Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The significance of exposed coral conglomerates from French Polynesia (Pacific Ocean) as indicators of recent relative sea-level changes

  • Published:
Coral Reefs Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In many Pacific islands, reef tracts possess exposed coral conglomerates ranging in age from the present to about 6,000 years B.P. These reach a maximum elevation of more than 1 metre above the present mean tide level. The outcrops occur mainly as subhorizontal rampart-platforms of poorly-sorted, cemented, skeletal detritus deposited by storm processes. With the aim of clarifying their significance as indicators of Recent sea level changes, we have attempted to determine the environments of lithification of these outcrops. To this end, rock specimens were collected from seaward vertical profiles at various levels of outcrops on French Polynesian coral and volcanic islands. For each outcrop, two sequences of marine cementation could be defined on the basis of petrological criteria: (1) a lower sequence exhibiting at least three generations of cements. The earlier generations are characterized by high amounts of high-magnesian calcite pelleted micrite normally completely occluding interparticle pore spaces. The later generation is characterized by the generalized occurrence of irregular rims of truncated aragonite fibers and pendant microstalactites. Residual interparticle porosity is relatively low; (2) an upper sequence mainly exhibiting blunted argonite needles and microstalactites; residual porosity is relatively high. The diagenetic limit between these two sequences defines the position of a former marine water table that is regarded as having been closely related to a former mean low tide level. All this seems to indicate that the lower sequence has spent time in two distinctly different diagenetic environments (phreatic overlain by vadose), whereas the upper sequence has always been within one diagenetic zone (vadose). Thus some relative fall in water table level has occurred after the deposition and early lithification of the lower deposits. Such conglomerates are believed to be useful indicators of former sea stands, particularly interesting in the case of islands devoid of other markers of Recent emergence.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Agassiz A (1903) The coral reefs of the tropical Pacific. Mem Mus Comp Zool Harvard Coll 28:I–XXIII, 1–410

    Google Scholar 

  • Alexandersson T (1971) Intragranular precipitation of aragonite and Mg-calcite in modern marine shallow-water sediments. Programm Intern Sediment Congr, Addendum:1

  • Alexandersson T (1972) Intragranular growth of marine aragonite and Mg-calcite: evidence of precipitation from supersaturated sea water. J Sediment Petrol 42:441–460

    Google Scholar 

  • Bricker OP (ed) (1971) Carbonate cements. John Hopkins Press, Baltimore London (Studies in geology, no 19)

    Google Scholar 

  • Brousse R, Chevalier JP, Denizot M, Salvat B (1974) Etude géomorphologique des îles Gambier. Cah Pac 18:9–119

    Google Scholar 

  • Brousse R, Chevalier JP, Denizot M, Richer de Forges B, Salvat B (1980) Etude géomorphologique de l'île Tubuaî (Australes). Cah Indopac 2:1–54

    Google Scholar 

  • Chevalier JP (1977) Origin of the reef formations of Moorea island (Society archipelago). Proc 3rd Int Coral Reef Symp 2:283–288

    Google Scholar 

  • Chevalier JP (1979) Scilly, atoll de l'archipel de la Société, Polynésie Française. Géomorphologie et coraux. Bull Antenne Tahiti Mus Nat Hist Nt EPHE 1:31–33

    Google Scholar 

  • Chevalier JP, Denizot M, Mougin JL, Plessis Y, Salvat B (1968) Etude géomorphologique et bionomique de l'atoll de Mururoa (Tuamotu). Cah Pac 12:1–144

    Google Scholar 

  • Chevalier JP, Salvat B (1976) Etude géomorphologique de l'atoll fermé de Taiaro. Cah Pac 19:169–201

    Google Scholar 

  • Chevalier JP, Denizot M, Ricard M, Salvat B, Sournia A, Vasseur P (1979) Géomorphologique de l'atoll de Takapoto. J Soc Océanistes, Paris, 62, XXXV:9–18

    Google Scholar 

  • Curray JR, Shepard FP, Veeh HH (1970) Late Quaternary sea-level studies in Micronesia: CAMARSEI expedition. Geol Soc Am Bull 81:1865–1880

    Google Scholar 

  • Daly RA (1920) A recent world wide sinking of ocean level. Geol Mag 57:246–261

    Google Scholar 

  • Darwin CR (1842) The structure and distribution of coral reefs. Smith, Elder & Co, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Dunham RJ (1971) Meniscus cement. In: Bricker OP (ed) Carbonate cements. Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore London, pp 297–300 (Studies in geology, no 19)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ehrenberg CG (1834) Über die Natur und Bildung der Corallenbänke des Roten Meeres. Phys Abhandl Königl Preuss Akad Wiss, Berlin, pp 381–436

    Google Scholar 

  • Friedman GM (1968) The fabric of carbonate cement and matrix and its dependence on the salinity of water. In: Muller G, Friedman GM (ed) Recent developments in carbonate sedimentology in central Europe. Springer, Berlin Heidelberg New York, pp 11–20

    Google Scholar 

  • Friedman GM (1972) Coral reef rock from Red Sea: sequence and time scale for progressive diagenesis and its effect on porosity and permeability. Am Assoc Petrol Geologists Bull 56:618 (abstr)

    Google Scholar 

  • Ginsburg RN, Schroeder JH, Shinn EA (1971) Recent synsedimentary cementation in subtidal Bermuda reefs. In: Bricker OP (ed) Carbonate cements. Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore London, pp 54–58 (Studies in geology, no 19)

    Google Scholar 

  • Guilcher A (1970) Les variations relatives du niveau de la mer au Quaternaire en Mélanésie et en Polynésie. Quaternaria 12:137–143

