Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Landscapes and Landforms of France pp 251–260Cite as

Exceptional Coral Reef and Lagoon Geomorphology in French Polynesia

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

Part of the book series: World Geomorphological Landscapes ((WGLC))

Abstract

Tahiti and her islands were exemplified by C. Darwin to support his theory on coral reef evolution around oceanic islands. The Austral Isles, nearby Tahiti, offer an illustration of this theory – now explained by the plate tectonic theory – but also present singular deviation due to the presence of several hotspots leading to localized uplifting. Volcanic geomorphology and karst development on uplifted coral reef are then peculiar ingredients of the archipelago and deserve a close outlook. High-energy events, such as tropical cyclones, are an essential forcing agent of morphogenesis. Finally, reefal bioerosion adds its own flavour to offer a unique Polynesian landscape.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   149.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD   199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD   199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  • Bonneville A, Le Suavé R, Audin L, Clouard V, Dosso L, Gillot PY, Janney P, Jordahl K, Maamaatuaiahutapu K (2002) Arago seamount: the missing hotspot found in the Austral Islands. Geology 30:1023–1026

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chauvel C, Hofmann AW, Vidal P (1992) HIMU-EM: the French Polynesian connection. Earth Planet Sci Lett 110:99–119

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chubb LJ (1927) Mangaia and Rurutu: a comparison between two Pacific islands. Geol Mag 64:518–522

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Collectif (1993) Atlas de la Polynésie française. Éditions ORSTOM, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • Dana JD (1853) On coral reefs and islands. Putman, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Darwin C (1842) The structure and distribution of coral reefs. University of Arizona Press, Tucson [1984]

    Google Scholar 

  • Davis WM (1928) The coral reef problem. American Geographical Society, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Dickinson WR (1998) Geomorphology and geodynamics of the Cook-Austral island-seamount chain in the South Pacific Ocean: implications for hotspots and plumes. Int Geol Rev 40:1039–1075

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dickinson WR (2003) Impact of mid-Holocene hydro-isostatic highstand in regional sea level on habitability of islands in Pacific Oceania. J Coast Res 19:489–502

    Google Scholar 

  • Etienne S (2012) Marine inundation hazards in French Polynesia: geomorphologic impacts of tropical cyclone Oli in February 2010. In: Terry J, Goff J (eds) Natural hazards in the Asia-Pacific region: recent advances and emerging concepts, vol 361, The geol soc London spec publ., pp 21–39

    Google Scholar 

  • Evelpidou N, Kampolis I, Pirazzoli PA, Vassilopoulos A (2012) Global sea-level rise and the disappearance of tidal notches. Glob Planet Change 92–93:248–256

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maury RC, Guille G, Guillou H, Blais S, Chauvel C, Brousse R (2000) Notice explicative, carte géologique de la France (1/50000), feuille Rurutu et Tubuai – Polynésie française (1154). BRGM, Orléans

    Google Scholar 

  • Morhange C (1990) Mise en évidence d’une déformation de la lithosphère à partir de l’étude quantitative de l’évolution géomorphologique des îles Australes et Cook du Sud en Polynésie. Rev Géomorph Dyn 1:1–13

    Google Scholar 

  • Mottay G (1976) Contribution à l’étude géologique de la Polynésie française, archipel des Australes, Mehetia. Unpublished PhD thesis, Paris XI

    Google Scholar 

  • Pirazzoli PA, Salvat B (1992) Ancient shorelines and Quaternary vertical movements on Rurutu and Tubuai (Austral Isles, French Polynesia). Z Geom NF 36:431–451

    Google Scholar 

  • Stoddart DR, Spencer T (1987) Rurutu reconsidered: the development of makatea topography in the Austral Islands. Atoll Res Bull 297:1–19

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stoddart DR, Spencer T, Scoffin TP (1985) Reef growth and karst erosion on Mangaia, Cook Islands: a reinterpretation. Z Geom Suppl-Bd 57:121–140

    Google Scholar 

  • Tyerman D, Bennet G (1840) Journal of voyages and travels. London Missionary Society, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Vidal P, Chauvel C, Brousse R (1984) Large mantle heterogeneity beneath French Polynesia. Nature 307:536–538

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ecole Pratique des Hautes-Etudes, Labex CORAIL, Paris, France

    Samuel Etienne

Authors
  1. Samuel Etienne
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Samuel Etienne .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Geography Department, UFR GHSS CNRS UMR 8586 PRODIG, University Paris Diderot-Sorbonne-Paris-Cité, Paris, France

    Monique Fort

  2. Laboratory of Physical and Environmental Geography (GEOLAB), CNRS – Blaise Pascal University, Clermont-Ferrand, France

    Marie-Françoise André

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2014 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Etienne, S. (2014). Exceptional Coral Reef and Lagoon Geomorphology in French Polynesia. In: Fort, M., André, MF. (eds) Landscapes and Landforms of France. World Geomorphological Landscapes. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7022-5_24

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation