Sea-level indicators

Abstract

The key attributes of the major sea-level indicators described above are summarized in Table 1. Coral reefs are clearly rich repositories of sea-level information, with a great variety of sea-level indicators found in these environments. The quality of the sea-level data yielded by these indicators is variable in precision (elevational and age), and in the resolution with which sea level is actually and preserved. The most precise sealevel indicators record stillstand or small magnitude and/ or slow sea-level changes, with only mangrove deposits and Acropora palmata frameworks documenting periods of rapid transgression. It is probable that improved technologies for detecting sea-level features and measuring their elevation – such as RTK GPS and swathe mapping – and also for harvesting material and establishing ages will improve the precision of data yielded from sealevel indicators from reefs into the future.