[Solved] 12 Depositional Sedimentary Environments Lab

Assignment Prompt & Instructions

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**files (2)**

– ## 12labanswerpage.pdf

– ## 12LabSedDepMacro.pdf

**## 12labanswerpage.pdf**

Lab 12 Sed. Dep. Env. Answer Pages
Study the sedimentary environments in the images below and answer the questions associated with the
images. Write your answers on the blanks provided at the end of the lab.

Answer the questions in the blanks provided on the following pages to make it easier.

Figure A. Death Valley National Park, CA

1. What are the prominent depositional features formed at the mouths

of the canyon?

2. Describe the textural characteristics of the sediment forming the

features named above.

2. What other non-marine features could exist on the flat terrain in front

of the range?

Figure B. Navajo Sandstone in Zion NP, UT

3. What type of bedding does this represent?

4. Was this sandstone deposited in a non-marine (terrestrial)

or marine environment?

5. Was the sandstone deposited by fluvial or aeolian processes?

Figure C. Bedding surface from Capital Reef, UT

6. What type of markings are present?

7. Assuming the rock is marine in origin, what do these

markings indicate about the depth of water in which
in the sediment was deposited?

Figure D. Cracked surface in Alaska

8. What type of markings are present?

9. Assuming the rock is marine in origin, what do these

markings indicate about the depth of water in which in
the sediment was deposited?

Source: Shutterstock

Source: Shutterstock

Source: Shutterstock

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Figure E. Conglomerate in Chiang Rai, Thailand

10. What type of grain shape and particle sorting

are shown here?

11. What is a possible depositional environment?

Give reasons for your interpretation.

Figure F. Sandstone Zion NP, Utah

12. What type of bedding is present?

13. Was this sandstone deposited in a nonmarine

(terrestrial) or marine environment? Was the sandstone
deposited by fluvial or aeolian processes? If in water,
in shallow or deep water? Explain how you know.

Figure G. Breccia, Lake Mead, Nevada

14. Describe particle color, texture, and sorting?

15. What was the depositional environment

responsible for creating this rock?

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Name: ___________________________________

Lab 7: Sedimentary Environments (macro scale)
Record your answers to the questions about the images above here:

Figure A

1 __________________________________________________________

2 __________________________________________________________

3 __________________________________________________________

Figure B

4 __________________________________________________________

5 __________________________________________________________

6 __________________________________________________________

Figure C

7 __________________________________________________________

8 __________________________________________________________

Figure D

9 __________________________________________________________

10 __________________________________________________________

Figure E

11 __________________________________________________________

12 __________________________________________________________

Figure F

13 __________________________________________________________

14 __________________________________________________________

Figure G

15 __________________________________________________________

16. __________________________________________________________

General Questions

16. What general rock and rock feature would indicate a long duration of deposition in an arid
environment?
\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

17. What type of environment would a breccia with dark grey and/or purple rock fragments likely be
from?
\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

18. What is the probable depositional setting and source of a pure white quartz sandstone?

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

19. What do bidirectional ripples indicate about the depositional environment of a rock?
\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

20. What would the sedimentary environment be for oolitic sediments?

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

21. How would the sediments differ from a playa lake to that of a freshwater lake?

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

22. List three environments that ripples can form in:

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

23. List two ways cross bedding can occur:

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

24. How does a conglomerate form? Is there more than one way? If so how?

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

**## 12LabSedDepMacro.pdf**

Laboratory 12: Sedimentary Depositional Environments (Macro Scale)

Objective:

To understand the large sale features that are observed in sedimentary environments and the role they
play in understanding depositional environment.

Materials Needed:
Images of various sedimentary environments provided by instructor

Paleogeography is the study of what an environment was like during a certain time in the past. Paleogeography
takes biostratigraphy one step further in reconstructing the earth's history. By examining a set of rocks in several
different locations, all representing the same age, we can begin to reconstruct the ancient environment by using
the rock type and fossil content. The rock samples can be collected over a large or small lateral area, and the
locations and shapes of landmasses and seas can be deduced by knowing which types of rocks and fossils are
expected to be found in particular environments. An environment of deposition is the sum of all physical,
geographic, climatic, ecological, and chemical parameters that affect the composition of the sediment. Many
factors must be considered when deciding on the environment of deposition, including lithology, fossil
abundance, and fossil assemblage.

I. NONMARINE (CONTINENTAL) Most non-marine environments are typically the sites of erosion or non-
deposition, although a small percentage of deposits may be preserved.

A. Aqueous-
1. Fluvial (streams and rivers)-

(a) Floodplain- Sandstone, siltstone and shale with some conglomerate and coal, moderate
sorting, moderately quartz-rich; horizontal laminations, asymmetric (current) ripple marks, animal
tracks and trails, mud cracks, raindrop impressions; plant debris and tree fossils; irregular and
thin sheet shape.
(b) Channel-Sandstone and conglomerate, moderately sorted and quartz-rich; cross-bedding,
current ripple marks, scour of channel surfaces; may contain plant debris, non-marine (aqueous
and terrestrial) fossils; irregular lenticular to sinuous shape, closely associated with floodplain
deposits.