    Google Scholar 

  • Guilcher A, Berthois L, Doumenge F, Michel A, Saint Requier A, Arnold R (1969) Les récifs et lagons coralliens de Mopelia et de Bora-Bora. Mem ORSTOM 38:1–103

    Google Scholar 

  • Labeyrie J, Lalou C, Delibrias G (1968) Etude des transgressions marines sur l'atoll de Mururoa par la datation des différents niveaux de corail. Cah Pac 12:203–212

    Google Scholar 

  • Land LS (1970) Phreatic versus vadose meteoric diagenesis of limestone: evidence from a fossil water table. Sedimentology 14:175–185

    Google Scholar 

  • Land LS, Mackenzie FT, Gould SJ (1967) Pleistocene history of Bermuda. Geol Soc Am Bull 78:993–1006

    Google Scholar 

  • Longman MW (1980) Carbonate diagenetic textures from nearsurface diagenetic environments. Am Assoc Petrol Geol Bull 64:461–487

    Google Scholar 

  • Macintyre IG, Milliman JD (1970) Physiographic features on the outer shelf and upper slope, Atlantic continental margin southeastern United States. Geol Soc Am Bull 81:2577–2598

    Google Scholar 

  • Muller G (1971) Gravitational cement: an indicator for the vadose zone of the subaerial diagenetic environment. In: Bricker PO (ed) Carbonate cements. Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore London, pp 301–302 (Studies in geology, no 19)

    Google Scholar 

  • Newell ND (1956) Geological reconnaissance of Raroia (Kon Tiki) atoll, Tuamotu archipelago. Am Mus Nat Hist Bull 109:311–372

    Google Scholar 

  • Newell ND (1961) Recent terraces of tropical limestone shores. Z Geomorphol Suppl 3:87–106

    Google Scholar 

  • Newell ND, Bloom AL (1970) The reef flat and “Two-meter eustatic terrace” of some Pacific atolls. Geol Soc Am Bull 81:1881–1894

    Google Scholar 

  • Pirazzoli PA (1983) An active flexuring of the lithosphere in the Society Islands (French Polynesia): evidence from the late Holocene shorelines. IUGG XVIII General Assembly, Hamburg, ICL Symp 4 (abstr)

  • Polach HA, McLean RF, Caldwell JR, Thom BG (1978) Radiocarbon ages from the northern Great Barrier Reef. Phil Trans R Soc London Ser A 291:139–150

    Google Scholar 

  • Purser BH (1971) Middle Jurassic synsedimentary marine cements from the Paris Basin, France. In: Bricker OP (ed) Carbonate cements. Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore London, pp 178–184 (Studies in geology, no 19)

    Google Scholar 

  • Purser BH (1980) Sedimentation et diagenèse des carbonates néritiques récents, vol 1. Technip Editions, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • Richards HG, Fairbridge RW (1965) Annotated bibliography of Quaternary shorelines (1945–1964). Acad Nat Sci Philadelphia, Spec Publ 6:1–280

    Google Scholar 

  • Richards HG (1970) Annotated bibliography of Quaternary shorelines. Supplement 1965–1969. Acad Nat Sci Philadelphia, Spec Publ 10:1–240

    Google Scholar 

  • Richards HG (1974) Annotated bibliography of Quaternary shorelines. Second supplement 1970–1973. Acad Nat Sci Philadelphia, Spec Publ 11:1–214

    Google Scholar 

  • Richards HG, Shapiro EA (1979) Annotated bibliography of Quaternary shorelines. Third supplement 1974–1977. Geo Abstracts, Bibliography no 5:1–245

    Google Scholar 

  • Schofield JC (1977) Late Holocene sea level, Gilbert and Ellice Islands, West Central Pacific Ocean. New Zealand Geol Geophys J 20:503–529

    Google Scholar 

  • Scoffin TP, McLean RF (1978) Exposed limestones of the Northern Province of the Great Barrier Reef. Phil Trans R Soc London Ser A 291:119–138

    Google Scholar 

  • Scoffin TP, Stoddart DR (1978) The nature and significance of microatolls. Phil Trans R Soc London Ser B 284:99–122

    Google Scholar 

  • Stoddart DR (1969) Sea-level change and the origin of sand cays: radiometric evidence. J Mar Biol Ass India 11:44–58

    Google Scholar 

  • Stutchbury S (1835) On the formation and growth of coral reefs and islands. West of England J 1(1):45–56

    Google Scholar 

  • Taylor JMC, Illing LV (1969) Holocene intertidal calcium carbonate cementation, Qatar, Persian Gulf. Sedimentology 12:69–107

    Google Scholar 

  • Trudgill ST (1976) The marine erosion of limestones on Aldabra atoll, Indian Ocean. Z Geomorphol Suppl 26:164–200

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Author notes

  1. P. A. Pirazzoli

    Present address: C.N.R.S. “INTERGEO”, 191 rue Saint-Jacques, F-75005, Paris, France

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Université Française de l'Océan Indien, B.P. 5, F-97490, Sainte-Clotilde, Réunion Island, France D.O.M.

    L. F. Montaggioni

  2. E.R.A. du C.N.R.S. no. 867, Laboratoire de Géomorphologie, Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, 1 rue Maurice Arnoux, F-92120, Montrouge, France

    P. A. Pirazzoli

  3. Centre de l'Environnement d'Opunohu, Antenne du Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle et de l'Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, B.P. 12, Moorea Island, French Polynesia

    L. F. Montaggioni & P. A. Pirazzoli

Authors
  1. L. F. Montaggioni
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. P. A. Pirazzoli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Montaggioni, L.F., Pirazzoli, P.A. The significance of exposed coral conglomerates from French Polynesia (Pacific Ocean) as indicators of recent relative sea-level changes. Coral Reefs 3, 29–42 (1984). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00306138

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00306138

Keywords

Search

Navigation