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On the possibility of allochtonous peat on the inner shelf off Karwar

DRS at CSIR-National Institute of Oceanography

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Title On the possibility of allochtonous peat on the inner shelf off Karwar
 
Creator Mascarenhas, A.
Paropkari, A.L.
PrakashBabu, C.
 
Subject peat
allochthonous deposits
shelf dynamics
 
Description Peat deposits occupying an area of more than 139 km super(2), intercalated in sediments from the inner shelf of Karwar-Kumta, Karnataka, India, have been identified. Such organic-rich nearshore facies are rare and hence their presence is intriguing. Considering the fact that peat directly reflects massive plant production, and since it is well known that mangroves are prolific producers of peat, it would imply that vegetation once flourished as far as 11 to 18 km from the present shoreline. Since mangrove populations are capable of advancing seaward or retreating landward, they play a dual role in changing the tropical coastlines. But considering the geomorphic features of the coastal and offshore zones of Karwar-Kumta (open ocean, wave-dominated high energy environment, lack of favourable substrates for mangrove colonization), it is obvious that mangroves could not have prograded 18 km seaward as they essentially require a low energy and sheltered habitat. We therefore propose that these peat deposits were not laid down in situ, but judging from their physical, mineralogical and chemical characteristics, these intercalated peat layers on the inner shelf appear to have undergone transport and hence are of allochtonous origin
 
Date 2009-05-06T10:47:01Z
2009-05-06T10:47:01Z
1993
 
Type Journal Article
 
Identifier Current Science, Vol.64(9); 684-687p.
http://drs.nio.org/drs/handle/2264/2841
 
Language en
 
Rights Copyright [1993]. All efforts have been made to respect the copyright to the best of our knowledge. Inadvertent omissions, if brought to our notice, stand for correction and withdrawal of document from this repository.
 
Publisher Current Science Association, Bangalore, India