The History and Sedimentology of Ancient Reef Systems (Topics in Geobiology, Volume 17) (Topics in Geobiology)

From the Preface: The chapters of this book contain contributions from an international group of specialists. They address some important themes in both modern and ancient reef systems. Some chapters contain `snapshots' of reefs of particular intervals, while others touch on relevant themes of both modern and ancient reefs - themes that weave their way through reefs of all ages. This book opens and sets the stage with an introduction to both modern and ancient reefs and reef ecosystems. This chapter is also intended as a basic introduction for students, general geologists, and professionals or others who may be unfamiliar with reefs and reef ecosystems. The chapter addresses the living coral reef ecosystem, stressing among other relevant factors, the importance of ecological and physical interactions between the organisms and their environment. The chapter also addresses mass extinction and provides a general overview of the history of reefs. Phanerozoic reef trends based on the paleoreef database / Wolfgang Kiessling Evolution, radiations, and extinctions in Proterozoic to mid-Paleozoic reefs / Paul Copper Paleoecology of Cambrian reef ecosystems / Andrey Yu. Zhuravlev Biologically induced carbonate precipitation in reefs through time / Gregory E. Webb A half century later: the Permian Guadalupian reef complex in West Texas and Eastern New Mexico / Norman D. Newell Triassic reefs of the Tethys / Erik Flügel and Baba Senowbari-Daryan Jurassic reef ecosystems / Reinhold R. Leinfelder Cretaceous evolution of reef ecosystems: a regional synthesis of the Caribbean tropics / Claudia C. Johnson and Erle G. Kauffman The role of framework in modern reefs and its application to ancient systems / Dennis K. Hubbard, Ivan P. Gill, and Randolph B. Burke Coral reefs, carbonate sediments, nutrients and global change / Pamela Hallock Living reefs are geologically and biologically a conspicuous ecosystem and one undeniably important both quantitatively and qualitatively.