2. Paludal (Marsh or Swamp) – fine-grained deposits (siltstone, shale, coal) with dark color and high
organic content; thin horizontal laminations or massive (no visible sedimentary structures); abundant
plant fossils; irregular lens to sheet shape.
3. Lacustrine (lake) – fine-grained shale and some limestone; varve (alternating thin, light and dark
layers) clay common; possible freshwater fossils (ex. snails); irregular lens to sheet shape

B. Terrestrial (subaerial)-
1. Desert-

(a) Aeolian dune- fine-to medium-grained sandstone with excellent rounding and sorting; large-
scale cross-bedding common; fossils rare; extensive sheet-like or “blanket” shape.
(b) Alluvial fan- poorly sorted arkosic sandstone and conglomerate, abundant feldspar and
mica; cross-bedding, massive bedding, inverse and normally graded beds; fossils rare to absent;
thick fan-or wedge-shaped deposits.

2. Glacial- poorly sorted massive sandstone and conglomerate containing angular particles striated
pebbles, large pebbles and boulders, variable mineralogy; massive or crude horizontal laminations;
fossils absent; irregular shape and patchy distribution.

II. TRANSITIONAL (MARGINAL MARINE)

A. Delta-
A complex grouping of environments including channels, floodplains, swamps, bays, etc. Deposits
range from sandstone to siltstone and shale, and generally became finer-grained outward from the
shoreline; cross-bedding, horizontal laminations, current ripple marks and animal burrows are
common in some parts; fossils generally rare but may include locally abundant plant stems and roots
and rare marine; delta complexes are generally fan or wedge shaped.

B. Barrier Island/Lagoon-

1. Barrier Island- are mostly high energy deposits consisting of well-sorted and rounded quartz rich
sandstone. Grain size decreases systematically in a seaward direction; large-scale cross-bedding;
current and symmetrical (wave) ripple marks, horizontal laminations and animal burrows common;
fragmented marine fossils may be present; sand body shape is narrow and elongate parallel to the
shoreline and a lagoon is typically present between the barrier and the mainland.
2. Lagoon- lower energy environment dominated by fine-grained sandstone, siltstone, and shale;
horizontal laminations, ripple marks, and animal burrows, tracks and trails are common; carbonate
lagoons contain abundant and diverse marine fossils; shape is characteristically elongate parallel to
shore, and a barrier island is typically present immediately offshore from the lagoon.

C. Littoral (between mean high and low tides)-

1. Beach – high energy environment dominated by medium- to course- grained sandstone, well-
sorted and rounded; horizontal laminations, low-angle cross-bedding, wave ripple marks are most
abundant; fossils are rare and typically broken into fragments; sand body is elongate in shape and
trends parallel to shore.
2. Tidal flat – so named due to the tide coming in and receding in this relatively flat region. It will
have inter-bedded sandstone, siltstone and shale, with grain size increasing in a seaward direction;
cross-bedding (some large-scale), wave and current ripple marks, mud cracks, scour or channel
surfaces, and animal burrows, tracks and trails are common; fossils (marine) are rare to abundant;
wedge to irregular sheet shape.

III. OPEN MARINE

A. Pelagic- These environments are within the ocean water mass; thus, they don’t have characteristic
features preserved in the geologic record. Organisms which live in these environments fall to the ocean
bottom upon death and become part of the record of one of the benthic environments listed:
1. Neritic-depth to sea-floor less than 200 meters
2. Oceanic- depth to sea-floor greater than 200 meters

B. Benthic (bottom environments)
1. Shallow marine (Shelf) – sandstone, siltstone, limestone and shale interbedded,
sandstone composed predominantly of quartz but with some marine fossil fragments; cross-
bedding (some large-scale), ripple marks, and marine burrows, tracks and trails common;
marine fossils locally abundant; widespread sheet-like or blanket shape. Water depths are
typically less than 200 m.

2. Carbonate Reef/Platform- Unbedded, very fossiliferous with large and small scale, very
course grained sediment. Abundant, often large, organisms attached to the sea-floor, high
energy environment.
3. Deep Ocean- shale, fine-grained limestone and/or sandstone; graded bedding produce by
turbidity currents; large fossils rare; microfossils may be abundant; sheet to fan-like shape.

