a deepening upward facies and the reef top is located in
deeper water, in contrast to the keep-up and catch-up types
where the reef top is more or less at sea level. Recently,
Gischler (2008) and Hubbard (2009) have shown for the
western Atlantic that Holocene reefs dominated by
acroporids do not accrete faster as compared to massive
coral reefs, even though acroporid corals exhibit growthrates one magnitude higher as compared to massive corals.
Also, reef accretion-rates did not correlate negatively with
increase in paleo-water depth over an investigated range
of 25 m. An explanation for these unexpected results
might be that the effects of destructive processes in reefs
decrease with depth. First, massive corals are more resistant and accrete with little disturbance in deeper water
whereas shallow water acroporids are repeatedly leveled
by cyclones. Second, current knowledge indicates that
rates of bioerosion apparently decrease with increasing
water depths. These findings also contribute to the question as to how much of a reef is represented by in situ
framework and what percentage comprises transported
detritus, a question that has been discussed for over
a century by reef workers (e.g., Hubbard, 2009). It seems
that in Holocene reefs – and possibly the same holds true
for their fossil counterparts – detritus clearly exceeds
autochthonous framework, and destructive processes are
an integral component of reef accretion.
Bibliography
Bard, E., Hamelin, B., Arnold, M., Montaggioni, L. F., Cabioch, G.,
Faure, G., and Rougerie, F., 1990. Deglacial sea-level record
from Tahiti corals and the timing of global meltwater discharge.
Nature, 382, 241–244.
Dullo, W. C., 2005. Coral growth and reef growth: a brief review.
Facies, 51, 33–48.
Fairbanks, R. G., 1989. A 17,000-year glacio-eustatic sea level
record: influence of glacial melting rates on the younger Dryas
event and deep-ocean circulation. Nature, 342, 637–642.
Gischler, E., 2008. Accretion patterns in Holocene tropical coral
reefs: do massive coral reefs with slowly growing corals accrete
faster than branched coral (acroporid) reefs with rapidly growing
corals? International Journal of Earth Sciences, 97, 851–859.
Hubbard, D. K., 2009. Depth-related and species-related patterns of
Holocene reef accretion in the Caribbean and western Atlantic:
a critical assessment of existing models. International Association of Sedimentologists. Special Publication, 41, 1–18.
Montaggioni, L. F., 2005. History of Indo-Pacific coral reef systems
since the last glaciation: development patterns and controlling
factors. Earth Science Reviews, 71, 1–75.
Neumann, A. C., and Macintyre, I. G., 1985. Reef response to sea
level rise: keep-up, catch-up or give-up. In Proc. 5th Int. Coral
Reef Symp. Vol. 3, pp. 105–110.
Scoffin, T. P., 1992. Taphonomy of coral reefs: a review. Coral
Reefs, 11, 57–77.
Cross-references
Barbados
Bioerosion
Eastern Caribbean Coral Reefs; Eastern Tropical Pacific Coral
Reefs
Indian Ocean Reefs
Pacific Coral Reefs: An Introduction
Reef Structure
Sea Level Change and Its Effect on Reef Growth
Sediments, Properties
Submarine Lithification
Tahiti/Society Islands
Taphonomy
Western Atlantic/Caribbean, Coral Reefs; Eastern Caribbean Coral
Reefs
HUON PENINSULA, P.N.G.
Yoko Ota
Yokohama National University (Professor Emeritus),
Otaku, Tokyo, Japan
Huon Peninsula on the northeastern coast of Papua New
Guinea is located at the overriding South Bismarck plate
on the Australian plate and at 6
S. This tectonic and latitudinal setting allows the formation of spectacular uplifted
coral terraces, which are regarded as one of the standards
for eustatic sea level changes superposed on tectonic uplift
(Chappell, 1974; Chappell and Shackleton, 1986). Terraced area ranges from ca. 2 to 15 km in width, separated
by NW–SE trending Kalasa Fault from the Cromwell
Range. However, Kalasa Fault partly truncates older terrace (Terrace XIV or XV), and branches into two on the
southeastern end, cutting younger terraces.
The major coral terraces, I–XV in ascending order,
record the high sea level of interglacial period and are constructional terraces underlain by coral limestone with
transgressive facies, correlated with MIS 1 to 14
(Figure 1). Correlation of each transgressive terrace with
MIS is supported by many U-series dates for Terrace VII
and younger terraces (Chappell et al., 1996; Yokoyama
et al., 2001; Cutler et al., 2003); however, older terraces
are not well dated. Terrace VII (MIS 5e, ca. 124 ka) is
especially continuous, and its height shows northwestward down tilting from ca. 400 to 50 m over ca. 70 km long
coastline with the maximum uplift rate of 3.3 m/1,000
years. Preservation of original terrace surfaces is closely
related to the amount of uplift and age of terraces. Holocene terrace of MIS 1, dated by radiocarbon method at
many sites, also tilts from 25 to 5 m. Maximum height of
preserved terrace XV is ca. 1,500 m. Formation of multiple
terraces, including those for the relatively low sea level
(MIS 5c, 5a, and 3), is resulted from such a high uplift,
which has continued throughout the middle Quaternary.
The rapid uplift of the peninsula is associated with the
repeated coseismic uplift, which is expressed by a series
of small terraces cutting into the major terraces (Ota
et al., 1993). Coseismic uplift has an order of 2–5 m in
magnitude and ka order of repeat time, judging from the
terrace height and ages. Coseismic uplift is recorded not
only in the Holocene terrace but also in late Quaternary
terraces (Ota and Chappell, 1996). This is very unique
phenomenon caused by the good preservation of coral
limestone resistant to physical weathering.
