Reed, J. K., 2002. Comparison of deep-water coral reefs and
lithoherms off southeastern USA. Hydrobiologia, 471, 57–69.
Roberts, J. M., 2005. Reef-aggregating behaviour by symbiotic
eunicid polychaets from cold-water corals: do worms assemble
reefs? Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the
United Kingdom, 85, 813–819.
Roberts, J. M., Davies, A. J., Henry, L. A., Dodds, L. A., Duineveld,
G. C. A., Lavaleye, M. S. S., Maier, C., van Soest, R. W. M.,
Bergman, M. J. N., Hühnerbach, V., Huvenne, V. A. I., Sinclair,
D. J., Watmough, T., Long, D., Green, S. L., and van Haren, H.,
2009b. Mingulay reef complex: an interdisciplinary study of
cold-water coral habitat, hydrography and biodiversity. Marine
Ecology Progress Series, 397, 139–151.
Roberts, J. M., Wheeler, A. J., and Freiwald, A., 2006. Reefs of the
deep: the biology and geology of cold-water coral ecosystems.
Science, 312, 543–547.
Roberts, J. M., Wheeler, A., Freiwald, A., and Cairns, S., 2009a.
Cold-water Corals – The Biology and Geology of Deep-Sea
Coral Habitats. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Rogers, A. D., 1999. The biology of Lophelia pertusa (Linnaeus
1758) and other deep-water reef-forming corals and impacts
from human activities. International Review of Hydrobiology,
84, 315–406.
Savini, A., and Corselli, C., 2010. High-resolution bathymetry and
acoustic geophysical data from Santa Maria di Leuca Cold Water
Coral province (Northern Ionian Sea—Apulian continental
slope). Deep Sea Research Part II, 57, 326–344.
Squires, D. F., 1963. Modern tools probe deep water. Natural History, 72, 22–29.
Squires, D. F., 1964. Fossil coral thickets in Wairarapa, New
Zealand. Journal of Paleontology, 38, 904–915.
Stanley, G. D., and Cairns, S. D., 1988. Constructional
azooxanthellate coral communities: an overview with implications for the fossil record. Palaios, 3, 233–242.
Taviani, M., Angeletti, L., Dimech, M., Mifsud, C., Freiwald, A.,
Harasewych, M. G., and Oliverio, M., 2009. Coralliophilinae
(Gastropoda: Muricidae) associated with deep-water coral banks
in the Mediterranean. The Nautilus, 123, 1–7.
Van Soest, R. W. M., and Lavaleye, M. S. S., 2005. Diversity and
abundance of sponges in bathyal coral reefs of Rockall Bank.
NE Atlantic, from boxcore samples. Marine Biology Research,
1, 338–349.
Van Soest, R. W. M., Cleary, D. F. R., de Kluijver, M. J., Lavaleye,
M. S. S., Maier, C., and van Duyl, F. C., 2007. Sponge diversity
and community composition in Irish bathyal coral reefs. Contributions to Zoology, 76, 121–142.
Wienberg, C., Beuck, L., Heldkamp, S., Hebbeln, D., Freiwald, A.,
Pfannkuche, O., and Monteys, X., 2008. Franken Mound: facies
and biocoenoses on a newly-discovered “carbonate mound” on
the western Rockall Bank. NE Atlantic. Facies, 54, 1–24.
Wienberg, C., Hebbeln, D., Fink, H. G., Mienis, F., Dorschel, B.,
Vertino, A., López Correa, M., and Freiwald, A., 2009.
Scleractinian cold-water corals in the Gulf of Cádiz—First clues
about their spatial and temporal distribution. Deep-Sea Research
Part I, 56, 1873–1893.
Wild, C., Mayr, C., Wehrmann, L., Schöttner, S., Naumann, M.,
Hoffmann, F., and Rapp, H. T., 2008. Organic matter release
by cold-water corals and its implication for fauna-microbe interaction. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 372, 67–75.
Wilson, J. B., 1979.‘Patch’ development of the deep-water
coral Lophelia pertusa (L.) on Rockall Bank. Journal of the
Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 59,
165–177.
Wisshak, M., Gektidis, M., Freiwald, A., and Lundälv, T., 2005.
Bioerosion along a bathymetric gradient in a cold-temperate setting (Kosterfjord, SW Sweden): an experimental study. Facies,
51, 93–117.
