The fossil coral reefs of al-Aqaba, Jordan

Al-Rifaiy, Ibrahim A.; Cherif, Omar H.

doi:10.1007/bf02536801

Cited by 42 publications

(33 citation statements)

References 6 publications

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“…Uplifted Pleistocene reefs are not found on the northwestern shores of the gulf, but a fossil reef slightly above the sea level near Elat was dated by Friedman (1965) at 4.7 ka. Reefs of similar age are found at similar elevations along the southern coast of Sinai (Gvirtzman et al, 1992;Gvirtzman, 1994) and the coast of Aqaba (Al-Rifaiy and Cherif, 1988).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 79%

“…The presence of ∼5 ka emerged reefs at high tide elevation at several locations along the shores of the gulf (e.g. Al-Rifaiy andCherif, 1988, Gvirtzman et al, 1992) indicates that 5-6 ka Holocene sea level reached a maximum of ∼1 m above the present sea level. The widespread occurrence of the emerged reefs around the Gulf of Aqaba indicates that vertical tectonic movements did not affect their vicinity during the past 5 ka.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1). These are Pleistocene reefs that formed during sea level high stands and reached their present position as a result of sea level fluctuations and tectonic uplift (Al-Rifaiy and Cherif, 1988;Gvirtzman et al, 1992;El-Asmar, 1997;Strasser and Strohmenger, 1997). Uplifted Pleistocene reefs are not found on the northwestern shores of the gulf, but a fossil reef slightly above the sea level near Elat was dated by Friedman (1965) at 4.7 ka.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Late Holocene shorelines at the Gulf of Aqaba: migrating shorelines under conditions of tectonic and sea level stability

Shaked¹,

Marco²,

Lazar³

et al. 2002

Stephan Mueller Spec. Publ. Ser.

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Abstract. The Gulf of Aqaba (Elat) is a developing rift at the southern end of the Dead Sea Transform system. Studying fossil shorelines (coral reef terraces and beach rocks) we obtain constraints on the evolution of the gulf's coastal margin. Fossil reefs at the gulf indicate that during the past 6000 years sea level was relatively stable, and regional vertical tectonic movements were negligible. Nevertheless, south of Elat (NW corner of the gulf) we find that the shoreline has migrated seaward by more than 100 m, through accumulation of coarse clastic sediments. In the absence of a fluvial feeder at the location of the migrating shoreline, we suggest that long-shore processes transported the sediment.Our observations include sedimentary structures from two trenches dug in beach sediments, buried and emerged fossil reefs, and the local submarine slope morphology. We consider the regional Holocene climate and Holocene vertical displacements in the gulf, and infer that the eastward propagation of the shoreline reflects a delayed response to tectonic changes in coastal bathymetry or the result of climatic events.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 79%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Late Holocene shorelines at the Gulf of Aqaba: migrating shorelines under conditions of tectonic and sea level stability

Shaked¹,

Marco²,

Lazar³

et al. 2002

Stephan Mueller Spec. Publ. Ser.

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“…ranged between 4450 and 5750 years BP (Table 1). This reef terrace shows the same age as many other elevated terraces along the northern Red Sea (e.g., Dabbagh et al 1984;Al-Rifaii and Cherif 1988;Dullo 1990;Gvirtzman et al 1992;Gvirtzman 1994). Friedman (1965) described samples from a fossil reef southwest of Eilat having approximately the same age (4770 140 years BP).…”

