Holocene reef growth in Torres Strait

The platform and fringing reefs of Torres Strait are morphologically similar to reefs of the northern Great Barrier Reef to the south, except that several are elongated in the direction of the strong tidal currents between the Coral Sea and the Gulf of Carpentaria. Surface and subsurface investigations and radiocarbon dating on Yam, Warraber and Hammond Islands reveal that the initiation and mode of Holocene reef growth reflect antecedent topography and sea-level history. On the granitic Yam Island, fringing reefs have established in some places over a Pleistocene limestone at about 6 m depth around 7000 years BP. Emergent Holocene microatolls of Porites sp. indicate that the reefs have prograded seawards while sea level has fallen gradually from at least 0.8 m above present about 5800 years BP. On the Warraber Island reef platform drilling near the centre indicated a Pleistocene limestone foundation at a depth of about 6 m over which reefs established around 6700 years BP. Reef growth lagged behind that on Yam Island. Microatolls on the mature reef flat indicate that the reef reached sea level around 5300 years BP when the sea was around 0.8–1.0 m above present. On the reef flat on the western side of Hammond Island bedrock was encountered at 7–8 m depth, overlain by terrigenous mud. A progradational reef sequence of only 1–2 m thickness has built seaward over these muds, as sea level has fallen over the past 5800 years. Reef-flat progradation on these reefs is interpreted to have occurred by a series of stepwise buildouts marked by lines of microatolls parallel to the reef crest, marking individual coalescing coral heads. Detrital infill has occurred between these. This pattern of reef progradation is consistent with the radiocarbon dating results from these reefs, and with seismic investigations on the Torres Reefs.     

The initiation of the southern central Great Barrier Reef: New multiproxy data from Pleistocene distal sediments from the Marion Plateau (NE Australia)

Significant synchronous shifts in the chemistry, mineralogy, grain sizes and color of the sediments at 6 m below sea floor (mbsf) at ODP Site 1195 on the Marion Plateau (NE Australia) are interpreted to reflect a major regional paleoceanographic change: the initiation of the southern province of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). The onset of this massive carbonate production centre nearby resulted primarily in increased deposition of carbonate-rich sediments of neritic origin. Both sedimentation rate and terrigenous input record a coincident decline attributed to inshore trapping of materials behind the reefs. Our best estimate places the development of reef framework in the southern part of the GBR between 560 and 670 kyr B.P., based on an age model combining magnetostratigraphic and biostratigraphic data. The proposed estimation agrees with previous studies reporting an age between 500 and 930 kyr B.P., constraining more tightly their results. However, it does not support research placing the birth of the GBR in Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 11 ( 400 kyr), nor the theory of a worldwide modern barrier reef development at that time.     

三沙永乐龙洞洞内侧壁礁体矿物和元素组成及其晚更新世以来的形成演化

三沙永乐龙洞深度在300m左右,是目前全球已知最深的海洋蓝洞,但是对其性质和成因了解极其有限。本研究使用X射线粉晶衍射仪、X射线荧光光谱仪、AMS14C测年等分析测试方法对采自不同深度的洞壁礁体的矿物物相、元素含量和形成年代进行了测定,探讨了洞壁性质和龙洞的演化。研究结果表明:三沙永乐龙洞洞内侧壁矿物均属于碳酸盐矿物,包括文石、高镁方解石和低镁方解石,平均含量分别为49.0%、46.6%、14.3%,它们主要来自钙质生物碎屑;洞内侧壁的主要元素是Ca、Mg、Sr,平均含量分别为36.8%、0.98%、0.48%。三沙永乐龙洞是一个复合体,17m以上岩石年龄晚于7.5cal kaBP,是全新世海平面上升时期形成的现代珊瑚礁体,没有经历过海平面下降引起的成岩作用; 17—35m岩石形成时代早于25cal ka BP,是经历了大气淡水成岩作用的晚更新世喀斯特溶洞,且在高海平面时期于17—23m以浅的空间内广泛发育洞内珊瑚礁。     

The anatomy and provenance of thick volcaniclastic flows in the Cretan Basin, South Aegean Sea

