Gregg R. Brooks

Quaternary bryozoan reef mounds in cool-water, upper slope environments: Great Australian Bight

Bryozoan reef mounds are common features in the geological record, occurring within mid-ramp, slope paleoenvironments, especially in Paleozoic carbonate successions, but until now have not been recorded from the modern ocean. Recent scientific drilling in the Great Australian Bight (Ocean Drilling Program Leg 182) has confirmed the existence of shallow subsurface bryozoan reef mounds in modern water depths of 200–350 m. These structures have as much as 65 m of synoptic relief, and occur both as single mounds and as mound complexes. They are unlithified, have a floatstone texture, and are rich in delicate branching, encrusting and/or nodular-arborescent, flat-robust branching, fenestrate, and articulated zooidal bryozoan growth forms. The muddy matrix is composed of foraminifers, serpulids, fecal pellets, irregular bioclasts, sponge spicules, and calcareous nannofossils. The 14C accelerator mass spectrometry dates of 26.6–35.1 ka indicate that the most recent mounds, the tops of which are 7–10 m below the modern seafloor, flourished during the last glacial lowstand but perished during transgressive sea-level rise. This history reflects changing oceanographic current patterns; strong upwelling during lowstands, and reduced upwelling and lowered trophic resources during highstands. Large specimens of benthic foraminifers restricted to the mounds confirm overall mesotrophic growth conditions. The mounds are similar in geometry, scale, general composition, and paleoenvironments to older structures, but lack obvious microbial influence and extensive synsedimentary cementation. Such differences reflect either short-term local conditions or long-term temporal changes in ocean chemistry and biology.

Hydrocarbons in Deep-Sea Sediments following the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Blowout in the Northeast Gulf of Mexico

The Deepwater Horizon (DWH) spill released 4.9 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) over 87 days. Sediment and water sampling efforts were concentrated SW of the DWH and in coastal areas. Here we present geochemistry data from sediment cores collected in the aftermath of the DWH event from 1000 – 1500 m water depth in the DeSoto Canyon, NE of the DWH wellhead. Cores were analyzed at high-resolution (at 2 mm and 5 mm intervals) in order to evaluate the concentration, composition and input of hydrocarbons to the seafloor. Specifically, we analyzed total organic carbon (TOC), aliphatic, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs), and biomarker (hopanes, steranes, diasteranes) compounds to elucidate possible sources and transport pathways for deposition of hydrocarbons. Results showed higher hydrocarbon concentrations during 2010-2011 compared to years prior to 2010. Hydrocarbon inputs in 2010-2011 were composed of a mixture of sources including terrestrial, planktonic, and weathered oil. Our results suggest that after the DWH event, both soluble and highly insoluble hydrocarbons were deposited at enhanced rates in the deep-sea. We proposed two distinct transport pathways of hydrocarbon deposition: 1) sinking of oil-particle aggregates (hydrocarbon-contaminated marine snow and/or suspended particulate material), and 2) advective transport and direct contact of the deep plume with the continental slope surface sediments between 1000-1200 m. Our findings underline the complexity of the depositional event observed in the aftermath of the DWH event in terms of multiple sources, variable concentrations, and spatial (depth-related) variability in the DeSoto Canyon, NE of the DWH wellhead.

