Shorelines and shelves that deposit calcium carbonate sediment make up a significant, although not overwhelming, portion of the world's continental shelf seas. Tropical coral reefs and the white sand beaches of tropical and temperate coasts are the most well-known examples of these deposits. Grain size maps, calcium carbonate content maps, and shelf morphology maps are all shown. Two separate domains can be found on the shelf: terrigenous and carbonate. The inner shelf has more terrigenous sediment, whereas the outer shelf has more carbonate. North of Cape So Tomé, the carbonate domain reaches the inner shelf. Carbonate is the coarsest material on the shelf, whereas siliciclastic is the finest. Morphology and sedimentary facies are inextricably linked. Carbonate sediments have a rougher morphology and are better at maintaining paleochannels.