562
HUON PENINSULA, P.N.G.
deeper water, in contrast to the keep-up and catch-up types
where the reef top is more or less at sea level. Recently,
Gischler (2008) and Hubbard (2009) have shown for the
western Atlantic that Holocene reefs dominated by
acroporids do not accrete faster as compared to massive
coral reefs, even though acroporid corals exhibit growthrates one magnitude higher as compared to massive corals.
Also, reef accretion-rates did not correlate negatively with
increase in paleo-water depth over an investigated range
of 25 m. An explanation for these unexpected results
might be that the effects of destructive processes in reefs
decrease with depth. First, massive corals are more resistant and accrete with little disturbance in deeper water
whereas shallow water acroporids are repeatedly leveled
by cyclones. Second, current knowledge indicates that
rates of bioerosion apparently decrease with increasing
water depths. These findings also contribute to the question as to how much of a reef is represented by in situ
framework and what percentage comprises transported
detritus, a question that has been discussed for over
a century by reef workers (e.g., Hubbard, 2009). It seems
that in Holocene reefs – and possibly the same holds true
for their fossil counterparts – detritus clearly exceeds
autochthonous framework, and destructive processes are
an integral component of reef accretion.
Bibliography
Bard, E., Hamelin, B., Arnold, M., Montaggioni, L. F., Cabioch, G.,
Faure, G., and Rougerie, F., 1990. Deglacial sea-level record
from Tahiti corals and the timing of global meltwater discharge.
Nature, 382, 241–244.
Dullo, W. C., 2005. Coral growth and reef growth: a brief review.
Facies, 51, 33–48.
Fairbanks, R. G., 1989. A 17,000-year glacio-eustatic sea level
record: influence of glacial melting rates on the younger Dryas
event and deep-ocean circulation. Nature, 342, 637–642.
Gischler, E., 2008. Accretion patterns in Holocene tropical coral
reefs: do massive coral reefs with slowly growing corals accrete
faster than branched coral (acroporid) reefs with rapidly growing
corals? International Journal of Earth Sciences, 97, 851–859.
Hubbard, D. K., 2009. Depth-related and species-related patterns of
Holocene reef accretion in the Caribbean and western Atlantic:
a critical assessment of existing models. International Association of Sedimentologists. Special Publication, 41, 1–18.
Montaggioni, L. F., 2005. History of Indo-Pacific coral reef systems
since the last glaciation: development patterns and controlling
factors. Earth Science Reviews, 71, 1–75.
Neumann, A. C., and Macintyre, I. G., 1985. Reef response to sea
level rise: keep-up, catch-up or give-up. In Proc. 5th Int. Coral
Reef Symp. Vol. 3, pp. 105–110.
Scoffin, T. P., 1992. Taphonomy of coral reefs: a review. Coral
Reefs, 11, 57–77.
Cross-references
Barbados
Bioerosion
Eastern Caribbean Coral Reefs; Eastern Tropical Pacific Coral
Reefs
Indian Ocean Reefs
Pacific Coral Reefs: An Introduction
Reef Structure
Sea Level Change and Its Effect on Reef Growth
Sediments, Properties
Submarine Lithification
Tahiti/Society Islands
Taphonomy
Western Atlantic/Caribbean, Coral Reefs; Eastern Caribbean Coral
Reefs
HUON PENINSULA, P.N.G.
Yoko Ota
Yokohama National University (Professor Emeritus),
Otaku, Tokyo, Japan
Huon Peninsula on the northeastern coast of Papua New
Guinea is located at the overriding South Bismarck plate
on the Australian plate and at 6
S. This tectonic and latitudinal setting allows the formation of spectacular uplifted
coral terraces, which are regarded as one of the standards
for eustatic sea level changes superposed on tectonic uplift
(Chappell, 1974; Chappell and Shackleton, 1986). Terraced area ranges from ca. 2 to 15 km in width, separated
by NW–SE trending Kalasa Fault from the Cromwell
Range. However, Kalasa Fault partly truncates older terrace (Terrace XIV or XV), and branches into two on the
southeastern end, cutting younger terraces.
The major coral terraces, I–XV in ascending order,
record the high sea level of interglacial period and are constructional terraces underlain by coral limestone with
transgressive facies, correlated with MIS 1 to 14
(Figure 1). Correlation of each transgressive terrace with
MIS is supported by many U-series dates for Terrace VII
and younger terraces (Chappell et al., 1996; Yokoyama
et al., 2001; Cutler et al., 2003); however, older terraces
are not well dated. Terrace VII (MIS 5e, ca. 124 ka) is
especially continuous, and its height shows northwestward down tilting from ca. 400 to 50 m over ca. 70 km long
coastline with the maximum uplift rate of 3.3 m/1,000
years. Preservation of original terrace surfaces is closely
related to the amount of uplift and age of terraces. Holocene terrace of MIS 1, dated by radiocarbon method at
many sites, also tilts from 25 to 5 m. Maximum height of
preserved terrace XV is ca. 1,500 m. Formation of multiple
terraces, including those for the relatively low sea level
(MIS 5c, 5a, and 3), is resulted from such a high uplift,
which has continued throughout the middle Quaternary.
The rapid uplift of the peninsula is associated with the
repeated coseismic uplift, which is expressed by a series
of small terraces cutting into the major terraces (Ota
et al., 1993). Coseismic uplift has an order of 2–5 m in
magnitude and ka order of repeat time, judging from the
terrace height and ages. Coseismic uplift is recorded not
only in the Holocene terrace but also in late Quaternary
terraces (Ota and Chappell, 1996). This is very unique
phenomenon caused by the good preservation of coral
limestone resistant to physical weathering.
562
HUON PENINSULA, P.N.G.