Sedimentation Pulse in the NE Gulf of Mexico following the 2010 DWH Blowout

The objective of this study was to investigate the impacts of the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) oil discharge at the seafloor as recorded in bottom sediments of the DeSoto Canyon region in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico. Through a close coupling of sedimentological, geochemical, and biological approaches, multiple independent lines of evidence from 11 sites sampled in November/December 2010 revealed that the upper ~1 cm depth interval is distinct from underlying sediments and results indicate that particles originated at the sea surface. Consistent dissimilarities in grain size over the surficial ~1 cm of sediments correspond to excess 234Th depths, which indicates a lack of vertical mixing (bioturbation), suggesting the entire layer was deposited within a 4–5 month period. Further, a time series from four deep-sea sites sampled up to three additional times over the following two years revealed that excess 234Th depths, accumulation rates, and 234Th inventories decreased rapidly, within a few to several months after initial coring. The interpretation of a rapid sedimentation pulse is corroborated by stratification in solid phase Mn, which is linked to diagenesis and redox change, and the dramatic decrease in benthic formanifera density that was recorded in surficial sediments. Results are consistent with a brief depositional pulse that was also reported in previous studies of sediments, and marine snow formation in surface waters closer to the wellhead during the summer and fall of 2010. Although sediment input from the Mississippi River and advective transport may influence sedimentation on the seafloor in the DeSoto Canyon region, we conclude based on multidisciplinary evidence that the sedimentation pulse in late 2010 is the product of marine snow formation and is likely linked to the DWH discharge.

Recent Sedimentary Development of Tampa Bay, Florida: A Microtidal Estuary Incised Into Tertiary Platform Carbonates

Tampa Bay, a large, microtidal, clastic-filled estuary incised into Tertiary carbonate strata, is the largest estuary on Florida’s west coast. A total of 250 surface sediment samples and 17 cores were collected in Tampa Bay in order to determine the patterns and controlling factors governing the recent infilling and modern sediment distribution, and to examine the results in terms of current models of estuarine sedimentation and development. Surficial sediments in Tampa Bay consist of three facies types, each occurring in a distinct zone: modern terrigenous clastic muds occurring in the upper bay and around the bay periphery; relict, reworked-fluvial, quartz-rich sands occupying the open portion of the middle bay; and modern carbonate-rich, marine-derived sands and gravels occupying the lower bay. Factors controlling sediment distribution include: sediment source and supply rate; bathymetry, which is a function of the antecedent topography; and the winnowing effect of wind-generated waves that prohibits modern accumulation in the shallow middle bay. These factors also play a major role in the recent infilling history of Tampa Bay, which has progressed in four stages during the Holocene sea-level rise. Recently developed models of estuarine sedimentation are based primarily on mesotidal to macrotidal estuaries in terrigenous clastic settings in which sedimentation patterns and infilling history are a result of the relative contribution of marine and fluvial processes. Tampa Bay differs in that it was originally incised into carbonate strata, and neither fluvial or marine processes are interpreted to be major contributors to modern sediment distribution. Tampa Bay, therefore, provides an example of an unusual estuary type, which should be considered in future modeling efforts. *** DIRECT SUPPORT *** A01BY083 00004

Correction: A Decline in Benthic Foraminifera following the Deepwater Horizon Event in the Northeastern Gulf of Mexico

Sediment cores were collected from three sites (1000–1200 m water depth) in the northeastern Gulf of Mexico from December 2010 to June 2011 to assess changes in benthic foraminiferal density related to the Deepwater Horizon (DWH) event (April-July 2010, 1500 m water depth). Short-lived radioisotope geochronologies (210Pb, 234Th), organic geochemical assessments, and redox metal concentrations were determined to relate changes in sediment accumulation rate, contamination, and redox conditions with benthic foraminiferal density. Cores collected in December 2010 indicated a decline in density (80–93%). This decline was characterized by a decrease in benthic foraminiferal density and benthic foraminiferal accumulation rate (BFAR) in the surface 10 mm relative to the down-core mean in all benthic foraminifera, including the dominant genera (Bulimina spp., Uvigerina spp., and Cibicidoides spp.). Cores collected in February 2011 documented a site-specific response. There was evidence of a recovery in the benthic foraminiferal density and BFAR at the site closest to the wellhead (45 NM, NE). However, the site farther afield (60 NM, NE) recorded a continued decline in benthic foraminiferal density and BFAR down to near-zero values. This decline in benthic foraminiferal density occurred simultaneously with abrupt increases in sedimentary accumulation rates, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations, and changes in redox conditions. Persistent reducing conditions (as many as 10 months after the event) in the surface of these core records were a possible cause of the decline. Another possible cause was the increase (2–3 times background) in PAH’s, which are known to cause benthic foraminifera mortality and inhibit reproduction. Records of benthic foraminiferal density coupled with short-lived radionuclide geochronology and organic geochemistry were effective in quantifying the benthic response and will continue to be a valuable tool in determining the long-term effects of the DWH event on a larger spatial scale.