Santorini volcano has been the largest source of volcaniclastic sediment in the Eastern Mediterranean during the late Quaternary. A dozen cores from the Cretan Basin, south of Santorini, have sampled two megabeds that consist of gravity emplaced volcaniclastic sequences. The uppermost megabed U consists of a succession of five (U₅–U₁) base cut out turbiditic units. Lower megabed A is a single turbiditic event. Only the uppermost U₂ and U₁ turbidites are separated from the underlying beds by hemipelagic marls. The texture and composition of the U and A megabeds closely match the texture and composition of the fine, vitric ash of the “Minoan” deposits on Santorini islands, dating from about 3500 yr BP. These megabeds are therefore attributed to rapid accumulation of separate gravity flows fed by the “Minoan” eruption, except for the upper U₂ and U₁ turbidites deposited from subsequent gravity flows transporting eroded volcaniclastic sediments. With the exception of the margin south of Santorini, dozens of cores retrieved around the margins of the Cretan Basin have a continuous late Quaternary succession that shows no evidence for massive sediment remobilization into the deeper basin, including the passage of the “Minoan” tsunami.

Extensive high-resolution 3.5 kHz records revealed the acoustic character, architecture and distribution of the U and A megabeds and four underlying late Quaternary volcanogenic megabeds in the Cretan Basin. The acoustic facies of megabeds are typical of megaturbidites and consist of an upper, transparent, lower velocity layer that corresponds to the fine-grained upper turbiditic silt and clay section and a lower, strongly reflective higher velocity section that corresponds to the lowest, coarser-grained base of the turbidite that is developed over a sharp erosional surface. Penetration of the high-resolution records reveals the existence of at least six megabeds. Correlation with core lithology and the physical properties of the various lithofacies, including down-core velocity profiles, has allowed us to determine the thickness and volumes of the upper four megabeds which are: U ≤ 9 m thick, volume 3.7 km³; A ≤ 25 m thick, volume 12.2 km³; B ≤ 22 m thick, volume 10.3 km³; C ≤ 15 m thick, volume 8 km³. These thick megabeds are the uppermost products of repeated explosive eruption of Santorini in the late Quaternary. Calculated sedimentation rates from and after the “Minoan” eruption are 9.4 m/1000 yr that rise to over 15.7 m/1000 yr if megabed B was also deposited during this eruption.     

Geological reconstruction of Fangataufa atoll, South Pacific

Several boreholes drilled by the Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique have reached and passed through the volcanic bedrock of Fangataufa atoll. The sampled volcanic rocks under the coral ring were produced during both aerial and submarine activity, whereas rocks drilled under the lagoon were erupted during submarine volcanism only. The bathymetric data show that the atoll has a “starfish” shape. The rift zones are elongated in N-S, N70–80 and N120 directions; these three main directions are also the directions of structural discontinuities in the lithosphere. Reconstruction of the atoll's topography before erosion using a slope angle of about 16° shows that the maximum height reached by the volcano was about 1300 m above sea level. For comparison, the maximum height of Méhetia island (southeast of Tahiti) is approximately 435 m. The successive construction stages are: (1) initiation of volcanism along the rift zones and construction of a central volcano; (2) production of brecciated lavas; (3) emergent volcanism; and (4) central and aerial activity. The present day position of the aerial volcanic rocks under the coral reef and the submarine products under the lagoon is discussed with reference to two hypotheses. The first is based on sea level changes and the second on a tectonic origin (collapse of the atoll's flanks). Using recent geochronological data, the submarine construction of the atoll related to the hot-spot activity lasted about 1.1 Ma. The accumulation rate was approximately 0.7 cm/yr (1.5 × 10⁻³ km³/yr) and the aerial volcanic activity lasted about 2 Ma (1.5 × 10⁻⁵ km³/yr).     

Late Quaternary evolution of coral reefs on a cool-water carbonate margin: the Abrolhos Carbonate Platforms, southwest Australia

Late Quaternary coral reefs have developed on the southwestern Australian margin, which has otherwise been characterised by cool-water carbonates since the Eocene. The Houtman Abrolhos coral reefs are at the limits of existence, extending, with the assistance of the Leeuwin Current, a poleward-flowing, warm water stream, into a region dominated by more temperate communities. Coring in the Easter Group reefs, supported by high precision dating, by both U/Th TIMS and ¹⁴C methods, has shown vigorous coral growth, with reefs over 26 m thick in the Holocene and over 15 m thick in the Last Interglacial. Each of the three Abrolhos platforms consists of a central platform composed of Last Interglacial reefs, about which windward and leeward Holocene reefs developed asymmetrically. Reef, peritidal and eolian facies comprise the emergent Last Interglacial limestones which are extensively calcretized, with reef facies up to 5 m above MSL. The Last Interglacial high stand lasted for at least 10 ka from 130 to 120 ka, and possibly 15 ka, from 132 to 117 ka. Holocene reef facies are also emergent by 0.5 m, and are overlain by peritidal and storm ridge facies in an upward-shallowing sequence. Windward (10 m thick) and leeward (26 m thick) Holocene reefs in the Easter Group show contrasting lithofacies. The wave-exposed windward reefs consist of a slow-growing association of coralline algal bindstones and coral framestones, whereas fast-growing coral framestones dominate the more protected leeward reefs. The leeward reefs commenced growth 10,000 years ago and grew to the present sea level by 6500 years ago, generating Holocene constructional topography consisting of ‘blue-hole’ terrain in the leeward parts of the platforms.     

