USGS · 70197135
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Deborah R. Hutchinson. 1993. Continental margins: Windows into Earth's history. https://pubs.usgs.gov/publication/70197135
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The Florida reefs have evolved over the last 7000 years during rising sea level. An ancient reef existed from sand shoals on which Miami and Key West are now sited before the last glaciation (100 000 to 125 000 years ago). During the glacial period sea level fell to >300 feet below its present level. Since sea level rose again invading the south Florida shelf again, corals have returned. The bulk of the Florida reef tract is composed of carbonate sand, some coming from corals but most from calcified algae. Future scenarios are considered for the Florida reefs assuming sea level to remain stable or to continue to rise. -J.G.Harvey
The Venezuelan and Colombian basins are located on the Caribbean Plate whilst the Yucatan basin is on the North American Plate. The processes occurring at the boundaries between the Caribbean Plate and the adjacent North American, South American and Cocos Plates, and the resulting surface features and patterns of volcanic and earthquake activity are described. Most of the Caribbean area is floored by atypical oceanic crust and its most valuable main geologic resources identified so far are petroleum, together with sand and gravel. Geological research is being carried out with techniques for broad-range swath imaging of the seafloor, such as GLORIA, and for directly measuring the movement between plates. -J.G.Harvey