MIAMI 

 V BEACH 



£^/IRGINIA KEY 

 KEY BISCAVNE 



[7^1 OOLITIC FACIES 

 2| BRVOZOAN FACIES 

 COUNTY LINES 



FLORIDA BAY 



1-25° 



WEST 



Gulf 



of 



Mexico 



Atlontic Coostol Ridge_ 

 Oolitic Focies 



I KEY LARGO LIMESTONE 



EAST 



s.o 20 FT 

 Level 



Bryozoan Focies 



Figure 23. Distribution of the Miami Limestone (adapted from Hoffmeister 

 et al. 1964). 



According to Hoffmeister et al. 

 (1967), ecologic conditions behind 

 the coastal ridge during periods of 

 the Pleistocene were ideal for the 

 encrusting bryozoan Schizoporella 

 floridana to flourish. Some poly- 

 chaetes and mollusks such as Strom - 

 bus sp., also found the shallow sea 

 environment relatively hospitable. 

 On the southeast facing forefront 

 of the ridge, tidal flushing of a 



migrating sand shoal/patch reef com- 

 plex made it possible for corals to 

 encroach upon the bryozoan community 

 (Perkins 1977). This accounts for 

 the lack of underlying bryozoans at 

 the southern tip of Taylor Slough 

 and beneath Florida Bay, and their 

 relative replacement there with 

 Porites corals and Key Largo Lime- 

 stone. 



54 



