Documenting the Regional and Global Importance of Halimeda Bioherms in the Calcium Carbonate Budget

College Of William & Mary Virginia Institute Of Marine Science, Gloucester Point VA

Investigators

Abstract

This study will document the thickness, age and distribution of Halimeda bioherms between the northern edge of the Great Barrier Reef and southern Papua New Guinea in the shelfward extension of the Cumberland Passage and Torres Straits. The study will use a combination of high-resolution seismic profiling with side-scan sonar mapping to identify distribution and extent of bioherms. Sediment sampling and coring will be done to verify interpretation of the seismic data and provide material for carbon 14 dating and sediment analyses.