南沙永暑礁表层珊瑚年代结构及其环境记录

南沙群岛永暑礁7个表层礁坪原生块状珊瑚的高精度TIMS U-Th和12个常规^14C测年结果表明,永暑礁表层礁坪形成于现代,与钻探研究结果吻合。全新世永暑礁系从约7300aBP开始,以现代礁坪面以下17m左右的晚更新世礁灰岩为基底连续发育至今,因此,与南海周边地区的珊瑚礁不同,南沙群岛珊瑚礁的表层块状珊瑚不能够提供全新世高海平面的证据。由于现代珊瑚礁的堆积速率大于地壳沉降速率,可能会形成更多的灰沙洲或灰沙岛。     

A unique Yellow River-derived distal subaqueous delta in the Yellow Sea

Newly acquired high-resolution Chirp sonar profiles reveal a unique Yellow River-derived, alongshore distributed, bidirectional (landward and seaward) across-shelf transported, omega-shaped (“Ω”) distal subaqueous deltaic lobe deposited around the eastern tip of the Shandong Peninsula in the Yellow Sea. This clinoform deposit directly overlies the postglacial transgressive surface, featured by convex-up seafloor morphology, up to 40 m thick locally. Radiocarbon-14 dates from the underlain pre-Holocene and transgressive sediments indicate this distal lobe has formed since the middle-Holocene highstand under a relatively stable sea level. This along-shelf distributed distal clinoform has been deposited mainly by the resuspended Yellow River sediments carried down by the coastal current, interacting with the local waves, tides and upwelling. Collectively, over the past 7000 years, nearly 30% of the Yellow River-derived sediment has been re-suspended and transported out of the Bohai Sea into the Yellow Sea. Overall, the Yellow River-derived sediment could reach the − 80 m water depth in the central South Yellow Sea, about 700 km from the river mouth; in contrast, a very small fraction of the modern riverine sediment could escape the outer shelf or reach the Okinawa Trough.     

Tidally incised valleys on tropical carbonate shelves: An example from the northern Great Barrier Reef, Australia

The formation of incised valleys on continental shelves is generally attributed to fluvial erosion under low sea level conditions. However, there are exceptions. A multibeam sonar survey at the northern end of Australia's Great Barrier Reef, adjacent to the southern edge of the Gulf of Papua, mapped a shelf valley system up to 220 m deep that extends for more than 90 km across the continental shelf. This is the deepest shelf valley yet found in the Great Barrier Reef and is well below the maximum depth of fluvial incision that could have occurred under a − 120 m, eustatic sea level low-stand, as what occurred on this margin during the last ice age. These valleys appear to have formed by a combination of reef growth and tidal current scour, probably in relation to a sea level at around 30–50 m below its present position.

Tidally incised depressions in the valley floor exhibit closed bathymetric contours at both ends. Valley floor sediments are mainly calcareous muddy, gravelly sand on the middle shelf, giving way to well-sorted, gravely sand containing a large relict fraction on the outer shelf. The valley extends between broad platform reefs and framework coral growth, which accumulated through the late Quaternary, coincides with tidal current scour to produce steep-sided (locally vertical) valley walls. The deepest segments of the valley were probably the sites of lakes during the last ice age, when Torres Strait formed an emergent land-bridge between Australia and Papua New Guinea. Numerical modeling predicts that the strongest tidal currents occur over the deepest, outer-shelf segment of the valley when sea level is about 40–50 m below its present position. These results are consistent with a Pleistocene age and relict origin of the valley.

Based on these observations, we propose a new conceptual model for the formation of tidally incised shelf valleys. Tidal erosion on meso- to macro-tidal, rimmed carbonate shelves is enhanced during sea level rise and fall when a tidal, hydraulic pressure gradient is established between the shelf-lagoon and the adjacent ocean basin. Tidal flows attain a maximum, and channel incision is greatest, when a large hydraulic pressure gradient coincides with small channel cross sections. Our tidal-incision model may explain the observation of other workers, that sediment is exported from the Great Barrier Reef shelf to the adjacent ocean basins during intermediate (rather than last glacial maximum) low-stand, sea level positions. The model may apply to other rimmed shelves, both modern and ancient.     

