海岸与陆架沉积:动力过程、全球变化影响和地层记录

文章试图在海岸与陆架沉积的基本动力过程、全球变化影响和地层记录等方面提出新的科学问题和基础研究建议.在基本动力过程研究上,底部边界层过程的垂向尺度和悬沙浓度影响、陆架环流和水团运动的悬沙输运效应、河口与陆架密度流形成机理、大型河流的水下三角洲和斜坡沉积的形成过程、浊流运动特征以及物理海洋过程响应等是值得重视的问题;在全球变化影响方面,需深入研究流域变化和生物礁演化与碳埋藏的关系、沉积环境的系统状况转换及动力过程变异、沉积体系演化的定量模拟方法等问题;在地层记录方面,应加强陆架与海岸沉积体系中会球变化记录的高分辨率信息提取、多种沉积记录信息的整合方法、沉积体系和记录形成的数值模拟、气候变化效应的地层记录模拟、沉积体系的信息分析模型等研究.     

晚更新世江苏海岸带沉积分布模拟研究

中国边缘海大陆架在晚更新世时期曾是海岸平原,在古长江、古黄河泥沙填充下形成了陆架堆积体,并在全新世发育了南黄海辐射沙脊群、废黄河三角洲和长江三角洲。根据点状的地质钻孔分析和重建,对南黄海-江苏海岸的沉积体系的分布和变化机制尚不明了。作为动力机制探讨,基于气候-海面-沉积系统,根据气候水文学、沉积学原理以及泥沙沉积面的动态高程计算,构建了气候冰川驱动-东黄海地海系统响应-河流沉积建造的数值模式,模拟了14万年、4万年和1万年不同时间尺度江苏海岸线和长江三角洲沉积的变化过程和分布,进而对冰川气候、构造沉降、沉积压实等复杂效应下的海面特征、陆源泥沙沉积和海岸线进行分析。模拟结果与地质钻孔资料揭示的层序和埋深能够进行对比。     

广西南流江三角洲全新世沉积层序及沉积过程

本文依据二十多个钻孔资料,对南流江三角洲地区全新世不同类型的沉积层序进行分类,研究了各层序结构、特征及其空间分布,并与现代南流江三角洲沉积相进行对比。并探讨了全新世南海江三角洲的发育与演化,提出了该三角洲的沉积模式和后期河流改造模式。讨论了南流江及华南地区三角洲与华北地区三角洲的差异及其形成原因,提出了三角洲类型转变的第三种可能原因。     

河海交互作用与黄东海域古扬子大三角洲体系研究

河海交互作用与堆积型大陆架发育,是中国海浅海地貌的主要特色.发源于世界屋脊的大河中有5条汇入中国海,源远流长,携运了巨量泥沙被阻积于岛弧背侧的边缘海中.经过漫长的新生代地质时期,尤其是在中、晚更新世堆积为陆架,并经历着全新世海侵过程中的浪流改造.作者通过近30年对区域海岸海洋研究的成果积累,逐渐认识到:在南黄海-东海海域,分布着一个巨型的三角洲体系:基底的大三角洲是中、晚更新世由古长江、古黄河两条世界级大河输水供沙,受季风波浪和潮流作用形成的,其发育时代应在长江贯通下游汇入黄、东海以后;其上叠置发育了规模逐次减小的古江河三角洲、南黄海辐射沙脊群、全新世—现代长江三角洲和历史时期的废黄河三角洲,组成巨型的复合三角洲体系,表层经全新世以来海侵改造发育了波浪与潮流共同作用的沙脊地貌.大三角洲体系覆盖着东海及南黄海海底,形成大陆架表层沉积地貌.这一巨型的河-海交互作用大陆架、三角洲体系,独具特色,具有重大的研究价值.建议:首先需进行一体化全方位的多项调查,包括遥感影像判识,水深与地震剖面探测,海底底质与钻孔取样,以及现代水文泥沙测量等,阐明其分布与环境特征;再进一步开展多学科交叉研究——地质地理、地貌、沉积、海洋动力、海平面变化与河流变迁、海洋地理信息系统等,期以阐明古扬子大三角洲体系各组成部分分布的范围、沉积组成和地貌特点,以及相互叠置关系.最终期以揭示中、晚更新世以来河-海交互作用过程与动力机制、海岸变迁与陆架堆积发育等基础科学问题,为亚太边缘海与大河相互作用的堆积型陆架发育提供实证,丰富海洋地质学理论.同时,可阐明现代海岸滩涂的蚀、淤动态,为新生土地资源规划利用,物源及陆架海疆权益维护提供重要的科学依据.     

