The study of sediments on coral reefs: A hydrodynamic perspective

There is a rich literature on coral reef sediments. However, this knowledge is spread among research fields, and the extent to which major sediment reservoirs and reservoir connecting processes have been quantified is unclear. We examined the literature to quantify where and how sediments have been...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Marine pollution bulletin 2021-08, Vol.169, p.112580-112580, Article 112580
Main Authors: Schlaefer, Jodie A., Tebbett, Sterling B., Bellwood, David R.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Benthos
Connecting
Coral reef
Coral reefs
Hydrodynamics
Particulates
Reservoirs
Sediment trap
Sedimentation
Sediments
Substrata
Turbidity
Water circulation
Water column
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Summary:There is a rich literature on coral reef sediments. However, this knowledge is spread among research fields, and the extent to which major sediment reservoirs and reservoir connecting processes have been quantified is unclear. We examined the literature to quantify where and how sediments have been measured on coral reefs and, thereby, identified critical knowledge gaps. In most studies, sediments in one reservoir or one sedimentary process were quantified. The measurement of water column sediments (55% of reservoir measurements) and sediment trapping rates (42% of process measurements) were over-represented. In contrast, sediments on reef substrata, and the transition of sediments from the water column to the benthos, were rarely quantified. Furthermore, only ~20% of sediment measurements were accompanied by the quantification of hydrodynamic drivers. Multidisciplinary collaborative approaches offer great promise for advancing our understanding of the connections between sediment reservoirs, and the sedimentary and hydrodynamic processes that mediate these connections.
ISSN:0025-326X
1879-3363
DOI:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112580