Coral diversity and mode of growth of lateral expansion patch reefs at Mexico Rocks, northern Belize shelf, Central America
Burke, Collette D. McHenry, T.M. Bischoff, William D. Mazzullo, S. J.
Burke, Collette D.
McHenry, T.M.
Bischoff, William D.
Mazzullo, S. J.
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2001-09-01
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Burke, C.D., McHenry, T.M., Bischoff, W.D. et al. Coral diversity and mode of growth of lateral expansion patch reefs at Mexico rocks, northern Belize shelf, central America. Carbonates Evaporites 13, 32–42 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03175432
Abstract
Mexico Rocks is a large patch reef complex on the outer shelf of northern Belize, to the lee of the barrier reef. The complex consists of approximately 100 patch reefs, flustered on a topographic ridge of Pleistocene limestone, and is composed predominantly (83%) of head corals (Montastrea annularis). Biotic zonation is not apparent on any of the patch reefs. Concomitant with increasing area of individual reefs is an increase in surficial areas of dead coral, areas degraded by physical and bio-erosion, and cavities. Such areas enhance habitat complexity and provide zooid-free substrates that are colonized rapidly by more cryptic coral species. The results of such processes is an increse in saptial heterogeneity and species richness on larger reefs relative to smaller patch reefs in the complex. Initial colonization of the rocky substratum (Pleistocene limestone bedrock) by single head corals began about 3.5 KaBP, and the patch reefs mostly accreted vertically as growth kept pace with slowly rising sealevel. Continued growth involved lateral expansion and coalescence of adjoining patch reefs to form larger composite reef masses as a consequence of the rapid growth rates of Montastrea arvularis and lack of vertical accommodation space. Such a lateral-expansion style of reef-growth, together with dominance of head corals, may mimic the biotic composition and geometry of give-up (drowned) reefs common in early transgressive systems tracts in modern and ancient shelf settings.
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This is an open access article under the CC by license
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Springer Nature
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Carbonates and Evaporites
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08912556