全新世长江泥沙堆积的时空分布及通量估算

利用长江中下游、河口及口外、浙-闽沿岸陆架6个主要沉积盆地的40个晚第四纪钻孔及其年代学数据和长江口外、陆架的浅地层剖面,计算了全新世不同阶段各沉积盆地的沉积速率,并进行了近7 000年来泥沙堆积通量的估算。研究发现全新世早期距今10 000年至8 000年间长江口下切古河谷是长江泥沙的主要堆积中心,沉积速率可高达15m/ka。随着海平面上升,全新世中期长江中下游也成为长江泥沙的重要沉积盆地,其中江汉盆地的沉积速率可达10m/ka。近2 000年来,口外、陆架的堆积呈明显增加趋势,反映长江中下游盆地和河口可容空间日益减小。根据沉积速率估算,距今7 000年来长江中下游堆积泥沙约13 074×108 t,同期水下三角洲和陆架的泥沙堆积量约为9 470×108 t。研究还发现全新世以来有两个异常低沉积速率时期：距今8000-7 000年期间上述各沉积盆地沉积速率均显著低,未见长江泥沙的沉积中心; 距今4 000-2 000 年期间长江口呈现低沉积速率。 这两次异常的原因推测与海平面、气候波动事件密切相关。     

中上扬子克拉通海西-印支期(泥盆纪-中三叠世)沉积层序充填过程与演化模式

以"构造控盆、盆地控相、相控组合"的思路和"过程-响应"原理为指导,即壳-幔耦合、板块活动和构造运动形成盆地,盆地沉积充填形成层序与相带组合的时空展布,而不同级别层序格架中层序结构、体系域叠加样式及相带的时空组合与盆地沉积充填过程密切相关。在前人对中上扬子克拉通盆地取得丰富的研究与勘探成果基础上,加强沉积环境、层序结构与沉积充填过程等方面的研究,对深化研究区认识以及油气资源勘探具有重要意义。因此,通过层序剖面结构、体系域叠加样式和相带组合的沉积响应记录,分析这些记录特征的时空变化规律来有效地揭示盆地沉积充填过程。具体以反映盆地整体特性的构造-层序(二级层序)为基础,以反映盆地充填格架的层序地层(三级层序)为单元,以反映层序沉积充填过程的层序结构、体系域叠置方式(四级以上层序) 和相带分布规律为剖析对象"的技术路线,探讨和实践了中上扬子克拉通盆地海西-印支期沉积层序充填过程,剖析典型盆地的充填特征,与分阶段建立沉积演化模式。研究认为,中上扬子克拉通海西-印支期与加里东期的相似性是均由克拉通内和克拉通边缘两大沉积域组成,经历了克拉通边缘伸展和由伸展到挤压的2个盆地演化阶段,差异性是该期盆地类型与演化分异明显。典型盆地沉积充填特征表明,不同时期盆地充填特征的差异性决定于沉积充填控制因素的变化,各因素的控制作用因时因地而异。构造-层序充填过程的控制因素复杂多样,包括同沉积断裂、古地理格局、古隆起、碳酸盐生产率变化、相对海平面变化、基底构造特征和构造运动等,各种控制因素通过对层序沉积充填的边界条件、古地理背景、沉积环境、物源性质、层序结构和叠加样式等方面的影响来控制层序的发育,而且是造成沉积层序充填特征差异性的根本原因。各阶段沉积模式具有个性鲜明的充填背景、沉积建造类型、相带展布规律、演化过程和控制因素。海西-印支期中上扬子克拉通台地内保持隆坳相间,台缘以台盆相间为特征,优质储层发育于台地内和台缘高能礁滩环境,台内滞留环境和台盆区为有利盖层和烃源岩发育区。     

