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Emerged Reefs

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Encyclopedia of Modern Coral Reefs

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series ((EESS))

Synonyms

oral terraces; Raised reefs; Reef terraces

Definition

Emerged reefs are dead reefs (Figure 1), which emerge generally after the fall of the “relative” sea level due to various factors or triggers (1) uplifts in areas that are tectonically active; (2) the loading of the oceanic basins following the last deglacial sea-level rise (hydroisotatic readjustment); (3) decrease of the sea level resulting from glacioeustatic variations; and (4) lithospheric flexure. Consequently, the emerged reefs can be expressed by more or less narrow reef “flats” immediately at the rear of modern coral reefs, series of uplifted coral terraces, partly emerged coral buildups, and microatolls (see chapter Microatoll ).

Emerged Reefs. Figure 1
figure 1_14 figure 1_14

Emerged reefs in Vanuatu (photo G. Cabioch/IRD).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. IPSL/LOCEAN UPMC/CNRS/IRD/MNHN UMR LOCEAN, IRD (Institut de Recherche pour le Développement), Centre d'Ile de France, 32 Avenue Henri Varagnat, 93143, Bondy, CEDEX, France

    Guy Cabioch

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  1. Guy Cabioch
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. James Cook University, Townsville, Australia

    David Hopley

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Cabioch, G. (2011). Emerged Reefs. In: Hopley, D. (eds) Encyclopedia of Modern Coral Reefs. Encyclopedia of Earth Sciences Series. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-2639-2_14

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