Sediment facies of a low-energy, meso-tidal, fringing reef, Singapore

Abstract

Pulau (P.) Semakau comprises a narrow, low-lying island, surrounded by a wide fringing coral reef of late-Holocene age. The modern reef flat comprises a gently sloping surface related to modern mean low water neap tide level. Six sediment facies are recognised below the line of high water of which three, adjacent to the island, are composed of terrigeneous minerals and rock fragments and three are autochthonous carbonates sediments developed since local sea-level still stand (c. 6.500 years BP). The fringing reefs of P. Semakau and Singapore differ from many of the reef forms recorded from Peninsular Malaysia waters and the Gulf of Thailand. The Singapore reefs have wide, well-developed intertidal reef flats, lack lagoons and reef crests, and have a very steep reef slope. In contrast to most other fringing reefs of the region, the Singapore reefs have developed in a low wave energy, meso-tidal environment lacking string environmental gradients.