Cross-references
Aragonite
Bioerosion
Carbonate Budgets and Reef Framework Accumulation
Corals: Biology, Skeletal Deposition, and Reef-Building
Holocene Reefs: Thickness and Characteristics
Molluscs
Nutrient Pollution/Eutrophication
Sediment Dynamics
Sponges
Swathe Mapping
Taphonomy
CONGLOMERATES
Lucien F. Montaggioni
University of Provence, Marseille Cedex 3, France
Synonyms
Conglomerate pavements; Conglomerate platforms; Conglomerate promenades; Exposed limestone coral; Rampartrocks; Shingle conglomerate
Definition
Conglomerates are defined as exposed, cemented reefderived detritus, dominantly composed of coral rubble.
Environment: mostly, windward sides of reefs; occasionally, on leeward sides near passes and channels.
Morphology and structure: Conglomerates exhibit
either a planar, mainly horizontal surface (“platform”) or
steeply dipping (>20
) beds to lee (“basett edge”). Each
platform usually has a fairly constant elevation relative to
the present mean sea level. But the heights can vary between
0.6 and 1.0 m in areas subject to microtidal regimes and
about 1.0–3.5 m in areas subject to macrotidal conditions.
Their internal structure reveals the superimposition of distinct beds varying in thickness and grain size, thus reflecting
changes in sediment supply and water energy. Locally, there
are large coral boulders embedded in the rubble.
Lithology and diagenesis: The conglomerate matrices
are poorly sorted grainstones, packstones and rudstones.
Diagenetic features include typical marine cements (e.g.,
irregular or isopachous rims of fibrous aragonite, highmagnesian calcite, peloidal micrite) locally showing
geotrophic (pendant) habits.
Origin: Conglomerates are interpreted as generated by
storms and cyclones. These are probably the counterparts
of shingle and gravel sheets and ramparts today, accumulated close to sea level. Accordingly, the horizontal surface is generally believed to be primary in origin.
Age of deposition: radiocarbon dating of coral and
molluscan fragments suggests that deposition occurred
between less than 1,000 and about 6,000 years BP in the
Pacific.
Potential use: indicators of mid-late Holocene sea-level
changes.
CONGLOMERATES
229
lithoherms off southeastern USA. Hydrobiologia, 471, 57–69.
Roberts, J. M., 2005. Reef-aggregating behaviour by symbiotic
eunicid polychaets from cold-water corals: do worms assemble
reefs? Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the
United Kingdom, 85, 813–819.
Roberts, J. M., Davies, A. J., Henry, L. A., Dodds, L. A., Duineveld,
G. C. A., Lavaleye, M. S. S., Maier, C., van Soest, R. W. M.,
Bergman, M. J. N., Hühnerbach, V., Huvenne, V. A. I., Sinclair,
D. J., Watmough, T., Long, D., Green, S. L., and van Haren, H.,
2009b. Mingulay reef complex: an interdisciplinary study of
cold-water coral habitat, hydrography and biodiversity. Marine
Ecology Progress Series, 397, 139–151.
Roberts, J. M., Wheeler, A. J., and Freiwald, A., 2006. Reefs of the
deep: the biology and geology of cold-water coral ecosystems.
Science, 312, 543–547.
Roberts, J. M., Wheeler, A., Freiwald, A., and Cairns, S., 2009a.
Cold-water Corals – The Biology and Geology of Deep-Sea
Coral Habitats. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Rogers, A. D., 1999. The biology of Lophelia pertusa (Linnaeus
1758) and other deep-water reef-forming corals and impacts
from human activities. International Review of Hydrobiology,
84, 315–406.
Savini, A., and Corselli, C., 2010. High-resolution bathymetry and
acoustic geophysical data from Santa Maria di Leuca Cold Water
Coral province (Northern Ionian Sea—Apulian continental
slope). Deep Sea Research Part II, 57, 326–344.
Squires, D. F., 1963. Modern tools probe deep water. Natural History, 72, 22–29.
Squires, D. F., 1964. Fossil coral thickets in Wairarapa, New
Zealand. Journal of Paleontology, 38, 904–915.
Stanley, G. D., and Cairns, S. D., 1988. Constructional
azooxanthellate coral communities: an overview with implications for the fossil record. Palaios, 3, 233–242.