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The following charts summarize the previous discussion

ALLUVIAL FAN FLUVIAL (river)
LACUSTRINE

(lake)
AEOLIAN DESERT

(dunes)
PALUDAL
(swamp)

ROCK TYPE breccia, conglomerate,
arkose

conglomerate, sandstone,
siltstone, shale

siltstone, shale, limestone,
evaporites

quartz arenite,
(sandstone) gypsum

peat, coal, siltstone, black
shale

composition terrigenous terrigenous
terrigenous, carbonates,

evaporites
terrigenous or evaporite terrigenous

color brown or red brown or red
black, brown, grey, green,

red
yellow, red, tan, white black, gray or brown

grain size clay to gravel
clay, silt, sand, gravel,

fining upward
clay, silt, sand (coursening

upward)
sand clay to silt

grain shape angular angular to rounded —- rounded or polished —-

sorting poor variable variable good variable

inorganic
sedimentary

structures
cross bed and graded bed

assymmetrical ripples,
crossbedding, graded

beds, tool marks

symmetrical ripples,
lamination, cross beds,

graded beds, mud cracks,
raindrops

crossbedding laminated to massive

organic or
biogenic

structures
—- tracks, trails, burrows

tracks, trails, burrows, rare
stromatolites

tracks and trails root marks, burrows

fossils —-
rare freshwater shells,

bones, plants fragments
freshwater shells, fish,
bones, plant fragmetns

—-
plant fossils, freshwater

shells, bone, fish

Continental- Sedimentary Depositional Envirnonments

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DELTA BARRIER BEACH LAGOON TIDAL FLAT

ROCK TYPE sandstone, siltstone, shale,
coal

quartz arenite, coquina
siltsone, shale, limestone,
oolitic limestone, gypsum

siltstone, shale, calcilutitie,
dolostone or gypsum

composition terrigenous, some organic terrigenous or carbonate
terrigenous, carbonate or

evaporite
terrigenous, carbonate or

evaporite

color brown, black, grey, green,
red

what to tan dark grey to black or brown grey, brown, tan

grain size clay to sand (coursening
upward)

sand clay to silt clay to silt

grain shape —- rounded to angular —- —-

sorting variable good poor variable

inorganic
sedimentary

structures

cross bedding, graded
bedding

cross bedding, symmetrical
ripples

lamination, ripples cross
bedding

lamination, mudcracks,
ripples, cross bedding

organic or
biogenic

structures
trails, burrows tracks, trails, burrows trails, burrows

stromatolites, trails, tracks,
burrows

fossils plant fragments, shells marine shells marine shells marine shells

Transitional- Sedimentary Depositional Envirnonments

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REEF
CONTINENTAL

SHELF
CONTINENTAL

SLOPE AND RISE
ABYSSAL PLAIN

ROCK TYPE fossiliferous limestone
sandstone, shale, siltstone,

fossiliferous limestone, oolitic
limestone

litharenite (grewacke),
siltstone and shale, limestone

shale, chert, micrite, chalk,
diatomite

composition carbonate terrigenous or carbonate terrigenous or carbonate terrigenous or carbonate

color grey to white grey, brown, tan, green grey, green, brown black, white, red

grain size variable frameworks, few to
no grains

clay, silt, sand, gravel clay to snad clay

grain shape —- —- —- —-

sorting —- poor to good poor good

inorganic
sedimentary

structures
—- lamination, cross bedding

graded bedding, cross
bedding, lamination, flute

marks, tool marks (turbitdites)
lamination

organic or
biogenic

structures
—- trails, burrows trails, burrows trails, burrows

fossils coral, marine shells marine shells, sharks teeth
marine shells, rare plant

fragments
marine shells (mostly

microscopic)

Marine- Sedimentary Depositional Envirnonments

**## 12LabSedDepMacro.pdf**

Laboratory 12: Sedimentary Depositional Environments (Macro Scale)

Objective:

To understand the large sale features that are observed in sedimentary environments and the role they
play in understanding depositional environment.

Materials Needed:
Images of various sedimentary environments provided by instructor

Paleogeography is the study of what an environment was like during a certain time in the past. Paleogeography
takes biostratigraphy one step further in reconstructing the earth's history. By examining a set of rocks in several
different locations, all representing the same age, we can begin to reconstruct the ancient environment by using
the rock type and fossil content. The rock samples can be collected over a large or small lateral area, and the
locations and shapes of landmasses and seas can be deduced by knowing which types of rocks and fossils are
expected to be found in particular environments. An environment of deposition is the sum of all physical,
geographic, climatic, ecological, and chemical parameters that affect the composition of the sediment. Many
factors must be considered when deciding on the environment of deposition, including lithology, fossil
abundance, and fossil assemblage.

I. NONMARINE (CONTINENTAL) Most non-marine environments are typically the sites of erosion or non-
deposition, although a small percentage of deposits may be preserved.

A. Aqueous-
1. Fluvial (streams and rivers)-

(a) Floodplain- Sandstone, siltstone and shale with some conglomerate and coal, moderate
sorting, moderately quartz-rich; horizontal laminations, asymmetric (current) ripple marks, animal
tracks and trails, mud cracks, raindrop impressions; plant debris and tree fossils; irregular and
thin sheet shape.
(b) Channel-Sandstone and conglomerate, moderately sorted and quartz-rich; cross-bedding,
current ripple marks, scour of channel surfaces; may contain plant debris, non-marine (aqueous
and terrestrial) fossils; irregular lenticular to sinuous shape, closely associated with floodplain
deposits.

