Depositional Environments, Landforms, and Waterforms

• An essential part of depositional environments, geological process in which earth materials are weathered and transported.

  Erosion
• These earth materials are then “added” to an environment or landform in a process.

  Deposition
• Land and water forms in this environment can be found on land and usually involve freshwater.

  Terrestrial Environments
• Represent the interface between land and sea. It is here where freshwater meets with seawater.

  Transitional Environments
• Here are some depositional environments that fall under transitional environments:

  • Beach: where land meets the sea in shallow waters
  • Deltaic: where the river flows into the sea; freshwater mixes with seawater
  • Tidal flat: low-lying areas affected by tides
  • Lagoonal: a small body of water closed off from a larger body of water (the ocean)

  Associated landforms and waterforms:

  • Deltas: end of the mouth of a river. 
  • Wetlands: near rivers or coastlines. 
  • Marshes: soft-stemmed vegetation.
  • Swamps: trees dominate plant life.
• Here are some depositional environments that fall under this category:

  • Fluvial: rivers and streams
  • Eolian: deserts and arid environments 
  • Alluvial: mountainous environments
  • Glacial: ice caps and glaciers
  • Lacustrine: lakes

  Associated landforms and waterforms:

  • Mountains 
  • Hills
  • Valley: plains can occur between two mountains.
  • Plateau: plain is relatively elevated than the surrounding land.
  • Desserts 
  • Glacial environments
  • Rivers 
  • Drainage basins
• These environments can be found in the open waters, from the shallow depths to the deepest portions of the ocean.

  Marine Environments
• Here are examples of MARINE environments:

  • Shallow marine/reefal: a region where sunlight penetrates the water; high energy environment and teeming with life
  • Continental shelf: extensions of continental crust submerged by water
  • Continental slope: steep slope between the shallow continental shelf and the deep ocean basin
  • Deep marine: a region where sunlight does not reach; low energy environment

  Associated landforms and waterforms:

  • Oceans
  • Seas
  • Atolls: partial rings of coral.
  • Guyots: with flat tops formed by volcanic.