近165年来中沙环礁中北暗沙滨珊瑚生长率及其对海温变化的响应

海水温度是控制珊瑚生长的关键环境因素之一,随着全球气候变暖,海温持续升高已成为珊瑚生长面临的全球性威胁。文章对采自中沙环礁中北暗沙水深约16m的澄黄滨珊瑚岩心样品开展了生长率分析,揭示出中沙环礁滨珊瑚近165年来的生长历史及变化规律;并通过与西沙群岛永兴岛滨珊瑚生长率的对比,探讨了南海中部滨珊瑚生长的区域差异及其对海温升高的响应关系。过去100多年来中北暗沙和永兴岛海区的平均海温分别为(27.4±0.37)℃和(27.09±0.36)℃,两个海区的海温均呈线性升高趋势,升温速率一致,约为0.43℃·ha^–1。过去100多年间中北暗沙和永兴岛滨珊瑚的平均生长率分别为(0.70±0.16)cm·a^–1和(1.19±0.16)cm·a^–1,但中北暗沙滨珊瑚生长率呈线性下降趋势,下降速率约为9.4%·ha^–1;而永兴岛滨珊瑚生长率呈线性上升趋势,增长速率约为10.9%·ha^–1。过去100多年间两个礁区的滨珊瑚生长率均存在年代际波动,大致与海温的年代际波动对应。两个礁区滨珊瑚生长率与海...     

Association among active seafloor deformation, mound formation, and gas hydrate growth and accumulation within the seafloor of the Santa Monica Basin, offshore California

Seafloor blister-like mounds, methane migration and gas hydrate formation were investigated through detailed seafloor surveys in Santa Monica Basin, offshore of Los Angeles, California. Two distinct deep-water (≥ 800 m water depth) topographic mounds were surveyed using an autonomous underwater vehicle (carrying a multibeam sonar and a chirp sub-bottom profiler) and one of these was explored with the remotely operated vehicle Tiburon. The mounds are > 10 m high and > 100 m wide dome-shaped bathymetric features. These mounds protrude from crests of broad anticlines (~ 20 m high and 1 to 3 km long) formed within latest Quaternary-aged seafloor sediment associated with compression between lateral offsets in regional faults. No allochthonous sediments were observed on the mounds, except slumped material off the steep slopes of the mounds. Continuous streams of methane gas bubbles emanate from the crest of the northeastern mound, and extensive methane-derived authigenic carbonate pavements and chemosynthetic communities mantle the mound surface. The large local vertical displacements needed to produce these mounds suggests a corresponding net mass accumulation has occurred within the immediate subsurface. Formation and accumulation of pure gas hydrate lenses in the subsurface is proposed as a mechanism to blister the seafloor and form these mounds.     

Marine geology of the Sodwana Bay shelf, southeast Africa

The geostrophic current-controlled northern Zululand shelf displays a unique assemblage of interesting physical, sedimentological and biological phenomena. The shelf in this area is extremely narrow (3 km) and is characterised by submarine canyons, coral reefs, and steep gradients on the continental slope. Three submarine canyons occur in the study area and are classified as mature- or youthful-phase canyons depending on the degree to which they breach the shelf. These canyons originated as mass-wasting features which were exploited by palaeo-drainage during sea-level regressions. Shelf lithology is dominated by a series of coast-parallel patch coral reefs which have colonised beachrock and aeolianite sequences that extend semi-continuously from −5 to −95 m, and delineate late Pleistocene palaeocoastline events. The unconsolidated sediment on the shelf is either shelf sand (mainly terrigenous quartz grains) or bioclastic sediment. Large-scale subaqueous dunes commonly form in the unconsolidated sediment on the outer-shelf due to the Agulhas Current flow. These dunes occur as two distinct fields at depths of −35 to −70 m; the major sediment transport direction is towards the south, but occasional bedload parting zones exist where the bedform migration direction changes from south to north.     

