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Publication year : 0
Thematic : Coral Reef
Language : English
Note
The diversity of oceanic and continental reef
structures of New Caledonia is reviewed, taking into
account their geological history and in particular, that since
the last interglacial period. To guide this review, a new
path is provided by following the diversity of units that
have been mapped and characterized using high spatial
resolution optical remote sensing data for the main New
Caledonian coral reef complexes (banks, atolls, uplifted
reefs, drowned reefs, fringing reefs, barrier reefs, patch
reefs) and their individual reef-forming units. This interpretation,
based on geomorphology, depth, and exposure
has provided 161 unit types distributed across 4,537 km2
of reef area and 31,336 km2 of non-reef area. In addition
to shallow reefs (0–30 m) described by optical remote
sensing, the bathymetry of deep slopes between -20 to
-1,000 m were recently mapped using multibeam acoustic
data providing additional data to explain the morphological
diversity. With the detailed three-dimensional topographic
information acquired, hitherto unrecognized marine terraces
and faulting became visible, indicating different
episodes of formation of the barrier reef and of sea level
variations. Finally, dating and coring corals provided a
more accurate understanding of the genesis of the present
reef structures. In contrast with the synoptic remote sensing
data, cores provided only point data, but allowed the
addition of a precise temporal dimension to the description
of New Caledonian reefs. Cores provided a significant
body of the information necessary for the establishment of
models of reef settlement and development during the last
interglacial ages in the New Caledonian region. The
combined examination of the different sources of data, and
the exhaustive description of remotely sensed reef units,
allow a qualitative synoptic parallel to be drawn between
the morphology of modern reefs and the contrasting patterns
of reef growth, subsidence, and uplift rates occurring
around New Caledonia.
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Keywords : Hipposideros nequam
Encoded by : Pauline Carmel Joy Eje
