Trends and Composition—A Sedimentological-Chemical-Mineralogical Approach to Constrain the Origin of Quaternary Deposits and Landforms—From a Review to a Manual

In this study, six basic Quaternary landform series (LFS) and their sedimentary deposits (LFS1 aeolian, LFS 2.1 to 2.2 mass wasting, LFS 3 cryogenic-glacial, LFS 4.1 to 4.6 fluvial, LFS 5.1 to 5.2 coastal-marine, LFS 6.1 to 6.3 lacustrine) are subdivided into subtypes and examined with regard to their sedimentological parameters and their mineralogical and chemical compositions. Emphasis is placed on the textural (related to transport and deposition), compositional (sediment load/weight, Eh and pH) and geodynamic maturity of the sedimentary deposits which are influenced by the parent lithology and bedrock tectonic and by the climate during the last 2 Ma. To constrain the development of the LFS and their sediments, composite trend-line diagrams are designed combining sedimentological (x-axis) and chemical/mineralogical dataset (y-axis): (1) sorting vs. heavy mineral content; (2) sphericity of grains vs. silica/carbonate contents; and (3) median vs. Ti/Fe ratios. In addition, the x-y plots showing the log SiO2/Al2O3 vs. log Na2O/K2O are amended by a dataset of the three most common clay minerals, i.e., kaolinite-, mica-, and smectite-group clay minerals. Such joint sedimentological-chemical-mineralogical investigations focused on the depositional environment of unconsolidated clastic sediments of Quaternary age can be used to describe the economic geology and environmental geology of mineral deposits in the pre-Quaternary sedimentary series according to the phrase: “The Present is the key to the Past”. Both trend diagrams and compositional x-y plots can contribute to constraining the development of the full transect of landform series from the fluvial incision and slope retreat to reef islands fringing the coastal zone towards the open sea as far as they are built up of clastic sedimentary deposits enriched in siliceous and/or carbonate minerals. Climate zonation and crustal maturity are the exogenous and endogenous “drivers”, as can be deduced from the compositional (mineralogy and chemistry) and physical (transport and deposition) variations observed in the Quaternary sediments. The current study bridges the gap between a review only based on literature and a hybrid manual generated by practical field studies devoted to applied geosciences in economic and environmental geology (“E & E issue”).

Sedimentary Processes and the Holocene Development of Palmyra Atoll, Equatorial Pacific Ocean

<p>Coral atolls are unique landforms in that they are the physical manifestations of the interplay between both biological and geological processes. Prominent amongst these processes is the ability of the reef organisms to produce CaCO3 and its subsequent erosion and dispersal as sediment. Overriding controls on this process are organic productivity, wave energy, and relative sea level. The development and stability of atolls are thus critically dependent on the balance between several processes which may change over time. Atolls are regarded as being particularly vulnerable to environmental change. This study investigates the Holocene geological history of Palmyra atoll, at 5°52’N 162°04’W, in the northern Line Islands. Beachrock is used as an indicator of (a) paleo-sea level and (b) paleo-shoreline conditions from clasts trapped within the beachrock matrix. The study also models annual CaCO3 production and hydrodynamic conditions at the sea bed to provide an integrated assessment of the past and present sedimentary processes and reef island development at Palmyra Atoll. The atoll is currently the focus of intensive scientific study by the Palmyra Atoll Research Consortium and is particularly suited to this study because of the reduced human presence. This allows the examination of the relationship between beachrock, islet development and other processes, in an environment lacking ongoing anthropogenic development. Beachrock was found at 10 locations at Palmyra Atoll and yielded 14C ages ranging from 1249 to 105 cal. yrs BP. Typically, the beachrock contains mostly coral and algal clasts and is thought to form in the intertidal zone. Continual wetting and drying throughout a tidal cycle results in the precipitation of marine phreatic cements, which thus, indicate paleo-shorelines and sea level elevation. The production of CaCO3 sediment at Palmyra was estimated using reef habitat zones from Hopley (1996) and suggests that the most productive areas are reef terraces and the reef edge. An estimate total of 91,500 tonnes of CaCO3 is produced annually on the reefs, although only approximately 9 % of this becomes sediment that remains on the reef islands. Hydrodynamic processes were modelled using the SWAN model, a bathymetric grid from NOAA, and bottom conditions estimated from other studies. Input parameters were determined using a 13 year WAVEWATCHIII hindcast model of the wave climate for the central Pacific, as well as estimations of extreme wave events. Sediment transport was inferred from the modelled bed shear stress and these results show that to form most of the beachrock outcrops on Palmyra extremely strong wave action must be coupled with a higher sea level in order to allow the propagation of wave energy across the reef to some of the island shorelines. Integration of all results suggests that growth of the reef islands at Palmyra Atoll was initiated as the sea level fell from the mid-Holocene Highstand, 1-2 m above present mean sea level. The islands subsequently grew progressively eastward, forming 3-4 island chains which strike north or northeast. The beachrock that formed on these island provided protection from later wave erosion. Despite limitations caused by lack of climatic and other environmental data due to the isolation of the study area, results are reliable and highlight the application of beachrock as a proxy for past climates and sea levels.</p>

Sedimentary Processes and the Holocene Development of Palmyra Atoll, Equatorial Pacific Ocean

