Science, 4(2), 30–36, (3), 28–31.
Chiappone, M., Sullivan, K. M., and Sluka, R., 1997b. Reef invertebrates of the Exuma cays: Part 2 – Octocorals. Bahamas Journal of Science, 4(3), 31–36.
Cloud, P. E. Jr., 1962. Environment of calcium carbonate deposition
west of Andros Island Bahamas. U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper, 350, 138.
Cry, G. W., 1965. Tropical cyclones of the North Atlantic Ocean:
tracks and frequencies of hurricanes and tropical storms,
1871–1963. U. S. Weather Bureau Technical Paper, 55, 148.
Dill, R. F., Shinn, E. A., Jones, A. T., Kelly, K., and Steinen, R. P.,
1986. Giant stromatolites forming in normal salinity water.
Nature, 324, 55–58.
Droxler, A. W., and Schlager, W., 1985. Glacial versus interglacial
sedimentation rates and turbidite frequency in the Bahamas.
Geology, 13, 799–802.
Eberli, G. P., and Ginsburg, R. N., 1987. Segmentation and Coalescence of platforms, Tertiary, NW Great Bahama Bank. Geology,
15, 75–79.
Eberli, G. P., and Ginsburg, R. N., 1989. Cenozoic progradation of
NW Great Bahama Bank - A record of lateral platform growth
and sea-level fluctuations. In Crevello, P. D., Wilson, J. L., Sarg,
J. F., and Read, J. F., (eds.), Controls on Carbonate Platform and
Basin Evolution. Society of Economic Paleontologists and Mineralogists. Special Publication, 44, pp. 339–351.
Enos, P., 1974. Surface sediment facies of the Florida-Bahamas
Plateau. Geological Society of America, Map Series, 5.
Feingold, J. S., Thornton, S. L., Banks, K. W., Gasman, N. J.,
Gilliam, D., Fletcher, P., and Avila, C., 2003. A rapid assessment
of coral reefs near Hopetown, Abaco Islands, Bahamas (stony
corals and algae). In Lang, J. C. (ed.), Status of Coral Reefs in
the Western Atlantic: Results of Initial Surveys, Atlantic and Gulf
Rapid Reef Assessment (AGRRA) Program. Atoll Research
Bulletin, Vol. 496, pp. 58–75.
Fukami, H., Budd, A. F., Levitan, D. R., Jara, J., Kersanach, R., and
Knowlton, N., 2004. Geographic differences in species boundaries
among members of the Montastraea annularis complex based on
molecular and morphological markers. Evolution, 58, 324–337.
Government of the Bahamas. Available at: http://www.bahamas.
gov.bs/bahamasweb2/home.nsf
Grammer, G. M., and Ginsburg, R. N., 1992. Highstand versus
lowstand deposition on carbonate platform margins – insight
from Quaternary foreslopes in the Bahamas. Marine Geology,
103, 125–136.
Hardie, L. A., (ed.), 1977. Sedimentation on the modern carbonate
tidal flats of Northwest Andros Island, Bahamas. John Hopkins
University Studies in Geology, 22, 202.
Harris, P. M., 1979. Facies anatomy and diagenesis of a Bahamian
ooid shoal: Miami, Florida, University of Miami. Sedimenta,
7, 163.
92
BAHAMAS