FOSSIL REEF LIMESTONE

The Florida Keys sit on top of 130,000 years of fossil coral reefs from the Pleistocene era. Many buildings found in Miami Beach and elsewhere are covered by stone quarried from the Keys, most from Windley Key Quarry in Islamorada. Each block tells a story of growth, erosion, sedimentation and cementation.  From these slabs, ecologists and geologists can read records of coral growth, bioerosion, and storm disturbance events having occurred in the ancient environment.

This body of images are all based on expeditions to the Windley Key Fossil Reef Geological State Park in March 2019 as well as to Vizcaya, the Bass Art Museum in Miami and Coral Gables’ City Hall.