<p>Coral atolls are unique landforms in that they are the physical manifestations of the interplay between both biological and geological processes. Prominent amongst these processes is the ability of the reef organisms to produce CaCO3 and its subsequent erosion and dispersal as sediment. Overriding controls on this process are organic productivity, wave energy, and relative sea level. The development and stability of atolls are thus critically dependent on the balance between several processes which may change over time. Atolls are regarded as being particularly vulnerable to environmental change. This study investigates the Holocene geological history of Palmyra atoll, at 5°52’N 162°04’W, in the northern Line Islands. Beachrock is used as an indicator of (a) paleo-sea level and (b) paleo-shoreline conditions from clasts trapped within the beachrock matrix. The study also models annual CaCO3 production and hydrodynamic conditions at the sea bed to provide an integrated assessment of the past and present sedimentary processes and reef island development at Palmyra Atoll. The atoll is currently the focus of intensive scientific study by the Palmyra Atoll Research Consortium and is particularly suited to this study because of the reduced human presence. This allows the examination of the relationship between beachrock, islet development and other processes, in an environment lacking ongoing anthropogenic development. Beachrock was found at 10 locations at Palmyra Atoll and yielded 14C ages ranging from 1249 to 105 cal. yrs BP. Typically, the beachrock contains mostly coral and algal clasts and is thought to form in the intertidal zone. Continual wetting and drying throughout a tidal cycle results in the precipitation of marine phreatic cements, which thus, indicate paleo-shorelines and sea level elevation. The production of CaCO3 sediment at Palmyra was estimated using reef habitat zones from Hopley (1996) and suggests that the most productive areas are reef terraces and the reef edge. An estimate total of 91,500 tonnes of CaCO3 is produced annually on the reefs, although only approximately 9 % of this becomes sediment that remains on the reef islands. Hydrodynamic processes were modelled using the SWAN model, a bathymetric grid from NOAA, and bottom conditions estimated from other studies. Input parameters were determined using a 13 year WAVEWATCHIII hindcast model of the wave climate for the central Pacific, as well as estimations of extreme wave events. Sediment transport was inferred from the modelled bed shear stress and these results show that to form most of the beachrock outcrops on Palmyra extremely strong wave action must be coupled with a higher sea level in order to allow the propagation of wave energy across the reef to some of the island shorelines. Integration of all results suggests that growth of the reef islands at Palmyra Atoll was initiated as the sea level fell from the mid-Holocene Highstand, 1-2 m above present mean sea level. The islands subsequently grew progressively eastward, forming 3-4 island chains which strike north or northeast. The beachrock that formed on these island provided protection from later wave erosion. Despite limitations caused by lack of climatic and other environmental data due to the isolation of the study area, results are reliable and highlight the application of beachrock as a proxy for past climates and sea levels.</p>

Influence of variability to coastline dynamic in the small uninhabited reef islands of Kepulauan Seribu

Small reef islands provide habitable land for coastal communities in many parts of the world. However, the small, low lying reef islands are commonly considered among the most geomorphically sensitive landforms to changes in sea level, wave processes, sediment supply and anthropogenic impacts. Kepulauan Seribu in the Java Sea comprise of numerous reef islands. By 2019, the islands chain is host to more than 24 thousand people. Kepulauan Seribu is affected by monsoon wind cycle. The monsoon wind also known to interact with an interannual phenomenon such as Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) which affecting regional and local wind circulation. This study aims to examine the reef shoreline response to seasonal and interannual climate variability using satellite data that encompasses yearly monsoon cycle and IOD event. Strengthens (weakens) of winds speed in the study area during the East (West) Monsoon, which in some year also coincides with a positive (negative) IOD event, are observed from 2009 to 2018 ERA - Interim by The European Centre for Medium - Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) data. This variability influences the shoreline shifting in the uninhabited reef islands of Kepulauan Seribu as identified based on satellite imagery analysis. More pronounce shifted of large sediment flux are perceptible on opposing monsoon which coincides with positive/negative IOD event. Small uninhabited reef islands have ecological and economical value. Hence, enhancing coastal resilience from erosion by using conservation-types approach should be taking into consideration. Ultimately, a good understanding of climate variability that controlled changes in beach systems of reef islands is important for adequate coastal management decisions.

Sediment supply dampens the erosive effects of sea-level rise on reef islands

Large uncertainty surrounds the future physical stability of low-lying coral reef islands due to a limited understanding of the geomorphic response of islands to changing environmental conditions. Physical and numerical modelling efforts have improved understanding of the modes and styles of island change in response to increasing wave and water level conditions. However, the impact of sediment supply on island morphodynamics has not been addressed and remains poorly understood. Here we present evidence from the first physical modelling experiments to explore the effect of storm-derived sediment supply on the geomorphic response of islands to changes in sea level and energetic wave conditions. Results demonstrate that a sediment supply has a substantial influence on island adjustments in response to sea-level rise, promoting the increase of the elevation of the island while dampening island migration and subaerial volume reduction. The implications of sediment supply are significant as it improves the potential of islands to offset the impacts of future flood events, increasing the future physical persistence of reef islands. Results emphasize the urgent need to incorporate the physical response of islands to both physical and ecological processes in future flood risk models.

Development of a comprehensive assessment model for coral reef island carrying capacity(CORE-CC)

Coral reef islands provide precious living space and valuable ecological services for human beings, and its sustainability cannot be ignored under the pressure of human activities. Carrying capacity (CC) assessment has gradually become an important means to measure sustainability of islands. However, there is little comprehensive evaluation of the carrying capacity of coral reef islands, and traditional evaluation methods are difficult to express the social-ecological characteristics of coral reef islands. The present paper proposes a comprehensive assessment model for coral reef island carrying capacity (CORE-CC) which comprises dimensions of resources supply, environmental assimilative, ecosystem services, and socio-economic supporting. According to the characteristics of the coral reef islands, the core factors and indicators of each dimension are selected and the corresponding assessment index system of "pressure-support" is constructed. The assessment involves (1) identification of carrying dimensions and core factors, (2) pressure/support measurement and (3) assessment of carrying state. A case study is conducted in Zhaoshu Island of China, demonstrating the applicability of CORE-CC model and serving as a reference for adaptive management.