2. Paludal (Marsh or Swamp) – fine-grained deposits (siltstone, shale, coal) with dark color and high
organic content; thin horizontal laminations or massive (no visible sedimentary structures); abundant
plant fossils; irregular lens to sheet shape.
3. Lacustrine (lake) – fine-grained shale and some limestone; varve (alternating thin, light and dark
layers) clay common; possible freshwater fossils (ex. snails); irregular lens to sheet shape

B. Terrestrial (subaerial)-
1. Desert-

(a) Aeolian dune- fine-to medium-grained sandstone with excellent rounding and sorting; large-
scale cross-bedding common; fossils rare; extensive sheet-like or “blanket” shape.
(b) Alluvial fan- poorly sorted arkosic sandstone and conglomerate, abundant feldspar and
mica; cross-bedding, massive bedding, inverse and normally graded beds; fossils rare to absent;
thick fan-or wedge-shaped deposits.

2. Glacial- poorly sorted massive sandstone and conglomerate containing angular particles striated
pebbles, large pebbles and boulders, variable mineralogy; massive or crude horizontal laminations;
fossils absent; irregular shape and patchy distribution.

II. TRANSITIONAL (MARGINAL MARINE)

A. Delta-
A complex grouping of environments including channels, floodplains, swamps, bays, etc. Deposits
range from sandstone to siltstone and shale, and generally became finer-grained outward from the
shoreline; cross-bedding, horizontal laminations, current ripple marks and animal burrows are
common in some parts; fossils generally rare but may include locally abundant plant stems and roots
and rare marine; delta complexes are generally fan or wedge shaped.

B. Barrier Island/Lagoon-

1. Barrier Island- are mostly high energy deposits consisting of well-sorted and rounded quartz rich
sandstone. Grain size decreases systematically in a seaward direction; large-scale cross-bedding;
current and symmetrical (wave) ripple marks, horizontal laminations and animal burrows common;
fragmented marine fossils may be present; sand body shape is narrow and elongate parallel to the
shoreline and a lagoon is typically present between the barrier and the mainland.
2. Lagoon- lower energy environment dominated by fine-grained sandstone, siltstone, and shale;
horizontal laminations, ripple marks, and animal burrows, tracks and trails are common; carbonate
lagoons contain abundant and diverse marine fossils; shape is characteristically elongate parallel to
shore, and a barrier island is typically present immediately offshore from the lagoon.

C. Littoral (between mean high and low tides)-

1. Beach – high energy environment dominated by medium- to course- grained sandstone, well-
sorted and rounded; horizontal laminations, low-angle cross-bedding, wave ripple marks are most
abundant; fossils are rare and typically broken into fragments; sand body is elongate in shape and
trends parallel to shore.
2. Tidal flat – so named due to the tide coming in and receding in this relatively flat region. It will
have inter-bedded sandstone, siltstone and shale, with grain size increasing in a seaward direction;
cross-bedding (some large-scale), wave and current ripple marks, mud cracks, scour or channel
surfaces, and animal burrows, tracks and trails are common; fossils (marine) are rare to abundant;
wedge to irregular sheet shape.

III. OPEN MARINE

A. Pelagic- These environments are within the ocean water mass; thus, they don’t have characteristic
features preserved in the geologic record. Organisms which live in these environments fall to the ocean
bottom upon death and become part of the record of one of the benthic environments listed:
1. Neritic-depth to sea-floor less than 200 meters
2. Oceanic- depth to sea-floor greater than 200 meters

B. Benthic (bottom environments)
1. Shallow marine (Shelf) – sandstone, siltstone, limestone and shale interbedded,
sandstone composed predominantly of quartz but with some marine fossil fragments; cross-
bedding (some large-scale), ripple marks, and marine burrows, tracks and trails common;
marine fossils locally abundant; widespread sheet-like or blanket shape. Water depths are
typically less than 200 m.

2. Carbonate Reef/Platform- Unbedded, very fossiliferous with large and small scale, very
course grained sediment. Abundant, often large, organisms attached to the sea-floor, high
energy environment.
3. Deep Ocean- shale, fine-grained limestone and/or sandstone; graded bedding produce by
turbidity currents; large fossils rare; microfossils may be abundant; sheet to fan-like shape.

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The following charts summarize the previous discussion

ALLUVIAL FAN FLUVIAL (river)
LACUSTRINE

(lake)
AEOLIAN DESERT

(dunes)
PALUDAL
(swamp)

ROCK TYPE breccia, conglomerate,
arkose

conglomerate, sandstone,
siltstone, shale

siltstone, shale, limestone,
evaporites

quartz arenite,
(sandstone) gypsum

peat, coal, siltstone, black
shale

composition terrigenous terrigenous
terrigenous, carbonates,

evaporites
terrigenous or evaporite terrigenous

color brown or red brown or red
black, brown, grey, green,

red
yellow, red, tan, white black, gray or brown

grain size clay to gravel
clay, silt, sand, gravel,

fining upward
clay, silt, sand (coursening

upward)
sand clay to silt

grain shape angular angular to rounded —- rounded or polished —-

sorting poor variable variable good variable

inorganic
sedimentary

structures
cross bed and graded bed

assymmetrical ripples,
crossbedding, graded

beds, tool marks

symmetrical ripples,
lamination, cross beds,

graded beds, mud cracks,
raindrops

crossbedding laminated to massive

organic or
biogenic

structures
—- tracks, trails, burrows

tracks, trails, burrows, rare
stromatolites

tracks and trails root marks, burrows

fossils —-
rare freshwater shells,

bones, plants fragments
freshwater shells, fish,
bones, plant fragmetns

—-
plant fossils, freshwater

shells, bone, fish

Continental- Sedimentary Depositional Envirnonments

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DELTA BARRIER BEACH LAGOON TIDAL FLAT