南海北部珠江口盆地陆架边缘斜坡带层序结构和沉积演化及控制作用

南海盆地是东南亚陆缘最大的、含有丰富油气等资源的边缘海盆地.对于南海大陆斜坡带的发育、沉积演化与南海盆地构造作用及动力学过程的响应关系等方面缺乏深入认识.依据地震、测井及岩心等丰富资料,对南海珠江口盆地东南部陆架边缘斜坡带的层序地层、沉积-地貌演化及其对构造、海平面和沉积物供应变化的响应关系开展了系统性的研究.研究表明盆地的沉积充填可划分为由区域性不整合所限定的7个复合（二级）层序（CS1-CS7）.复合层序CS3-CS7（上渐新统-第四系）均由区域性的海侵-海退旋回构成;其内可进一步划分出由局部不整合或水退-水进的转换面为界的20个次级层序（三级）.研究识别出包括外陆架至陆架边缘三角洲、前三角洲-斜坡扇、陆架边缘前积体、单向迁移的横向底流-斜坡重力流复合水道、大型斜坡下切峡谷、泥质斜坡扇、斜坡滑塌泥石流复合体以及大规模软沉积物变形体等沉积体系或沉积复合体,它们在不同层序具有特定的时空分布,构成多种沉积样式.短周期（三级）的沉积旋回变化与Haq的海平面变化曲线总体上可对比,但长周期的海侵和海退则明显不同,受到了构造隆升和沉降等的控制.陆架边缘沉积演化可划分出裂后早期海底扩张沉积（破裂层序）、裂后晚期海底扩张沉积、后海底扩张等构造-沉积演化阶段.裂谷作用晚期的热隆起、构造差异沉降、裂后热衰减沉降以及上新世以后的东侧碰撞等对主要不整合的形成和海侵-海退产生了重要的影响.晚渐新世至中中新世发育的复合层序（CS3和CS4）记录了裂后海底扩张到停止的大陆斜坡沉积过程;而裂后早期的沉积层序（CS3）为破裂层序,以发育大型的陆架边缘三角洲-前三角洲斜坡扇体系构成的前积层为特征.气候变化和季风加强可能增强了晚渐新世-早中新世和更新世沉积期的沉积物供应,为大规模陆架边缘三角洲体系的发育提供了充足的物源供给.发育于陆架边缘的三角洲-滨岸碎屑体系和共生的前三角洲斜坡扇体系构成区内最重要的油气勘探对象.      

晚更新世末期北方陆架区沙漠-黄土堆积群的初步研究

晚更新世末期,强劲古季风活动的结果,在中国西部形成沙漠-黄土堆积群(黄土高原及其以西或西北的沙漠区),当它到达陆架区以后,风蚀作用继续存在,会产生同样的地质效果,因而在中国东部陆架区,形成两个新的沙漠-黄土堆积群。其一为渤海沙漠-黄土堆积群,包括渤海海底、渤海海岸一带的古沙漠活动区和辽东半岛西岸、庙岛群岛以及山东蓬莱以西的含有孔虫的黄土沉积。其二为黄海沙漠-黄土堆积群,包括苏北浅滩和长江三角洲地区全新世以前的沙漠活动区和南京一带的下蜀黄土。      

