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Systematic Mapping of Bedrock and Habitats along the Florida Reef Tract—Central Key Largo to Halfmoon Shoal (Gulf of Mexico)

USGS Professional Paper 1751

by Barbara H. Lidz, Christopher D. Reich, and Eugene A. Shinn

Introduction: Table of Contents Project Overview Project Objective Geologic Setting Primary Datasets Primary Products - Overview Maps & Evolution Overview: Introduction Depth to Pleistocene Bedrock Surface Reef & Sediment Thickness Benthic Ecosystems & Environments Sedimentary Grains in 1989 Summary Illustration Index Map Evolution Overview Tile-by-Tile Analysis Organization of Report Tiles: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7/8, 9/10, 11 Summary Acknowledg- ments References Disclaimer Related Publications

Table of Contents Project Overview       Introduction       Mapping the Florida Reef Tract Project Objective Geologic Setting Primary Datasets       Introduction       Seismic Profiles—Data Acquisition and Processing       Seismic Profiles—Data Integration       Aerial Photomosaics       Thin Sections of Surface Sediments Primary Products       Introduction       Overview Map—Depth to Pleistocene Bedrock Surface       Overview Map—Reef and Sediment Thickness       Overview Map—Benthic Ecosystems and Environments       Overview Map—Sedimentary Grains in 1989       Overview Map—Summary Illustration Index Map       Evolution Overview—Coral Ages and Shelf-Edge Models             Introduction             Seven Coral Reef Ecosystems             Two Coral Reef Architectures Organization of Report       Tile-by-Tile Analysis       Data Limitations       Overall Setting and Environment Tile 1       Geography             Tile 1 Coordinates             Major Geographic Sites       Sector-Specific Studies             Hydrology       Geologic Highlights             Rodriguez Key             Sinkhole             Captain Roy's Reef             Grecian Rocks             Key Largo Dry Rocks             Mosquito Bank, White Bank, Coral-Rock Ridges, and French Reef             Carysfort Reef             The Elbow             Molasses Reef and Little Molasses Island             Pickles Reef Tile 2       Geography             Tile 2 Coordinates             Major Geographic Sites       Sector-Specific Studies             Sclerochronology       Geologic Highlights             Nearshore Rock Ledge             Plantation, Windley, and Lignumvitae Keys             Tavernier Key             Conch Reef             Davis and Alligator Reefs Tile 3        Geography             Tile 3 Coordinates             Major Geographic Sites       Sector-Specific Studies             Tidal Passes and Pleistocene Riverbeds             Sedimentary Petrology       Geologic Highlights             Tennessee Reef Tile 4       Geography             Tile 4 Coordinates             Major Geographic Sites       Sector-Specific Studies             Topographic Features in Bedrock       Geologic Highlights             East Sister Rock             Moser Channel             East Washerwoman Shoal and Other Patch Reefs in Hawk Channel             East Turtle Shoal             Coffins Patch             Delta Shoal and Sombrero Key Reef Tile 5        Geography             Tile 5 Coordinates             Major Geographic Sites       Sector-Specific Studies             Bands of Outer-Shelf Coral-Rock Ridges        Geologic Highlights             Moser Channel             Bahia Honda Channel             Ramrod, Torch, and Big Pine Keys Tile 6       Geography             Tile 6 Coordinates             Major Geographic Sites       Sector-Specific Studies             Marine Sanctuaries, Marine Archaeology, and Looe Key Reef             Marine Sanctuaries             Marine Archaeology             Looe Key Reef       Geologic Highlights             Saddlebunch Keys             West Washerwoman             American, Maryland, and Pelican Shoals             Eastern Sambo Tile 7/8       Geography             Tile 7 Coordinates             Tile 8 Coordinates             Major Geographic Sites       Natural Stressors: Atmospheric, Terrestrial, and Oceanic Sources                   Introduction                   Natural Stressors                   Atmospheric Sources                   Terrestrial Sources                   Oceanic Sources                   Hurricanes, Storm Surge, and Rising Sea Level        Geologic Highlights             Boca Chica Key, Key West, Fleming Key, and Urbanization             Middle Sambo, Western Sambo, and Eastern Dry Rocks             Rock Key and Sand Key Reefs        Margin Evolution        Flooding the Florida Shelf        Addendum               Introduction               New Evidence for Interpretation of the Nearshore Rock Ledge               New Coral Reef Nuclei               When Did the Upper-Slope Terrace Form?               Why Did the Pleistocene Reefs Become So Imposing?               Age of the Marquesas - Quicksands Ridge        Ephemeral Islands and Lighthouses Tile 9/10       Geography             Tile 9 Coordinates             Tile 10 Coordinates             Major Geographic Sites       Sector-Specific Studies             Impact of Exploratory Oil Wells on Benthic Habitats off Florida                   Well Site D/E-1                   Well Site 826Y                   Well Site A                   Well Site C                   Well Site B                   Well Site G4950                   Well Site G3906       Geologic Highlights             Boca Grande Key, Boca Grande Channel, and the Marquesas Keys             Cosgrove Shoal and Coalbin Rock Tile 11       Geography             Tile 11 Coordinates             Major Geographic Sites       Geologic Highlights             The Marquesas - Quicksands Ridge             Ellis Rock and New Ground Shoal             Halfmoon Shoal             Rebecca Shoal             The Quicksands Summary       Modern Reefs and the Rock Record             Limestone Compaction             Ancient Reefs       Fate of the Present Coral Reef Ecosystem Acknowledgments References Disclaimer Related Online Publications continue to: Project Overview

Coastal & Marine Geology Program > Center for Coastal & Watershed Studies > Professional Paper 1751