The application of carbonate and sediment budgets to assess the stability of marginal reef systems
Coral reefs and their associated landforms (carbonate islands and shorelines) are under increasing threat from the effects of anthropogenic climate change, including sea level rise (SLR). The ability of a reef to keep up with SLR depends on the rate of calcium carbonate accretion. Census-based carbo...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Journal Article |
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2024
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| Online Access: | http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DE180100391 http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/96066 |
| _version_ | 1848766087882080256 |
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| author | Dee, Shannon Zweifler, A. Cuttler, M. Nilsen, Jake Bonesso, J. O'Leary, M. Browne, Nicola |
| author_facet | Dee, Shannon Zweifler, A. Cuttler, M. Nilsen, Jake Bonesso, J. O'Leary, M. Browne, Nicola |
| author_sort | Dee, Shannon |
| building | Curtin Institutional Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Coral reefs and their associated landforms (carbonate islands and shorelines) are under increasing threat from the effects of anthropogenic climate change, including sea level rise (SLR). The ability of a reef to keep up with SLR depends on the rate of calcium carbonate accretion. Census-based carbonate budgets quantify rates of net calcium carbonate production on a reef and facilitate estimations of vertical reef accretion potential (RAP). To date, most carbonate budget studies have been undertaken in clear-water settings resulting in a limited understanding of how inshore reefs situated in more marginal environmental settings are functioning now and under future climate change. Here, we applied census-based carbonate framework across two inshore island reefs exposed to episodes of high turbidity within the Pilbara, Western Australia. Low net carbonate production (mean = 1.11 and 0.62 kg m−2 yr−1) was predominantly driven by low coral cover (<10%) and low calcification rates. Importantly, bioerosion rates were also low (<0.1 kg m−2 yr−1), maintaining positive carbonate budgetary states. Net sediment production rates were also low (mean = 0.06 kg m−2 yr−1) and were found to be mostly derived from coral, or mollusc material produced by invertivores. Calculated RAP estimates are below current and predicted rates of SLR, suggesting that these turbid reefs will soon struggle to keep up with increasing water depth and shoreline inundation. |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T11:45:35Z |
| format | Journal Article |
| id | curtin-20.500.11937-96066 |
| institution | Curtin University Malaysia |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T11:45:35Z |
| publishDate | 2024 |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | curtin-20.500.11937-960662024-11-07T01:04:56Z The application of carbonate and sediment budgets to assess the stability of marginal reef systems Dee, Shannon Zweifler, A. Cuttler, M. Nilsen, Jake Bonesso, J. O'Leary, M. Browne, Nicola Coral reefs and their associated landforms (carbonate islands and shorelines) are under increasing threat from the effects of anthropogenic climate change, including sea level rise (SLR). The ability of a reef to keep up with SLR depends on the rate of calcium carbonate accretion. Census-based carbonate budgets quantify rates of net calcium carbonate production on a reef and facilitate estimations of vertical reef accretion potential (RAP). To date, most carbonate budget studies have been undertaken in clear-water settings resulting in a limited understanding of how inshore reefs situated in more marginal environmental settings are functioning now and under future climate change. Here, we applied census-based carbonate framework across two inshore island reefs exposed to episodes of high turbidity within the Pilbara, Western Australia. Low net carbonate production (mean = 1.11 and 0.62 kg m−2 yr−1) was predominantly driven by low coral cover (<10%) and low calcification rates. Importantly, bioerosion rates were also low (<0.1 kg m−2 yr−1), maintaining positive carbonate budgetary states. Net sediment production rates were also low (mean = 0.06 kg m−2 yr−1) and were found to be mostly derived from coral, or mollusc material produced by invertivores. Calculated RAP estimates are below current and predicted rates of SLR, suggesting that these turbid reefs will soon struggle to keep up with increasing water depth and shoreline inundation. 2024 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/96066 10.1016/j.margeo.2024.107324 http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DE180100391 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ fulltext |
| spellingShingle | Dee, Shannon Zweifler, A. Cuttler, M. Nilsen, Jake Bonesso, J. O'Leary, M. Browne, Nicola The application of carbonate and sediment budgets to assess the stability of marginal reef systems |
| title | The application of carbonate and sediment budgets to assess the stability of marginal reef systems |
| title_full | The application of carbonate and sediment budgets to assess the stability of marginal reef systems |
| title_fullStr | The application of carbonate and sediment budgets to assess the stability of marginal reef systems |
| title_full_unstemmed | The application of carbonate and sediment budgets to assess the stability of marginal reef systems |
| title_short | The application of carbonate and sediment budgets to assess the stability of marginal reef systems |
| title_sort | application of carbonate and sediment budgets to assess the stability of marginal reef systems |
| url | http://purl.org/au-research/grants/arc/DE180100391 http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/96066 |