长江口水下三角洲粒度与210Pb特征的空间分布

长江口细颗粒物质来源丰富、水动力作用活跃,近年来又受到三峡大坝等流域大型工程的影响,因此其水下三角洲沉积层序对自然过程(物源变化、潮汐水道地形调整、风暴潮事件等)和人类活动(航道疏浚等)的响应成为一个重要的科学问题.对覆盖长江口水下三角洲的31个站位的沉积物柱样进行了粒度分析,并对其中30个站位的柱样进行了210Pb测定,结果表明,长江口物质主要是来源于现代流域供给,少数站位的砂质沉积则代表海底侵蚀.沉积物柱状样的平均粒径有4种类型的垂向分布趋势:Ⅰ.向上细化,Ⅱ.垂向稳定,Ⅲ.垂向波动式变化,Ⅳ.向上粗化.分别对应于不同的地貌部位和冲淤动态.210Pb比活度垂向变化有4种类型:1)标准衰变剖面,2)均一210Pbtotal活度剖面,3)分段式衰变剖面以及4)分段式衰变与倒置衰变复合剖面.4种类型的空间分布格局显示,多数站位不是连续堆积的.不同站位的柱状样沉积记录代表了长江口水下三角洲沉积对各种因素(沉积动力过程、流域水库建设等)的复杂响应模式.长江口水下三角洲粒度与210Pb的空间分布特征指示了研究区的多种沉积动力特征,如物源变化、水动力变化、相邻区域的侵蚀搬运与二次堆积、水动力强弱的空间差异以及事件沉积的影响.     

中国东部海域泥质沉积区现代沉积速率及其物源控制效应初探

中国东部陆架(渤、黄、东海)是欧亚大陆和太平洋之间的一个重要物质交换通道,其周边的河流每年向海输入了大量的细颗粒沉积物。这些物质在海洋动力(潮流、波浪、环流等)的作用下形成了多个泥质沉积区(带)。过去的数十年间,国内外学者对东部陆架海沉积物扩散和沉积动力机制进行了深入的研究,但是,目前对陆架泥质沉积的形成机制以及沉积物收支情况还存在争议。本文利用整理的现代沉积速率资料,从物源控制的角度出发,研究了各泥质沉积区10～100a尺度的沉积速率和沉积通量的分布规律,并与全新世泥质沉积记录进行对比,指出物源是控制这些泥质沉积形成的主要因素。河流携带入海物质是这些泥质沉积的主要"源",而这些泥质区是典型的"汇"。小型河流河口沉积过程和物质贡献需引起重视。定量化物源分析需结合物源供应等方面的资料,在遵守沉积物收支平衡的前提下进行。     

Late Quaternary valley-fill succession of the Lower Tagus Valley, Portugal

The Lower Tagus Valley in Portugal contains a well-developed valley-fill succession covering the complete Late Pleistocene and Holocene periods. As large-scale stratigraphic and chronologic frameworks of the Lower Tagus Valley are not yet available, this paper describes facies, facies distribution, and sedimentary architecture of the late Quaternary valley fill. Twenty four radiocarbon ages provide a detailed chronological framework. Local factors affected the nature and architecture of the incised valley-fill succession. The valley is confined by pre-Holocene deposits and is connected with a narrow continental shelf. This configuration facilitated deep incision, which prevented large-scale marine flooding and erosion. Consequently a thick lowstand systems tract has been preserved. The unusually thick lowstand systems tract was probably formed in a previously (30,000–20,000 cal BP) incised narrow valley, when relative sea-level fall was maximal. The lowstand deposits were preserved due to subsequent rapid early Holocene relative sea-level rise and transgression, when tidal and marine environments migrated inland (transgressive systems tract). A constant sea level in the middle to late Holocene, and continuous fluvial sediment supply, caused rapid bayhead delta progradation (highstand systems tract). This study shows that the late Quaternary evolution of the Lower Tagus Valley is determined by a narrow continental shelf and deep glacial incision, rapid post-glacial relative sea-level rise, a wave-protected setting, and large fluvial sediment supply.     