ROCK TYPE sandstone, siltstone, shale,
coal

quartz arenite, coquina
siltsone, shale, limestone,
oolitic limestone, gypsum

siltstone, shale, calcilutitie,
dolostone or gypsum

composition terrigenous, some organic terrigenous or carbonate
terrigenous, carbonate or

evaporite
terrigenous, carbonate or

evaporite

color brown, black, grey, green,
red

what to tan dark grey to black or brown grey, brown, tan

grain size clay to sand (coursening
upward)

sand clay to silt clay to silt

grain shape —- rounded to angular —- —-

sorting variable good poor variable

inorganic
sedimentary

structures

cross bedding, graded
bedding

cross bedding, symmetrical
ripples

lamination, ripples cross
bedding

lamination, mudcracks,
ripples, cross bedding

organic or
biogenic

structures
trails, burrows tracks, trails, burrows trails, burrows

stromatolites, trails, tracks,
burrows

fossils plant fragments, shells marine shells marine shells marine shells

Transitional- Sedimentary Depositional Envirnonments

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REEF
CONTINENTAL

SHELF
CONTINENTAL

SLOPE AND RISE
ABYSSAL PLAIN

ROCK TYPE fossiliferous limestone
sandstone, shale, siltstone,

fossiliferous limestone, oolitic
limestone

litharenite (grewacke),
siltstone and shale, limestone

shale, chert, micrite, chalk,
diatomite

composition carbonate terrigenous or carbonate terrigenous or carbonate terrigenous or carbonate

color grey to white grey, brown, tan, green grey, green, brown black, white, red

grain size variable frameworks, few to
no grains

clay, silt, sand, gravel clay to snad clay

grain shape —- —- —- —-

sorting —- poor to good poor good

inorganic
sedimentary

structures
—- lamination, cross bedding

graded bedding, cross
bedding, lamination, flute

marks, tool marks (turbitdites)
lamination

organic or
biogenic

structures
—- trails, burrows trails, burrows trails, burrows

fossils coral, marine shells marine shells, sharks teeth
marine shells, rare plant

fragments
marine shells (mostly

microscopic)

Marine- Sedimentary Depositional Envirnonments

**## 12labanswerpage.pdf**

Lab 12 Sed. Dep. Env. Answer Pages
Study the sedimentary environments in the images below and answer the questions associated with the
images. Write your answers on the blanks provided at the end of the lab.

Answer the questions in the blanks provided on the following pages to make it easier.

Figure A. Death Valley National Park, CA

1. What are the prominent depositional features formed at the mouths

of the canyon?

2. Describe the textural characteristics of the sediment forming the

features named above.

2. What other non-marine features could exist on the flat terrain in front

of the range?

Figure B. Navajo Sandstone in Zion NP, UT

3. What type of bedding does this represent?

4. Was this sandstone deposited in a non-marine (terrestrial)

or marine environment?

5. Was the sandstone deposited by fluvial or aeolian processes?

Figure C. Bedding surface from Capital Reef, UT

6. What type of markings are present?

7. Assuming the rock is marine in origin, what do these

markings indicate about the depth of water in which
in the sediment was deposited?

Figure D. Cracked surface in Alaska

8. What type of markings are present?

9. Assuming the rock is marine in origin, what do these

markings indicate about the depth of water in which in
the sediment was deposited?

Source: Shutterstock

Source: Shutterstock

Source: Shutterstock

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Figure E. Conglomerate in Chiang Rai, Thailand

10. What type of grain shape and particle sorting

are shown here?

11. What is a possible depositional environment?

Give reasons for your interpretation.

Figure F. Sandstone Zion NP, Utah

12. What type of bedding is present?

13. Was this sandstone deposited in a nonmarine

(terrestrial) or marine environment? Was the sandstone
deposited by fluvial or aeolian processes? If in water,
in shallow or deep water? Explain how you know.

Figure G. Breccia, Lake Mead, Nevada

14. Describe particle color, texture, and sorting?

15. What was the depositional environment

responsible for creating this rock?

