Note: Intro -- Title Page -- Copyright Page -- Contents -- List of contributors -- Preface -- About the companion website -- Chapter 1 Introduction -- 1.1 AIMS OF THE HANDBOOK -- 1.2 SEA-LEVEL RESEARCHERS -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 2 Handbook of sea-level research: framing research questions -- 2.1 INTRODUCTION -- 2.2 SOME NECESSARY METHODOLOGY: IDEAS AND TESTABLE HYPOTHESES -- 2.3 OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS -- 2.4 FRAMING A RESEARCH QUESTION -- 2.5 CONCLUSIONS -- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS -- REFERENCES -- Part 1 Field techniques for sea-level reconstruction -- Chapter 3 Pre-fieldwork surveys -- 3.1 INTRODUCTION -- 3.2 DATA COMPILATION -- 3.3 ASSESSING GEOMORPHOLOGY -- 3.4 EXAMPLES OF APPLYING HISTORICAL DATA TO ENHANCE SEA-LEVEL RESEARCH -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 4 Coastal sediments -- 4.1 INTRODUCTION -- 4.2 EXPOSING COASTAL SEDIMENT -- 4.3 DESCRIBING COASTAL SEDIMENT -- 4.4 CORRELATING AND SYNTHESIZING SEDIMENT SEQUENCES -- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 5 Geomorphological indicators of past sea levels -- 5.1 INTRODUCTION -- 5.2 MODEL FOR FORMATION OF LATE PLEISTOCENE EMERGENT SHORE PLATFORMS -- 5.3 GEOMORPHIC INDICATORS OF PAST SEA LEVEL AND GLACIAL ISOSTATIC ADJUSTMENT IN THE NEAR AND FAR FIELD -- 5.4 GEOMORPHIC INDICATORS OF PAST SEA LEVEL AND THE ISSUE OF INHERITANCE AND REOCCUPATION -- 5.5 CORAL AS A GEOMORPHIC INDICATOR OF PAST SEA LEVEL -- 5.6 EROSIONAL LANDFORMS THAT INDICATE FORMER SEA LEVELS -- 5.7 EMERGENT HOLOCENE SHORELINE DEPOSITS: BEACH RIDGES -- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 6 Coastal caves and sinkholes -- 6.1 INTRODUCTION -- 6.2 COASTAL KARST BASINS: ENVIRONMENTS AND SUCCESSION -- 6.3 FLANK MARGIN CAVES AS SEA-LEVEL INDICATORS -- 6.4 SPELEOTHEMS AS SEA-LEVEL INDICATORS -- 6.5 CAVE SEDIMENTARY DEPOSITS AS SEA-LEVEL INDICATORS -- 6.6 SUMMARY -- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 7 Coral reefs -- 7.1 INTRODUCTION. , 7.2 NATURE OF CORAL REEF SYSTEMS -- 7.3 DATING -- 7.4 OPEN-SYSTEM PROBLEM -- 7.5 234U/238U IN OCEANS -- 7.6 SEA LEVELS RECONSTRUCTED FROM UPLIFTED REEFS -- 7.7 SEA LEVELS RECONSTRUCTIONED FROM SUBMERGED REEFS -- 7.8 CONCLUSIONS -- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 8 Coral microatolls -- 8.1 INTRODUCTION -- 8.2 RELATIVE SEA LEVEL: UNDERSTANDING WHAT MICROATOLLS DO AND DO NOT RECORD -- 8.3 SELECTING A SITE: WHAT MAKES A GOOD SITE? -- 8.4 SURVEYING AND DOCUMENTATION STRATEGIES -- 8.5 SAMPLING STRATEGIES: METHODS AND SELECTION OF MICROATOLLS TO SAMPLE -- 8.6 SLABBING TECHNIQUES AND SUBSEQUENT SLAB PROCESSING -- 8.7 DATING STRATEGIES -- 8.8 VERTICAL ACCURACY AND SOURCES OF ERROR -- 8.9 INDICATIVE MEANING -- 8.10 RECONSTRUCTING RELATIVE SEA-LEVEL TIME SERIES -- 8.11 DIFFERENTIATING TECTONIC FROM NON-TECTONIC DIEDOWNS -- 8.12 ENVIRONMENTAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE ISSUES -- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 9 Archeological and biological relative sea-level indicators -- 9.1 INTRODUCTION -- 9.2 HISTORICAL RESEARCH CONTEXT IN THE MEDITERRANEAN -- 9.3 ARCHEOLOGICAL ZONATION AND FUNCTIONAL HEIGHTS -- 9.4 METHODOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS -- 9.5 PRINCIPLES OF BIOLOGICAL ZONATION OF BENTHOS ON ARCHEOLOGICAL REMAINS -- 9.6 CONCLUSION -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 10 GPS and surveying -- 10.1 INTRODUCTION -- 10.2 SURVEYING -- 10.3 GPS -- 10.4 GPS AND LEVELING SURVEYS AND THE VERTICAL DATUM -- 10.5 APPLICATION OF GPS AND SURVEYING TO SEA-LEVEL RESEARCH -- 10.6 NOVEL APPLICATIONS OF GPS TO SEA-LEVEL MEASUREMENTS -- 10.7 CONCLUSION -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 11 Reference water level and tidal datum -- 11.1 INTRODUCTION -- 11.2 TIDAL CYCLES -- 11.3 REFERENCE WATER LEVELS AND TIDAL DATUM: DEFINITION AND CALCULATION -- 11.4 CALCULATING REFERENCE WATER LEVELS FOR PROXY INDICATORS AND FOSSIL DEPOSITS IN THE FIELD -- 11.5 PROBLEMS WITH THESE APPROACHES AND EQUIPMENT REQUIRED. , 11.6 SUMMARY -- REFERENCES -- Part 2 Laboratory techniques -- Chapter 12 Techniques and applications of plant macrofossil analysis in sea-level studies -- 12.1 INTRODUCTION -- 12.2 METHODS -- 12.3 THE INTERPRETATION OF MACROFOSSIL DATA -- 12.4 THE APPLICATION OF PLANT MACROFOSSIL ANALYSIS IN SEA-LEVEL STUDIES -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 13 Foraminifera -- 13.1 INTRODUCTION -- 13.2 USE OF FORAMINIFERA AS SEA-LEVEL INDICATORS -- 13.3 METHODOLOGY -- 13.4 SUMMARY -- APPENDIX: A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO TAXONOMY OF INTERTIDAL FORAMINIFERA -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 14 Pollen and spores of terrestrial plants -- 14.1 INTRODUCTION -- 14.2 POLLEN AND SPORES -- 14.3 METHODOLOGY -- 14.4 APPLICATION OF POLLEN TO SEA-LEVEL RESEARCH -- 14.5 CONCLUSION -- 14.6 DISCLAIMER -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 15 Diatoms -- 15.1 INTRODUCTION -- 15.2 CHARACTERISTICS OF COASTAL DIATOMS -- 15.3 FIELD AND LABORATORY METHODS -- 15.4 APPLICATIONS TO SEA-LEVEL STUDY -- 15.5 COMMON PROBLEMS -- APPENDICES -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 16 Ostracods and sea level -- 16.1 INTRODUCTION -- 16.2 TAXONOMY -- 16.3 REPRODUCTION, GROWTH AND SHELL MORPHOLOGY -- 16.4 PRESERVATION IN SEDIMENTS -- 16.5 BIOGEOGRAPHY AND ECOLOGY -- 16.6 QUANTITATIVE FAUNAL ANALYSES -- 16.7 CASE STUDIES -- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 17 Mollusca -- 17.1 INTRODUCTION -- 17.2 METHODOLOGY -- 17.3 TIME-AVERAGING -- 17.4 FOSSIL DATA AND SEA-LEVEL RECONSTRUCTIONS -- 17.5 SUMMARY -- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 18 Fixed biological indicators -- 18.1 INTRODUCTION -- 18.2 VERMETIDAE -- 18.3 CIRRIPEDIA -- 18.4 MYTILIDAE -- 18.5 OSTREIDAE -- 18.6 SERPULIDAE -- 18.7 CORALLINE ALGAE -- 18.8 CORALS -- 18.9 BIOEROSION MARKERS -- 18.10 FIELD METHODS -- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 19 Testate amoebae -- 19.1 INTRODUCTION -- 19.2 METHODOLOGY -- 19.3 MODERN DISTRIBUTIONS AND ECOLOGY. , 19.4 FOSSIL DATA AND RECONSTRUCTIONS -- 19.5 CONCLUSIONS: POTENTIAL AND FUTURE WORK -- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 20 Stable carbon isotope and C/N geochemistry of coastal wetland sediments as a sea-level indicator -- 20.1 INTRODUCTION -- 20.2 δ13C AND C/N OF SOURCES OF ORGANIC MATTER TO TIDAL WETLANDS -- 20.3 APPROACHES TO SAMPLE COLLECTION, CORE STORAGE, PREPARATION, AND MASS SPECTROMETRY -- 20.4 APPLICATION OF δ13C AND C/N IN RELATIVE SEA-LEVEL RECONSTRUCTION -- 20.5 SUMMARY -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 21 Loss on ignition and organic content -- 21.1 INTRODUCTION -- 21.2 ORGANIC MATTER AND LOI -- 21.3 ORGANIC MATTER AND COASTAL SEDIMENTATION: INDICATORS OF SEA-LEVEL -- 21.4 AUTOCOMPACTION AND THE USE OF LOI DATA FOR "DECOMPACTION" -- 21.5 PROVENANCE OF ORGANIC MATTER: ISOTOPIC AND ELEMENTAL (C& -- N) DATA -- 21.6 CONCLUSIONS -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 22 Grain size analysis -- 22.1 INTRODUCTION -- 22.2 DEFINING GRAIN SIZE -- 22.3 GRAIN SIZE ANALYSIS SAMPLE PREPARATION -- 22.4 ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES -- 22.5 GRAIN SIZE SCALES: THE UDDEN-WENTWORTH SCALE -- 22.6 INTERPRETATION OF PARTICLE SIZE DATA -- 22.7 CONCLUSION: COMPARING DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES -- REFERENCES -- Part 3 Dating methods -- Chapter 23 Radiocarbon dating and calibration -- 23.1 INTRODUCTION -- 23.2 PRINCIPLES OF 14C DATING -- 23.3 RADIOMETRIC V. AMS 14C DATING -- 23.4 ISOTOPIC FRACTIONATION -- 23.5 RESERVOIR EFFECTS -- 23.6 ERROR CALCULATION -- 23.7 RADIOCARBON CALIBRATION: 14C YEARS V. CALENDAR YEARS -- 23.8 CALIBRATION PROCEDURES: PITFALLS AND OPPORTUNITIES -- 23.9 FINAL REMARKS -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 24 210Lead and 137Cesium: establishing a chronology for the last century -- 24.1 INTRODUCTION -- 24.2 ANTHROPOGENIC FALLOUT OF 137Cs: ESTABLISHING A POINT IN TIME -- 24.3 210PB TRACER OF SEDIMENT ACCUMULATION -- 24.4 POTENTIAL PITFALLS -- 24.5 CONFIDENCE IN THE GEOCHRONOLOGY. , REFERENCES -- Chapter 25 Chronohorizons: indirect and unique event dating methods for sea-level reconstructions -- 25.1 INTRODUCTION -- 25.2 METAL POLLUTION HISTORIES -- 25.3 POLLEN AND CHARCOAL AS CHRONOLOGICAL MARKERS -- 25.4 SPHEROIDAL CARBONACEOUS PARTICLES -- 25.5 TEPHROCHRONOLOGY -- 25.6 DISCUSSION AND EVALUATION -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 26 Uranium-thorium dating -- 26.1 INTRODUCTION -- 26.2 BASIC PREMISE -- 26.3 U-SERIES GEOCHEMISTRY -- 26.4 ASSESSING SAMPLE INTEGRITY -- 26.5 FIELD SAMPLING TECHNIQUES -- 26.6 COMPLEMENTARY FIELD DATA AND OBSERVATIONS -- 26.7 BEYOND THE FIELDWORK: FROM SAMPLE TO DATA -- 26.8 DATA INTERPRETATION OF CORAL U-TH AGES -- 26.9 DATA INTERPRETATION OF SPELEOTHEM U-TH AGES -- 26.10 SUMMARY -- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 27 The application of luminescence dating in sea-level studies -- 27.1 INTRODUCTION -- 27.2 BACKGROUND -- 27.3 APPLICATIONS OF LUMINESCENCE DATING IN COASTAL AND MARINE CONTEXTS -- 27.4 CONCLUSIONS -- REFERENCES -- Part 4 Modeling -- Chapter 28 Glacial isostatic adjustment -- 28.1 INTRODUCTION -- 28.2 THEORY AND MODEL COMPONENTS -- 28.3 MODEL RESULTS AND APPLICATIONS -- 28.4 SUMMARY -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 29 Tidal modeling -- 29.1 INTRODUCTION -- 29.2 GLOBAL MODELING -- 29.3 REGIONAL AND LOCAL MODELING -- 29.4 PALEOTIDAL MODELING -- 29.5 CONCLUDING REMARKS -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 30 Compaction -- 30.1 INTRODUCTION -- 30.2 TERMINOLOGY -- 30.3 MAGNITUDE AND RATE OF POST-DEPOSITIONAL LOWERING -- 30.4 CONTROLS ON COMPACTION AND POST-DEPOSITIONAL LOWERING -- 30.5 BASAL PEATS -- 30.6 MODELLING COMPACTION -- 30.7 FIELDWORK -- 30.8 INITIAL LABORATORY ANALYSES -- 30.9 CALCULATING EFFECTIVE STRESS PROFILES -- 30.10 GEOTECHNICAL LABORATORY TESTING -- 30.11 MODELLING PRIMARY COMPRESSION -- 30.12 TIME-DEPENDENT COMPRESSION PROCESSES -- 30.13 SUMMARY -- REFERENCES -- Chapter 31 Transfer functions. , 31.1 INTRODUCTION.