Geodynamics

Zhibin Lei

Zhibin Lei is an assistant research fellow at State Key Laboratory of Tropical Oceanography, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510301, China. His research sits at the intersection of geodynamics, tectonic geomorphology, and marine ecology, with a focus on how continental rifting controls the long-term evolution of shallow coral reef habitats in the South China Sea and beyond.

From rifts to reefs: the geodynamic origins of shallow coral reef habitats at passive continental margins

Zhibin Lei, edited by Michaël Pons and illustrated by Lea Pennacchioni July 22, 2026

Coral reef platforms in rift systems form where tectonic extension, subsidence, and sediment redistribution create shallow marine basement suitable for reef growth. Illustrated by Lea Pennacchioni.