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Name: ___________________________________

Lab 7: Sedimentary Environments (macro scale)
Record your answers to the questions about the images above here:

Figure A

1 __________________________________________________________

2 __________________________________________________________

3 __________________________________________________________

Figure B

4 __________________________________________________________

5 __________________________________________________________

6 __________________________________________________________

Figure C

7 __________________________________________________________

8 __________________________________________________________

Figure D

9 __________________________________________________________

10 __________________________________________________________

Figure E

11 __________________________________________________________

12 __________________________________________________________

Figure F

13 __________________________________________________________

14 __________________________________________________________

Figure G

15 __________________________________________________________

16. __________________________________________________________

General Questions

16. What general rock and rock feature would indicate a long duration of deposition in an arid
environment?
\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

17. What type of environment would a breccia with dark grey and/or purple rock fragments likely be
from?
\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

18. What is the probable depositional setting and source of a pure white quartz sandstone?

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

19. What do bidirectional ripples indicate about the depositional environment of a rock?
\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

20. What would the sedimentary environment be for oolitic sediments?

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

21. How would the sediments differ from a playa lake to that of a freshwater lake?

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

22. List three environments that ripples can form in:

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

23. List two ways cross bedding can occur:

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

24. How does a conglomerate form? Is there more than one way? If so how?

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

**## 12LabSedDepMacro.pdf**

Laboratory 12: Sedimentary Depositional Environments (Macro Scale)

Objective:

To understand the large sale features that are observed in sedimentary environments and the role they
play in understanding depositional environment.

Materials Needed:
Images of various sedimentary environments provided by instructor

Paleogeography is the study of what an environment was like during a certain time in the past. Paleogeography
takes biostratigraphy one step further in reconstructing the earth's history. By examining a set of rocks in several
different locations, all representing the same age, we can begin to reconstruct the ancient environment by using
the rock type and fossil content. The rock samples can be collected over a large or small lateral area, and the
locations and shapes of landmasses and seas can be deduced by knowing which types of rocks and fossils are
expected to be found in particular environments. An environment of deposition is the sum of all physical,
geographic, climatic, ecological, and chemical parameters that affect the composition of the sediment. Many
factors must be considered when deciding on the environment of deposition, including lithology, fossil
abundance, and fossil assemblage.

I. NONMARINE (CONTINENTAL) Most non-marine environments are typically the sites of erosion or non-
deposition, although a small percentage of deposits may be preserved.

A. Aqueous-
1. Fluvial (streams and rivers)-

(a) Floodplain- Sandstone, siltstone and shale with some conglomerate and coal, moderate
sorting, moderately quartz-rich; horizontal laminations, asymmetric (current) ripple marks, animal
tracks and trails, mud cracks, raindrop impressions; plant debris and tree fossils; irregular and
thin sheet shape.
(b) Channel-Sandstone and conglomerate, moderately sorted and quartz-rich; cross-bedding,
current ripple marks, scour of channel surfaces; may contain plant debris, non-marine (aqueous
and terrestrial) fossils; irregular lenticular to sinuous shape, closely associated with floodplain
deposits.

2. Paludal (Marsh or Swamp) – fine-grained deposits (siltstone, shale, coal) with dark color and high
organic content; thin horizontal laminations or massive (no visible sedimentary structures); abundant
plant fossils; irregular lens to sheet shape.
3. Lacustrine (lake) – fine-grained shale and some limestone; varve (alternating thin, light and dark
layers) clay common; possible freshwater fossils (ex. snails); irregular lens to sheet shape

B. Terrestrial (subaerial)-
1. Desert-

(a) Aeolian dune- fine-to medium-grained sandstone with excellent rounding and sorting; large-
scale cross-bedding common; fossils rare; extensive sheet-like or “blanket” shape.
(b) Alluvial fan- poorly sorted arkosic sandstone and conglomerate, abundant feldspar and
mica; cross-bedding, massive bedding, inverse and normally graded beds; fossils rare to absent;
thick fan-or wedge-shaped deposits.

2. Glacial- poorly sorted massive sandstone and conglomerate containing angular particles striated
pebbles, large pebbles and boulders, variable mineralogy; massive or crude horizontal laminations;
fossils absent; irregular shape and patchy distribution.

II. TRANSITIONAL (MARGINAL MARINE)

A. Delta-
A complex grouping of environments including channels, floodplains, swamps, bays, etc. Deposits
range from sandstone to siltstone and shale, and generally became finer-grained outward from the
shoreline; cross-bedding, horizontal laminations, current ripple marks and animal burrows are
common in some parts; fossils generally rare but may include locally abundant plant stems and roots
and rare marine; delta complexes are generally fan or wedge shaped.

B. Barrier Island/Lagoon-

1. Barrier Island- are mostly high energy deposits consisting of well-sorted and rounded quartz rich
sandstone. Grain size decreases systematically in a seaward direction; large-scale cross-bedding;
current and symmetrical (wave) ripple marks, horizontal laminations and animal burrows common;
fragmented marine fossils may be present; sand body shape is narrow and elongate parallel to the
shoreline and a lagoon is typically present between the barrier and the mainland.
2. Lagoon- lower energy environment dominated by fine-grained sandstone, siltstone, and shale;
horizontal laminations, ripple marks, and animal burrows, tracks and trails are common; carbonate
lagoons contain abundant and diverse marine fossils; shape is characteristically elongate parallel to
shore, and a barrier island is typically present immediately offshore from the lagoon.

