The geomorphology of the Great Barrier Reef : development, diversity, and change / David Hopley, Scott G. Smithers, Kevin E. Parnell.

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 05 Oct 2015).

1. Geomorphology of the Great Barrier Reef -- 2. Foundations of the Great Barrier Reef -- 3. Sea-level : a primary control of long-term reef growth and geomorphological development -- 4. Oceanography, hydrodynamics, climate and water quality as influences on reef geomorphological processes -- 5. Spatial analysis of the morphology of the reefs and islands of the Great Barrier Reef -- 6. The non-reefal areas of the Continental Shelf -- 7. Fringing and nearshore coral reefs -- 8. The mid-shelf reefs of the Great Barrier Reef -- 9. The coral reefs of the outer shelf of the Great Barrier Reef -- 10. Islands of the Great Barrier Reef -- 11. The accumulation of the Holocene veneer to the Great Barrier Reef -- 12. The Holocene evolution of the Great Barrier Reef province -- 13. Geomorphology's contribution to the understanding and resolution of environmental problems of the Great Barrier Reef.

This 2007 book reviews the history of geomorphological studies of the Great Barrier Reef and assesses the influences of sea-level change and oceanographic processes on the development of reefs over the last 10,000 years. It presents analyses of recently attained data from the Great Barrier Reef and reconstructions of the sequence of events which have led to its more recent geomorphology. The authors emphasise the importance of the geomorphological time span and its applications for present management applications. This is a valuable reference for academic researchers in geomorphology and oceanography, and will also appeal to graduate students in related fields.