Quaternary changes in sea-level III the South China Sea

Biswas, B. (1973) Quaternary changes in sea-level III the South China Sea. Bulletin of the Geological Society of Malaysia, 6. pp. 229-256. ISSN 2637-109X

Abstract

The extensive shelf areas of the South China Sea provide an excellent area for the study of the Quaternary cycles of eustatic sea-level changes. As water depths do not exceed 200 meters and are less than 100 meters over large areas, relatively minor fluctuations of sea-level result in major lateral shifts in sedimentary facies. Evidence from punch cores off the east coast of West Malaysia documents the Quaternary cycles of eustatic changes in sea-level and their extent. Lithologic changes combined with foraminiferal and spore-pollen data indicate shallowing of extensive areas of the South China Sea from middle neritic depths (50-100 meters) to mangrove swamps, fresh water marshes and coal swamps or even lateritised surfaces, and vice versa. The youngest eustatic drop of sea-level occurred 11,000± years ago, coeval with the Latest Wisconsinian/Würm event. Two, or possibly three, older Pleistocene events of sea-level drop are observed.

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