山东半岛全新世近岸泥质区沉积过程与沉积记录*

中国东部陆架边缘海发育多个全新世泥质区,是研究古海洋和古气候的理想区域。本研究从现代沉积过程和全新世沉积记录的视角,对山东半岛近岸泥质区的前人研究结果进行总结梳理,为后续相关研究提供参考。山东半岛近岸泥质区位于山东半岛沿岸,主要是来自黄河的沉积物在沿岸流、上升流、潮汐等相互作用下沉积而成,呈现独特的“Ω”形沉积模式。山东半岛近岸泥质区形成于全新世,物质来源主要是黄河,近岸侵蚀和当地小河流也贡献一定的物质来源。山东半岛近岸泥质区的形成和演化与古海洋条件、海平面升降、内陆古气候演变等多种因素有关,蕴藏着丰富的环境演化信息。山东半岛近岸泥质区沉积能够快速记录东亚季风的演变,其较高的沉积速率为研究黄河流域的古气候和古生态演化提供高分辨率的材料,可为预测未来全球变化背景下黄河流域的发展趋势提供参考。虽然前人对现代沉积过程进行了大量工作,但仍需加强现代观测和数值模拟等方面的工作,为更好地重建研究区的沉积动力过程提供数据和理论支撑。此外,该区在长时间尺度上的沉积物和有机质的沉积过程对古海洋和古气候的响应机制也亟待开展研究。     

Marine depositional events controlled by sediment supply and sea-level changes

Under conditions of high fluvial or coastal sediment supply, individual sandy storm layers (tempestites) and turbidites form after significantly shorter time intervals than Milankovitch cycles. To provide the material for mass flows of very high volume, large, mountainborne rivers require about ten thousand years. With little sediment supply, however, all event deposits become rare or are missing.Third-order sequences (about 1–4 Ma) vary considerably in thickness depending on the sedimentation rates in the basins. Thick and widely extended mud flows and megabreccias are preferentially triggered by sea level fall below the shelf edge. Mixed siliciclastics-carbonate systems along the foot of carbonate shelves generally become coarser grained and poorer in carbonates during lowstands. Turbidite successions also frequently occur in lowstand deposits, but may be present in the other systems tracts as well if a delta is prograding continually.The position of tempestites in third or higher order shallow water sequences is less clear. In studies on the migration of coastal sands in relation to falling and rising sea level, one should distinguish, apart from sediment supply, between settings with and without substantial wave scour. The generation of sandy tempestites appears to be favoured if coastal progradation and wave scour operate simultaneously for example during late highstand and early lowstand.     

Recurrent decadal-scale dust events over Holocene western Africa and their control on canyon turbidite activity (Mauritania)

Sediment records from continental shelves and slopes might provide paleoenvironmental information in the highest temporal resolution but are often hampered due to strong erosional and reworking processes. Here, we present a Holocene sedimentary record from an exceptional shelf mud belt depocenter off northern Mauritania, compared to a second sediment core located inside a large canyon system at the adjacent continental slope. Both records are of outstandingly continuous and highest temporal resolution (9 a/cm) and are investigated by sedimentological and geochemical methods.A series of sharply defined, recurrent dust peaks is preserved in the shelf archive. Each event has lasted for a single decade only and seems to coincide with an individual turbidite bed in the canyon. A joint mechanism should, thus, be responsible for both of these deposits and we suggest a regional atmospheric trigger. Only short-lasting Trade wind strengthening would cause such pronounced aridity over western Saharan Africa. The effect would be massive dust export to shelf and slope. Recently developed high resolution aridity and humidity records from western Africa support the existence of these events over the Holocene and identify them as being controlled by the Atlantic system as far south as 19°N.     

