WVU POLS 103 - test 3 (12 pages)

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7 1 What sedimentary enviroments occur on land Main sedimentary elements on land o Mountain enviroments steep slopes developed on bedrock Erosion is vigourous on slopes and provides a large amount of sediment such as large angular blocks Once its produced it can be transported to other settings o Streams and rivers and mountains typically have steep gradients and are confined by bedrock canyons As streams and rivers leave the mountains they carve channels that split apart and rejoin This is described as fluival o High mountains develop glaciers as the snow melts down the mountain carrying the sediment and water and the sediment in the water is released at the terminus end of glacier o In dry climates wind picks up and moves fine particals Movement of the grains form sand dunes which in some places can go for hundreds of kms o Flood plains of meandering rivers are built layer upon layer by mud and sand carried by flood waters o When stream or river enters a body of water its current slows which causes most of its sediment to spread out and be depositied This forms a delta o Lakes contain a range of enviroments Some are always filled with others but others are completely dry when water seeps in or evaporates o Wetlands for adjacent to lakes and contain an abundance of vegetation which may become an important component of sediment 7 2 What sedimentary enviroments are near shorelines and in oceans Skdf o o o o o o o o Beaches are stretches of coastline where sedimentary has accumulated Water near the shoreline may be sheltered by offshore reefs or islands Sheltered water is called a lagoon and is commonly shallow and possibly warm The creatures construct reefs which can parallel the coast and circle islands or form irregular mounds or pllatforms Away from coastline many landmasses are flanked my contentintal shelves and slopes consisting of layers of mud and carbonate minerals Deep ocean parts commonly receive less more fine sediment than areas closer to land And its