Patterns and controls of surface sediment distribution: West-central Florida inner shelf

Abstract The west-central Florida inner shelf represents a transition between the quartz-dominated barrier-island system and the carbonate-dominated mid-outer shelf. Surface sediments exhibit a complex distribution pattern that can be attributed to multiple sediment sources and the ineffectiveness of physical processes for large-scale sediment redistribution. The west Florida shelf is the submerged extension of the Florida carbonate platform, consisting of a limestone karst surface veneered with a thin unconsolidated sediment cover. A total of 498 surface sediment samples were collected on the inner shelf and analyzed for texture and composition. Results show that sediment consists of a combination of fine quartz sand and coarse, biogenic carbonate sand and gravel, with variable but subordinate amounts of black, phosphorite-rich sand. The carbonate component consists primarily of molluskan fragments. The distribution is patchy and discontinuous with no discernible pattern, and the transition between sediment types is generally abrupt. Quartz-rich sediment dominates the inner 15 km north of the entrance into Tampa Bay, but south of the Bay is common only along the inner 3 km. Elsewhere, carbonate-rich sediment is the predominate sediment type, except where there is little sediment cover, in which cases black, phosphorite-rich sand dominates. Sediment sources are likely within, or around the periphery of the basin. Fine quartz sand is likely reworked from coastal units deposited during Pleistocene sea-level high stands. Carbonate sand and gravel is produced by marine organisms within the depositional basin. The black, phosphorite-rich sand likely originates from the bioerosion and reworking of the underlying strata that irregularly crop out within the study area. The distribution pattern contains elements of both storm- and tide-dominated siliciclastic shelves, but it is dictated primarily by the sediment source, similar to some carbonate systems. Other systems with similar sediment attributes include cool-water carbonate, sediment-starved, and mixed carbonate/siliciclastic systems. This study suggests a possible genetic link among the three systems.

Facies architecture of the mixed carbonate/siliciclastic inner continental shelf of west-central Florida: implications for Holocene barrier development

Abstract Sediment vibracores and surface samples were collected from the mixed carbonate/siliciclastic inner shelf of west–central Florida in an effort to determine the three-dimensional facies architecture and Holocene geologic development of the coastal barrier-island and adjacent shallow marine environments. The unconsolidated sediment veneer is thin (generally

Sedimentary Development of Coral Bay, St. John, USVI: A Shift From Natural to Anthropogenic Influences

Abstract. Analyses of sediment cores and surface samples collected in Coral Bay, St. John, USVI, reveal four sedimentary facies. The bottom three reflect the natural transgressive evolution of the bay during the Holocene sea-level rise. The surficial facies represents a dramatic increase in terrigenous sediment input since the 1950s. This surficial layer is defined by a decrease in grain size, increase in organic content, increase in terrigenous constituents, and subtle decrease in calcium carbonate content compared to underlying sediments. Based upon 210Pb and 14C dating, accumulation rates have increased by roughly one order-of--magnitude since the 1950s as a result of this increase in terrigenous sediment input. The surficial sediment layer likely represents an anthropogenic signal reflecting the dramatic increase in island development over the past few decades. The surficial “impacted” layer is most pronounced (i.e., exhibits the greatest deviation from underlying sediments) adjacent to the most heavily developed areas, and in protected, low energy regions. It becomes less pronounced in the more open and seaward portions of the bay. This pattern suggests proximity to input and energy level are the dominant controls governing where terrigenous sediments ultimately accumulate. Comparisons with anthropogenically-impacted estuaries along the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf coasts show that, although there are substantial differences in scale and watershed character, all have experienced recent dramatic increases in sediment accumulation. Unlike Coral Bay, however, there is no anthropogenic signal in sediment texture and composition. This may be a reflection of St. Johns high-relief terrain, high erodibility of rocks/soils, and intense weathering associated with tropical volcanic island settings.

