Abstract
An intensive 2-year field effort has characterized burial and exposure patterns for stromatolites and thrombolites currently forming in a fringing reef complex at Highborne Cay, Bahamas. Migrating sand waves in the nearshore environment bury and expose the microbialites for periods of days, weeks, or months. Intertidal, nearshore thrombolites and shallow subtidal stromatolites are buried for 30–70% of the year. Duration of exposure intervals is highly variable based on position along the reef tract. These distinctive burial and exposure patterns form a basis for understanding the distribution of microbial communities within the reef complex and the resultant microbialite accretion.