Holocene evolution of mud depocentres on a high-energy, low-accumulation shelf (NW Iberia)

The high-energy, low-accumulation NW Iberian shelf features three confined Holocene mud depocentres. Here, we show that the evolution of such depocentres follows successive steps. The flooding of inner shelf zones and river catchment areas by the late deglacial sea-level rise provided the precondition for shelf mud deposition. Following this, the Holocene deceleration of the sea-level rise caused a rapid refill of the accommodation space within river valleys. Subsequently, the export of major amounts of fines was initiated. The initial onset and loci of shelf mud deposition were related to deposition-favouring conditions in mid-shelf position or to the presence of morphological highs, which act as sediment traps by providing protection against stronger hydrodynamic energy. The detailed reconstruction of the Holocene depocentre evolution shows for the first time that the expansion of such shelf mud deposits cannot only occur by linear growth off the associated sediment source. Rather, they might develop around centres that are fully disconnected from the source of original sediment supply, and expand later into specific directions. Based on these differences and on the connection of the individual mud depocentres to the material source we propose a conceptual subdivision of the group “mid-shelf mud depocentres”.     

Complex coastal change in response to autogenic basin infilling: An example from a sub‐tropical Holocene strandplain

Thick bay‐fill sequences that often culminate in strandplain development serve as important sedimentary archives of land–ocean interaction, although distinguishing between internal and external forcings is an ongoing challenge. This study employs sediment cores, ground‐penetrating radar surveys, radiocarbon dates, palaeogeographic reconstructions and hydrodynamic modelling to explore the role of autogenic processes – notably a reduction in wave energy in response to coastal embayment infilling – in coastal evolution and shoreline morphodynamics. Following a regional 2 to 4 m highstand at ca 5·8 ka, the 75 km² Tijucas Strandplain in southern Brazil built from fluvial sediments deposited into a semi‐enclosed bay. Holocene regressive deposits are underlain by fluvial sands and a Pleistocene transgressive–regressive sequence, and backed by a highstand barrier‐island. The strandplain is immediately underlain by 5 to 16 m of seaward‐thickening, fluvially derived, Holocene‐age, basin‐fill mud. Several trends are observed from the landward (oldest) to the seaward (youngest) sections of the strandplain: (i) the upper shoreface and foreshore become finer and thinner and shift from sand‐dominated to mud‐dominated; (ii) beachface slopes decrease from >11° to ca 7°; and (iii) progradation rates increase from 0·4 to 1·8 m yr^?1. Hydrodynamic modelling demonstrates a correlation between progressive shoaling of Tijucas Bay driven by sea‐level fall and sediment infilling and a decrease in onshore wave‐energy transport from 18 to 4 kW m^?1. The combination of allogenic (sediment supply, falling relative sea‐level and geology) and autogenic (decrease in wave energy due to bay shoaling) processes drove the development of a regressive system with characteristics that are rare, if not unique, in the Holocene and rock records. These findings demonstrate the complexities in architecture styles of highstand and regressive systems tracts. Furthermore, this article highlights the diverse internal and external processes and feedbacks responsible for the development of these intricate marginal marine sedimentary systems.     

Evolution of an incised valley coastal plain estuary under low sediment supply: a ‘give‐up’ estuary

The literature on incised river valley sedimentology is dominated by studies of sediment‐rich systems in which the valley has been filled during and/or shortly after drowning. In contrast, the Holocene evolution of the Kosi Lagoon, South Africa (an incised coastal plain river valley) took place under very low sedimentation rates which have produced a distinctive stratigraphy and contemporary sedimentary environments. The findings are based on a synthesis of the results of studies of seismic stratigraphy, sediment distribution, morphodynamics and geomorphology. Barrier migration was prevented by a high pre‐Holocene dune barrier against which Holocene coastal deposits accumulated in an aggradational sequence. Holocene evolution of the back barrier involved: (i) drowning of the incised valley; (ii) wave‐induced modification of the back‐barrier shoreline leading to segmentation during the highstand; and (iii) marine sedimentation adjacent to the tidal inlet. Segmentation has divided the estuary into a series of geochemically and sedimentologically distinctive basins connected by channels in the estuarine barriers. The seismic stratigraphy of the back barrier essentially lacks a transgressive systems tract, shoreline modification and deposition having been accomplished during the highstand. The lack of historical geomorphological change suggests that the system has achieved morphological equilibrium with ambient energy conditions and low sediment supply. This study presents a classification for estuarine incised valley fills based on the balance between sea‐level rise and sedimentation in which Kosi represents a ‘give‐up’ estuary where much of the relict incised channel form is drowned and preserved. It exhibits a fundamentally different set of evolutionary processes and stratigraphic sequences to those of the better known incised valley systems in which sedimentation either keeps pace with sea‐level (‘keep‐up’ estuaries) or occurs after initial drowning (‘catch‐up’ estuaries).     