C. Littoral (between mean high and low tides)-

1. Beach – high energy environment dominated by medium- to course- grained sandstone, well-
sorted and rounded; horizontal laminations, low-angle cross-bedding, wave ripple marks are most
abundant; fossils are rare and typically broken into fragments; sand body is elongate in shape and
trends parallel to shore.
2. Tidal flat – so named due to the tide coming in and receding in this relatively flat region. It will
have inter-bedded sandstone, siltstone and shale, with grain size increasing in a seaward direction;
cross-bedding (some large-scale), wave and current ripple marks, mud cracks, scour or channel
surfaces, and animal burrows, tracks and trails are common; fossils (marine) are rare to abundant;
wedge to irregular sheet shape.

III. OPEN MARINE

A. Pelagic- These environments are within the ocean water mass; thus, they don’t have characteristic
features preserved in the geologic record. Organisms which live in these environments fall to the ocean
bottom upon death and become part of the record of one of the benthic environments listed:
1. Neritic-depth to sea-floor less than 200 meters
2. Oceanic- depth to sea-floor greater than 200 meters

B. Benthic (bottom environments)
1. Shallow marine (Shelf) – sandstone, siltstone, limestone and shale interbedded,
sandstone composed predominantly of quartz but with some marine fossil fragments; cross-
bedding (some large-scale), ripple marks, and marine burrows, tracks and trails common;
marine fossils locally abundant; widespread sheet-like or blanket shape. Water depths are
typically less than 200 m.

2. Carbonate Reef/Platform- Unbedded, very fossiliferous with large and small scale, very
course grained sediment. Abundant, often large, organisms attached to the sea-floor, high
energy environment.
3. Deep Ocean- shale, fine-grained limestone and/or sandstone; graded bedding produce by
turbidity currents; large fossils rare; microfossils may be abundant; sheet to fan-like shape.

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The following charts summarize the previous discussion

ALLUVIAL FAN FLUVIAL (river)
LACUSTRINE

(lake)
AEOLIAN DESERT

(dunes)
PALUDAL
(swamp)

ROCK TYPE breccia, conglomerate,
arkose

conglomerate, sandstone,
siltstone, shale

siltstone, shale, limestone,
evaporites

quartz arenite,
(sandstone) gypsum

peat, coal, siltstone, black
shale

composition terrigenous terrigenous
terrigenous, carbonates,

evaporites
terrigenous or evaporite terrigenous

color brown or red brown or red
black, brown, grey, green,

red
yellow, red, tan, white black, gray or brown

grain size clay to gravel
clay, silt, sand, gravel,

fining upward
clay, silt, sand (coursening

upward)
sand clay to silt

grain shape angular angular to rounded —- rounded or polished —-

sorting poor variable variable good variable

inorganic
sedimentary

structures
cross bed and graded bed

assymmetrical ripples,
crossbedding, graded

beds, tool marks

symmetrical ripples,
lamination, cross beds,

graded beds, mud cracks,
raindrops

crossbedding laminated to massive

organic or
biogenic

structures
—- tracks, trails, burrows

tracks, trails, burrows, rare
stromatolites

tracks and trails root marks, burrows

fossils —-
rare freshwater shells,

bones, plants fragments
freshwater shells, fish,
bones, plant fragmetns

—-
plant fossils, freshwater

shells, bone, fish

Continental- Sedimentary Depositional Envirnonments

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DELTA BARRIER BEACH LAGOON TIDAL FLAT

ROCK TYPE sandstone, siltstone, shale,
coal

quartz arenite, coquina
siltsone, shale, limestone,
oolitic limestone, gypsum

siltstone, shale, calcilutitie,
dolostone or gypsum

composition terrigenous, some organic terrigenous or carbonate
terrigenous, carbonate or

evaporite
terrigenous, carbonate or

evaporite

color brown, black, grey, green,
red

what to tan dark grey to black or brown grey, brown, tan

grain size clay to sand (coursening
upward)

sand clay to silt clay to silt

grain shape —- rounded to angular —- —-

sorting variable good poor variable

inorganic
sedimentary

structures

cross bedding, graded
bedding

cross bedding, symmetrical
ripples

lamination, ripples cross
bedding

lamination, mudcracks,
ripples, cross bedding

organic or
biogenic

structures
trails, burrows tracks, trails, burrows trails, burrows

stromatolites, trails, tracks,
burrows

fossils plant fragments, shells marine shells marine shells marine shells

Transitional- Sedimentary Depositional Envirnonments

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REEF
CONTINENTAL

SHELF
CONTINENTAL

SLOPE AND RISE
ABYSSAL PLAIN

ROCK TYPE fossiliferous limestone
sandstone, shale, siltstone,

fossiliferous limestone, oolitic
limestone

litharenite (grewacke),
siltstone and shale, limestone

shale, chert, micrite, chalk,
diatomite

composition carbonate terrigenous or carbonate terrigenous or carbonate terrigenous or carbonate

color grey to white grey, brown, tan, green grey, green, brown black, white, red

grain size variable frameworks, few to
no grains

clay, silt, sand, gravel clay to snad clay

grain shape —- —- —- —-

sorting —- poor to good poor good

inorganic
sedimentary

structures
—- lamination, cross bedding

graded bedding, cross
bedding, lamination, flute

marks, tool marks (turbitdites)
lamination

organic or
biogenic

structures
—- trails, burrows trails, burrows trails, burrows

fossils coral, marine shells marine shells, sharks teeth
marine shells, rare plant

fragments
marine shells (mostly

microscopic)

Marine- Sedimentary Depositional Envirnonments

**## 12labanswerpage.pdf**

Lab 12 Sed. Dep. Env. Answer Pages
Study the sedimentary environments in the images below and answer the questions associated with the
images. Write your answers on the blanks provided at the end of the lab.

