Cozumel is part of the Carrillo Puerto geological formation.
This formation is a limestone (chemical sedimentary rock) platform of coralline
origin, composed primarily of calcite and dolomite. The upper stratum surface is
a hard limestone layer sometimes covered by a few centimeters of Pedosphere (soil);
underlying this compact limestone layer is a layer of white to yellow permeable
marl. Below this marl is the limestone bedrock.
The thin covering of soil on the island is mainly Rendzina,
or humus rich soil, made up of weathered limestone. This type of soil contains a
significant amount of gravel and stones. Illustration of this soil feature can be seen in the photo to the right.
Areas near the beaches on Cozumel are mostly Regosol, or weakly developed mineral soil made up of unconsolidated material, in this case eroded calcareous sandstone. Layers of unconsolidated rock, or aragonite, that never crystallized into calcite can be found interspersed between layers of bedrock and are often exposed in quarries and sometimes Canotes, as shown below.
Important in the formation of localized microenvironments on
the island and for agricultural practices in these geological areas, is the
process that occurs when limestone rock is exposed to ground or rainwater and
the calcium is made soluble and carried off. This process causes breaks and
faults in the natural topography, where soils and sediments carried from slopes
and more elevated areas accumulate. This natural process is known as the karst
process, and results in what are known as, karst landforms.
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