海南岛鹿回头珊瑚礁与全新世高海平面

通过实地考察和资料分析,海南岛南部全新世以来以沉降活动为主要特征,鹿回头珊瑚礁能够反映全新世以来的海平面变化,鹿回头岸礁礁坪面上的原生珊瑚礁是全新世高海平面时期的产物。全新世以来南海北部至少存在过 4 期相对高海平面阶段:7300~6000、4800~4700、4300~4200和3100~2900cal.aBP。其中 7300~6000aBP 是整个全新世最高海平面时期,也是鹿回头珊瑚礁发育的繁盛期,基本形成了现代珊瑚礁的地貌格局,后来不同时期发育的珊瑚礁是在此时期形成的礁塘或礁坑等低洼地中形成,并在鹿回头半岛两侧向外发展,现代珊瑚礁则发育于全新世珊瑚礁的外礁坪和礁前斜坡带。另外,鹿回头珊瑚礁反映的南海北部全新世高海平面时间与南海其他地区高海平面时间可以衔接或对应,说明南海地区全新世高海平面具有全球背景,至少在南海是一致的,且与气候变暖紧密相联。     

Mass-transport deposits on the Rosetta province (NW Nile deep-sea turbidite system, Egyptian margin): Characteristics, distribution, and potential causal processes

In the Nile deep-sea turbidite system (NDSTS), the province fed by the Rosetta branch of the Nile delta is characterised by the recurrent activity of gravity processes. Seven mass-transport deposits (MTDs) were recognised from the upper to the mid slope, downstream from imbricated scars (~ 30 km-long, ~ 200 m high) running along the shelf edge nearby the Rosetta canyon. Extending on surfaces between 200 and 5000 km², with estimated volumes from 3 to 500 km³, these MTDs represent about 40% (up to 90% locally) of the total Pleistocene–Holocene sedimentary thickness. Three types of MTDs can be distinguished on the basis of their scale. Each has also a distinctive internal configuration and distribution within the Rosetta depositional setting. Age estimates of two MTDs point towards relationships between climate and submarine mass failures through sea-level changes, sediment supply, or a combination of both. Additionally, the presence of gas in the sediment and earthquake shaking may have concurred to trigger large-scale failures on the low slope angles (1°–2°) of the Rosetta area.     

南沙群岛珊瑚礁岩体结构特征及工程地质分带

珊瑚礁是发育于海洋环境之中、由造礁珊瑚和生物历经生物和地质作用形成的地质体，是一种特殊的岩土介质类型。在南沙群岛珊瑚礁体上，水动力作用和沉积类型、地形地貌都具有成带分布的特点，因而岩体结构和工程地质性质亦具有分带性。在珊瑚礁海洋水动力环境分带的基础上．研究了南沙群岛珊瑚礁的剖面结构、内部结构和浅地层结构特征以及工程地质分层和岩性，将珊瑚礁岩体结构划分为4种类型和5个工程地质相带，并对各分带的工程特性及适宜性进行了评价。     

南科1井第四系暴露面特征及其与海平面变化的关系*

珊瑚礁地层中的暴露面是海平面变化的忠实记录, 对地层层序的划分和研究珊瑚礁体的生长发育过程具有重要意义。本文基于手标本观察与薄片鉴定、碳氧同位素和矿物组成分析, 识别了南沙美济岛南科1井第四纪生物礁碳酸盐岩地层中的典型暴露面, 剖析了主要暴露面与海平面变化及珊瑚礁发育演化的关系。在南科1井(NK-1)第四纪地层中典型暴露面附近以出现大量溶蚀孔穴和红褐色或锈黄色钙质结核为特征, 其碳氧同位素偏负, 并富集Al、Th、Fe和稀土元素, 具有典型碳酸盐岩风化壳的特征。南科1井全新世礁体发育在晚更新世暴露面之上, AMS¹⁴C和U-Th年龄数据证实美济岛全新世珊瑚礁生长时段与南海其他珊瑚岛礁一致, 主要发育在8.2~4.7ka时期, 该时段海平面的缓慢上升为珊瑚礁连续垂向生长提供了有利环境。Sr同位素和古地磁年龄标定的南科1井更新世地层中的主要暴露面时代与南沙永暑礁和西沙群岛珊瑚礁地层中的暴露面时代基本一致, 主要暴露面对应于全球第四纪低海平面时期。     

Development of a foraminifera-based transfer function in the Basque marshes, N. Spain: Implications for sea-level studies in the Bay of Biscay

In order to reconstruct former sea level we have developed a foraminifera-based transfer function using three models based on a modern dataset of 59 samples and 23 species obtained from four Basque marshes in Northern Spain. The relationship between observed and foraminifera-predicted elevation illustrated the strong performance of the transfer function (r²_jack ranges from 0.74 to 0.81). These results indicated that precise reconstructions of former sea levels are possible (error ranges from 0.11 to 0.19 m). The transfer function was used to calibrate the foraminiferal assemblages collected from a 50 cm salt marsh core. We placed the foraminifera-based reconstructions into a temporal framework using ¹³⁷Cs, Pb concentrations, and ²¹⁰Pb-derived sediment accumulation rates. The resulting relative sea-level curve is in good agreement with regional tide-gauge data. Both instrumental data and microfossil records suggest a rate of relative sea-level rise of approximately 2 mm yr^− 1 for the 20th century.     