Taviani, M., Angeletti, L., Dimech, M., Mifsud, C., Freiwald, A.,
Harasewych, M. G., and Oliverio, M., 2009. Coralliophilinae
(Gastropoda: Muricidae) associated with deep-water coral banks
in the Mediterranean. The Nautilus, 123, 1–7.
Van Soest, R. W. M., and Lavaleye, M. S. S., 2005. Diversity and
abundance of sponges in bathyal coral reefs of Rockall Bank.
NE Atlantic, from boxcore samples. Marine Biology Research,
1, 338–349.
Van Soest, R. W. M., Cleary, D. F. R., de Kluijver, M. J., Lavaleye,
M. S. S., Maier, C., and van Duyl, F. C., 2007. Sponge diversity
and community composition in Irish bathyal coral reefs. Contributions to Zoology, 76, 121–142.
Wienberg, C., Beuck, L., Heldkamp, S., Hebbeln, D., Freiwald, A.,
Pfannkuche, O., and Monteys, X., 2008. Franken Mound: facies
and biocoenoses on a newly-discovered “carbonate mound” on
the western Rockall Bank. NE Atlantic. Facies, 54, 1–24.
Wienberg, C., Hebbeln, D., Fink, H. G., Mienis, F., Dorschel, B.,
Vertino, A., López Correa, M., and Freiwald, A., 2009.
Scleractinian cold-water corals in the Gulf of Cádiz—First clues
about their spatial and temporal distribution. Deep-Sea Research
Part I, 56, 1873–1893.
Wild, C., Mayr, C., Wehrmann, L., Schöttner, S., Naumann, M.,
Hoffmann, F., and Rapp, H. T., 2008. Organic matter release
by cold-water corals and its implication for fauna-microbe interaction. Marine Ecology Progress Series, 372, 67–75.
Wilson, J. B., 1979.‘Patch’ development of the deep-water
coral Lophelia pertusa (L.) on Rockall Bank. Journal of the
Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, 59,
165–177.
Wisshak, M., Gektidis, M., Freiwald, A., and Lundälv, T., 2005.
Bioerosion along a bathymetric gradient in a cold-temperate setting (Kosterfjord, SW Sweden): an experimental study. Facies,
51, 93–117.
Cross-references
Aragonite
Bioerosion
Carbonate Budgets and Reef Framework Accumulation
Corals: Biology, Skeletal Deposition, and Reef-Building
Holocene Reefs: Thickness and Characteristics
Molluscs
Nutrient Pollution/Eutrophication
Sediment Dynamics
Sponges
Swathe Mapping
Taphonomy
CONGLOMERATES
Lucien F. Montaggioni
University of Provence, Marseille Cedex 3, France
Synonyms
Conglomerate pavements; Conglomerate platforms; Conglomerate promenades; Exposed limestone coral; Rampartrocks; Shingle conglomerate
Definition
Conglomerates are defined as exposed, cemented reefderived detritus, dominantly composed of coral rubble.
Environment: mostly, windward sides of reefs; occasionally, on leeward sides near passes and channels.
Morphology and structure: Conglomerates exhibit
either a planar, mainly horizontal surface (“platform”) or
steeply dipping (>20
) beds to lee (“basett edge”). Each
platform usually has a fairly constant elevation relative to
the present mean sea level. But the heights can vary between
0.6 and 1.0 m in areas subject to microtidal regimes and
about 1.0–3.5 m in areas subject to macrotidal conditions.
Their internal structure reveals the superimposition of distinct beds varying in thickness and grain size, thus reflecting
changes in sediment supply and water energy. Locally, there
are large coral boulders embedded in the rubble.
Lithology and diagenesis: The conglomerate matrices
are poorly sorted grainstones, packstones and rudstones.
Diagenetic features include typical marine cements (e.g.,
irregular or isopachous rims of fibrous aragonite, highmagnesian calcite, peloidal micrite) locally showing
geotrophic (pendant) habits.
Origin: Conglomerates are interpreted as generated by
storms and cyclones. These are probably the counterparts
of shingle and gravel sheets and ramparts today, accumulated close to sea level. Accordingly, the horizontal surface is generally believed to be primary in origin.
Age of deposition: radiocarbon dating of coral and
molluscan fragments suggests that deposition occurred
between less than 1,000 and about 6,000 years BP in the
Pacific.
Potential use: indicators of mid-late Holocene sea-level
changes.
CONGLOMERATES
229