黔南地区早、中泥盆世沉积演化的动力机制

泥盆纪时，黔南地区为一相对稳定的台地，早泥盆世晚期，海水开始漫漫其上.初始发育陆源碎屑沉积体系，中泥盆世发育陆源碎屑～碳酸盐混合体系.空间配置有下列几种类型:滨岸障壁～泻湖～河流体系，碳酸盐缓坡～滨岸障壁～泻湖体系，镶边型碳酸盐台地～泻湖三角洲（潮坪）体系，碳酸盐缓坡～三角洲体系。基底断裂限定了台地和台间沟的延限范围和演化进程，这两种不同沉积背景的沉积演化旋回可能主要受海平面变化控制。     

Formation and fate of sedimentary depocentres on Southeast Asia's Sunda Shelf over the past sea-level cycle and biogeographic implications

Sea-level variations are the major factor controlling sedimentation as well as the biogeographic patterns at continental margins over late Quaternary times. Fluctuations on millennial time-scales produce locally complex deposits in coasts and on shelves, associated with short-term influence on species development. This article reviews the sedimentary and biogeographic history of the tropical siliciclastic Sunda Shelf as an end-member of continental shelves regarding extreme width, an enormous sediment supply, and highest biodiversity in response to rapid sea-level fluctuations. We describe particular depositional segments as part of a genetic succession of zones from land to the deep sea based on literature data, field observations, and calculation of hydro-isostatic adjustment effects on changing relative sea level. These segments are characterized by individual sedimentary processes and deposits, and by a specific potential for material storage and re-mobilization.Long-term regressive intervals led to overall sigmoidal-promoting, extremely thick, and wide succeeding units. In contrast, rapid lateral shifts of defined depocentres over long distances took place in response to short-term sea level fluctuations. Fully isolated small-scale sediment bodies formed when sea level changed at exceptionally high rates. As a result of the high availability of organic-rich sediments, mangrove and freshwater peats formed frequently over late Quaternary times. The appearance of thick, massive and widespread peats is mainly linked to time intervals of a sea-level rise at slow rates, whilst organic matter appears much more dispersely in the sediments during episodes of rapidly changing sea level.The preservation potential of the regressive units is generally high due to highest initial sediment supply, stabilizing soil formation during exposure and rapid subsidence. Preservation of depositional elements from other periods is more exceptional and either restricted to local morphological depressions or to episodes of rapid sea level change. Besides complex channel incision, an overall lowering of the sediment surface related to erosion, as deep as 20 m or more, over wide areas took place mainly during sea level lowering. The final export of shelf material is documented by enormous mass-wasting packages on the associated continental slope.From a palaeogeographic perspective, the rapid formation or disappearance of special habitat zones, such as mangrove fringes and extended mud flats, led to species establishment or truncation in distribution. In addition, the opening or closure of ocean passages, as narrow bridges allowing limited species crossing or as fully colonized corridors, had severe impact on eco-fragmentation and the expansion or contraction of species. Independent of such particular conditions, sea-level changes have been too rapid over the past climatic cycle to allow full regeneration and mature development of coast-related ecosystems.