南沙海区珊瑚礁灰岩纵波波速特征及其影响因素 *

珊瑚礁灰岩是孔隙结构复杂、密度变化较大的一类岩石, 但过去对珊瑚礁灰岩纵波波速与孔隙结构的关系及其影响因素研究不够深入。本文测定和分析了南沙海区某岛礁钻孔中珊瑚礁灰岩的纵波波速、孔隙度以及密度特征, 结果显示礁灰岩的纵波波速变化范围为5104~5958m·s^-1, 孔隙度变化范围为1.47%~17.7%, 密度变化范围为2.07~ 2.72g·cm^-3。这些特征表明, 埋藏后的压实作用和重结晶作用, 对珊瑚礁灰岩的孔隙度和密度产生影响。珊瑚礁灰岩弹性波速主要受孔隙度和孔隙结构类型的影响, 礁灰岩横、纵波速比值能有效地确定岩体的结构和稳定性, 因此礁灰岩的声学特性研究成果可为珊瑚岛礁工程建设的稳定性评估提供可靠的数据支撑。     

The effects of trophic interactions and spatial competition on algal community composition on Hawaiian coral reefs

Much of coral reef ecology has focused on how human impacts change coral reefs to macroalgal reefs. However, macroalgae may not always be a good indicator of reef decline, especially on reefs with significant sea urchin populations, as found in Kenya and Hawaii. This study tests the effects of trophic interactions (i.e. herbivory by fishes and sea urchins) and spatial competition (between algae and coral) on algal community structure of reefs surrounding two Hawaiian Islands that vary in their level of human impacts. Reef‐building organisms (corals and crustose coralline algae) were less abundant and turf algae were more abundant on Maui as compared to Lanai, where human impacts are lower. In contrast to previous studies, we found no evidence that macroalgae increased with human impacts. Instead, low turf and macroalgal abundance were best explained by the interactive effects of coral cover and sea urchin abundance. Fishing sea urchin predators appeared to have cascading effects on the benthic community. The absence of sea urchin predators and high sea urchin densities correspond to a disproportionately high abundance of turf and crustose coralline algae. We propose that high turf algal abundance is a better indicator of reef decline in Hawaii than high macroalgal abundance because turf abundance was highest on reefs with low coral cover and few fish. The results of this study emphasize that understanding changes in community composition are context‐dependent and that not all degraded reefs look the same.     

Mid-Holocene evolution and paleoenvironments of the shoreface–offshore transition, north-eastern Argentina: New evidence based on benthic microfauna

A sedimentary record spanning 5792–5511 cal yr BP and 3188–2854 cal yr BP was recovered at 36° 45′ 43″ S–56 ° 37′ 13″ W, south-west South Atlantic. The sedimentological features and micropaleontological (benthic foraminifera and ostracoda) content were analyzed in order to reconstruct paleoenvironmental conditions. Considerable environmental fluctuations are indicated by all these proxies. Five different stages were distinguished: Stage 1 (ca. 5800–5000 cal yr BP) consists of muddy sand with abundant microfossils. In this interval, species typical for inner marine shelf environments maintained a high abundance. Stage 2 consists of plastic light greenish grey clays barren of microfossils, and probably represents fluvial input from the de la Plata River to the shelf contemporaneous of a lowering of sea level. Stage 3 is composed of brownish yellow sandy silts, and represents increasing marine conditions in the area as reflected by higher faunal diversity and typical foraminifera of inner shelf environments. Stage 4 is made of homogeneous mud, barren of microfossil, which represents a new pulse of fluvial input to the shelf in consequence of a new fall in sea level. The final part of the core (Stage 5) is a coarsening upward sequence, grading from greeny brown clayey sandy silts to coarse shelly sands and represents the modern sedimentation in the area. This interpretation strengthens the stepped model of late-Holocene sea-level fall between 5511–5792 cal yr BP and 2854–3188 cal yr BP in Buenos Aires coast, and agrees with the relative sea-level history previously proposed by some authors from western South Atlantic coasts.