Species inhabiting the flotsam line of some sandy beaches, and the general features of their environment Thesis
- Author
- Sutherland, N.J.
- Year
- 1966
- Journal / Source
- Unpublished BSc (Hons) Project, University of Canterbury, Christchrurch
- Pages
- 17
- Summary
- Relict shallow water sediments, formed during the post-glacial rise in sea. revel, cover the continental shelf off northernmost New Zealand. Supplies of detrital sediment are negligible and biogenic skeletal debris is the only sediment component being supplied to the sea floor at present in any large quantity. Glauconite is forming over much of the region and active sediment movement is restricted to the nearshore environment. Detrital non-carbonate sediment in the eastern part of the region has a southern basaltic provenance; that to west and north has an andesitic provenance and is derived in part from the south and in part locally. On Maria Ridge are rich calcarenites which are forming slowly at present. On banks on the Ridge sedimentation is extremely slow and thick algal growths have accumulated around basalt pebbles left on Pleistocene marine erosion terraces.