Schematic of coral growth in response to sea level rise and fall. Schematic shows coral at four time steps: (t = 1) coral with upward growth (green) towards sea surface since initialization at t = 0; (t = 2) coral with continued upward growth (green) towards sea surface; (t = 3) eroding coral (red) in response to sea level fall; and (t = 4) coral fossil at present-day, with eroded coral removed from the top. Relative sea level is shown with dashed blue lines, and coral elevation at each time step is indicated with dotted grey lines. The exposed coral fossil at present-day (t = 4) is dated to t = 1, and therefore the relative sea level that is recorded by the coral is relative sea level at t = 1. Relative sea level at t = 1 (blue dashed line) minus global mean sea level at t = 1 (pink dashed line) is shown in yellow as the vertical glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) effect. The growth effect (relative sea level recorded by the coral minus coral elevation) is also shown in yellow.