Regional stratigraphic framework linking continental shelf and coastal sedimentary deposits of west-central Florida

Abstract A regional study of the Holocene sequence onlapping the west-central Florida Platform was undertaken to merge our understanding of the barrier-island system with that of the depositional history of the adjacent inner continental shelf. Key objectives were to better understand the sedimentary processes, sediment accumulation patterns, and the history of coastal evolution during the post-glacial sea-level rise. In the subsurface, deformed limestone bedrock is attributed to mid-Cenozoic karstic processes. This stratigraphic interval is truncated by an erosional surface, commonly exposed, that regionally forms the base of the Holocene section. The Holocene section is thin and discontinuous and, north or south of the Tampa Bay area, is dominated by low-relief sand-ridge morphologies. Depositional geometries tend to be more sheet-like nearshore, and mounded or ridge-like offshore. Sand ridges exhibit 0.5–4 m of relief, with ridge widths on the order of 1 km and ridge spacing of a few kilometers. The central portion of the study area is dominated nearshore by a contiguous sand sheet associated with the Tampa Bay ebb-tidal delta. Sedimentary facies in this system consist mostly of redistributed siliciclastics, local carbonate production, and residual sediments derived from erosion of older strata. Hardground exposures are common throughout the study area. Regional trends in Holocene sediment thickness patterns are strongly correlated to antecedent topographic control. Both the present barrier-island system and thicker sediment accumulations offshore correlate with steeper slope gradients of the basal Holocene transgressive surface. Proposed models for coastal evolution during the Holocene transgression suggest a spatial and temporal combination of back-stepping barrier-island systems combined with open-marine, low-energy coastal environments. The present distribution of sand resources reflects the reworking of these earlier deposits by the late Holocene inner-shelf hydraulic regime.

Hardbottom development and significance to the sediment-starved west-central Florida inner continental shelf

Abstract Hardbottoms are sequence boundaries and condensed sections that offer clues for the interpretation of the incomplete record of Tertiary continental shelf evolution. Seaward of 5 km, 50% of the inner west-central Florida shelf seafloor is flat hardbottom. These lithified surfaces are punctuated by shorefacing, scarped hardbottoms that trend shore-parallel (330°–0°) and vary in relief (up to 4 m). Scarped hardbottoms are the only natural relief on the inner shelf and support a diverse benthic community, the activities of which erode the outcrops, producing undercuts in excess of 1 m. Outcropping hardbottom strata are comprised of distinct, phosphate-rich, mixed carbonate–siliciclastic lithofacies, that range in age from Miocene to Quaternary. Miocene units are dolomite-rich and mark the upper surface of the inner shelf bedrock (Hawthorn Group). Dolomite within these beds (silt-sized, cloudy centered rhombs) fall into two age groups, correlating with highstands at 15 and 5 Ma. This lithofacies is consistent with models that indicate an increased flux of organic matter – resulting from topographically induced upwelling – promoting dolomitization during early burial diagenesis in the sulfate-reduction zone. Quaternary units are calcite-rich and perched atop the shelf bedrock. Samples of these units record a complex diagenetic history and multiple sea-level fluctuations. Based on evidence of primary marine cementation, they are interpreted to be hardground (non-deposition) surfaces, forming as a function of sediment starvation and minimal sediment movement. Decreased highstand magnitude or duration may have resulted in the absence of a significant organic component to Quaternary hardbottoms, which, in turn, may prevent subsequent dolomitization. These outcrops are a potential source for sediments to the inner shelf, not only as habitat for biological sediment production, but also through their destruction. The undercut, shorefacing, scarped hardbottom morphology displayed by west-central Florida hardbottoms is indicative of bio-erosion. Preliminary studies indicate a potential mass of 0.04 kg m −2 yr −1 of siliciclastic sediment is released to the inner shelf.