Section: Datingmentioning

confidence: 96%

Mid-Holocene stable isotope record of corals from the northern Red Sea

Moustafa

Pätzold

Loya

et al. 2000

International Journal of Earth Sciences

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We present a study based on X-ray chronologies and the stable isotopic composition of fossil Porites spp. corals from the northern Gulf of Aqaba (Red Sea) covering the mid-Holocene period from 5750 to 4450 14 C years BP (before present). The stable oxygen and carbon isotopic compositions of five specimens reveal regular annual periodicities. Compared with modern Porites spp. from the same environment, the average seasonal d 18 O amplitude of the fossil corals is higher (by ca. 0.35±0.60½), whereas annual growth rates are lower (by ca. 3.5 to 2 mm/year). This suggests stronger seasonality of sea surface temperatures and increased variability of the oxygen isotopic composition of the sea water due to changes in the precipitation and evaporation regime during the midHolocene. Most likely, summer monsoon rains reached the northern end of the Red Sea at that time. Average annual coral growth rates are diminished probably due to an increased input and resuspension of terrestrial debris to the shallow marine environment during more humid conditions. Our results corroborate published reports of paleodata and model simulations suggesting a northward migration of the African monsoon giving rise to increased seasonalities during the mid-Holocene over northeastern Africa and Arabia.

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“…Comparison with the broader Persian Gulf and other Indo-PaciWc marginal seas Foraminifera from the Late Pleistocene raised sequences in the Persian Gulf and Red Sea areas are the subject of very few studies (Al-Rifaiy and Cherif 1988;Dullo 1990), and no studies have examined the faunas in detail. In the wellknown Pleistocene reef occurrences of the Sinai peninsula, MIS 7 reefs are only preserved as erosional relics between younger and older reef terraces (Strasser and Strohmenger 1997).…”

Section: Smaller Hyaline Foraminiferamentioning

confidence: 99%

Biodiversity and community structure of Late Pleistocene foraminifera from Kish Island, Persian Gulf (Iran)

Mossadegh

Parker

Gischler

2012

Facies

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The raised coral reef sequences at Kish Island provide a rare window into the depositional setting and paleoenvironment of a high-latitude, shallow-water coral reef that developed under turbid conditions in the Persian Gulf during Marine Isotope Stage 7 (»200 to 250 ka). Six sedimentary facies and eight foraminiferal assemblages can be identiWed throughout the sequence. A ninth assemblage can be deWned for the modern subtidal realm. At the base of the sequence is a marl rich in hyaline foraminifera (Elphidium, Ammonia, Asterorotalia, Bulimina, Nonion, and Quinqueloculina) and ostracods, which was deposited in about 30-40 m water depth in a turbid deltaic setting. Shallowing resulted in the marl becoming sandy, and changing to a mollusc-rich facies with rare foraminifera (mostly smaller miliolid taxa) that formed the substrate for coral recruitment. The coral marl layer contains many large corals embedded in situ in an aggregate and coralline algae-rich marl. Two abundance peaks in the foraminifera occur at the base and mid-way through this layer, which also correspond to a change from Murrayinella-dominated to Placopsilina-dominated assemblages, indicating deepening and more open-marine conditions, but elevated turbidity. Towards the top of the layer, abundance of foraminifera decreases and miliolid foraminifera become dominant. The top-most layer is dominated by coral and mollusc fragments and has an Amphistegina-rich reef-related assemblage. Of the Late Pleistocene foraminiferal assemblages, the Murrayinella-, Pararotalia-, and Placopsilina-dominated assemblages are no longer present in the modern gulf for unknown reasons. Of the other Wve assemblages, only the Amphistegina assemblage is found within proximity to the modern Kish Island. The Elphidium and Asterorotalia-Bulimina assemblages are from deeper areas of the gulf. The Ammonia and Quinqueloculina assemblages occur in lagoonal sediments on the Arabian side of the gulf. Like the modern Persian Gulf, the diversity of foraminifera was low (»80 common species) during the Pleistocene and does not correlate with foraminiferal abundance.

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The fossil coral reefs of al-Aqaba, Jordan

Cited by 42 publications

References 6 publications

Late Holocene shorelines at the Gulf of Aqaba: migrating shorelines under conditions of tectonic and sea level stability

Late Holocene shorelines at the Gulf of Aqaba: migrating shorelines under conditions of tectonic and sea level stability

Mid-Holocene stable isotope record of corals from the northern Red Sea

Biodiversity and community structure of Late Pleistocene foraminifera from Kish Island, Persian Gulf (Iran)

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