Paleoreefs—A Database on Phanerozoic Reef

A comprehensive relational database on pre-Quaternary Phanerozoic reefs is described. The database contains coded and standardized information on position/paleoposition, age, reef type, dimensions, environmental setting, paleontological and petrographi-cal features, and reservoir quality of Phanerozoic reefs. At the time of submission, 3050 reef sites were included in the database. True reefs, mounds, and biostromes are considered. Although the database is incomplete, both in the quality of information provided for each reef and the quantity of reefs, the information contained is thought to reflect actual trends in the reef ecosystem. The reliability of statistical analyses based on the database varies through geologic time depending on the quantity and quality of data in each time slice but is reasonable on average.