Dullo, Wolf-Christian , Reijmer, J. J. G., Schuhmacher, H., Eisenhauer, Anton , Hassan, M. and Heiss, G. A. (1996) Holocene reef growth and recent carbonate production in the Red Sea. In: Global and regional controls on biogenic sedimentation. I. Reef evolution. Research reports. , ed. by Reitner, J., Neuweiler, F. and Gunkel, F.. Göttinger Arbeiten zur Geologie und Paläontologie, Sb 2 . Universität Göttingen, Göttingen, pp. 13-17.

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Abstract

Holocene reef growth, present date bioerosion .and recorded
carbonate production were studied in the fringing
reef at Aqaba, Red Sea. Water depth, wave impact as well
as nutrient availability were considered.
The carbonate production was measured for several coral
samples. Samples of Porites-colonies were collected from
several depths and sites near the Marine Science Station at
Aqaba. Growth rate depends on water depth, size and age
of colonies. Within the coral optimum of water depth growth
rates vary between 5 and 16 mm/yr. Coral carbonate production
was calculated on the base of annual growth increments
and skeletal density using transects from shallow
subtidal down to 40 m water depth. High resolution stable
isotope data were measured to prove the origin of growth
increments. Long-term trends of sea surface temperature
and carbon isotope shift (1800-today) fit to the known global
deviations.
Bioerosion rates were determined using standard dead
coral substrates exposed in different water depths and environmental
settings. Rates vary between 0.6 and
1.4 kg/m2yr. Sediment export evaluated by means of simple
sediment traps ranges between 0.3 and 0.7 kg/m2yr.
Gross carbonate production, mainly built up by scleractinian
corals, amounts to ca. 1.57 kg/m2yr. Bioerosion alters
approx. 1.3 kg/m2yr of hard substrates into sediment. Sediment
export is estimated to be ca. 0.4-0.6 kg/m2yr. Thus a
net production of ca. 0.7 to 0.9 kg/m2yr should remain in the
present reef, which is proved by the recorded carbonate
production (reef drillings). Net production preserved in the
reef can be given with ca. 800 kg/m2kyr (=0.8 kg/m2yr).

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