Answer the questions in the blanks provided on the following pages to make it easier.

Figure A. Death Valley National Park, CA

1. What are the prominent depositional features formed at the mouths

of the canyon?

2. Describe the textural characteristics of the sediment forming the

features named above.

2. What other non-marine features could exist on the flat terrain in front

of the range?

Figure B. Navajo Sandstone in Zion NP, UT

3. What type of bedding does this represent?

4. Was this sandstone deposited in a non-marine (terrestrial)

or marine environment?

5. Was the sandstone deposited by fluvial or aeolian processes?

Figure C. Bedding surface from Capital Reef, UT

6. What type of markings are present?

7. Assuming the rock is marine in origin, what do these

markings indicate about the depth of water in which
in the sediment was deposited?

Figure D. Cracked surface in Alaska

8. What type of markings are present?

9. Assuming the rock is marine in origin, what do these

markings indicate about the depth of water in which in
the sediment was deposited?

Source: Shutterstock

Source: Shutterstock

Source: Shutterstock

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Figure E. Conglomerate in Chiang Rai, Thailand

10. What type of grain shape and particle sorting

are shown here?

11. What is a possible depositional environment?

Give reasons for your interpretation.

Figure F. Sandstone Zion NP, Utah

12. What type of bedding is present?

13. Was this sandstone deposited in a nonmarine

(terrestrial) or marine environment? Was the sandstone
deposited by fluvial or aeolian processes? If in water,
in shallow or deep water? Explain how you know.

Figure G. Breccia, Lake Mead, Nevada

14. Describe particle color, texture, and sorting?

15. What was the depositional environment

responsible for creating this rock?

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Name: ___________________________________

Lab 7: Sedimentary Environments (macro scale)
Record your answers to the questions about the images above here:

Figure A

1 __________________________________________________________

2 __________________________________________________________

3 __________________________________________________________

Figure B

4 __________________________________________________________

5 __________________________________________________________

6 __________________________________________________________

Figure C

7 __________________________________________________________

8 __________________________________________________________

Figure D

9 __________________________________________________________

10 __________________________________________________________

Figure E

11 __________________________________________________________

12 __________________________________________________________

Figure F

13 __________________________________________________________

14 __________________________________________________________

Figure G

15 __________________________________________________________

16. __________________________________________________________

General Questions

16. What general rock and rock feature would indicate a long duration of deposition in an arid
environment?
\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

17. What type of environment would a breccia with dark grey and/or purple rock fragments likely be
from?
\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

18. What is the probable depositional setting and source of a pure white quartz sandstone?

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

19. What do bidirectional ripples indicate about the depositional environment of a rock?
\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

20. What would the sedimentary environment be for oolitic sediments?

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

21. How would the sediments differ from a playa lake to that of a freshwater lake?

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

22. List three environments that ripples can form in:

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

23. List two ways cross bedding can occur:

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

24. How does a conglomerate form? Is there more than one way? If so how?

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

\_\_\________________________________________________________________________________

**## 12LabSedDepMacro.pdf**

Laboratory 12: Sedimentary Depositional Environments (Macro Scale)

Objective:

To understand the large sale features that are observed in sedimentary environments and the role they
play in understanding depositional environment.

Materials Needed:
Images of various sedimentary environments provided by instructor

Paleogeography is the study of what an environment was like during a certain time in the past. Paleogeography
takes biostratigraphy one step further in reconstructing the earth's history. By examining a set of rocks in several
different locations, all representing the same age, we can begin to reconstruct the ancient environment by using
the rock type and fossil content. The rock samples can be collected over a large or small lateral area, and the
locations and shapes of landmasses and seas can be deduced by knowing which types of rocks and fossils are
expected to be found in particular environments. An environment of deposition is the sum of all physical,
geographic, climatic, ecological, and chemical parameters that affect the composition of the sediment. Many
factors must be considered when deciding on the environment of deposition, including lithology, fossil
abundance, and fossil assemblage.

I. NONMARINE (CONTINENTAL) Most non-marine environments are typically the sites of erosion or non-
deposition, although a small percentage of deposits may be preserved.

A. Aqueous-
1. Fluvial (streams and rivers)-

(a) Floodplain- Sandstone, siltstone and shale with some conglomerate and coal, moderate
sorting, moderately quartz-rich; horizontal laminations, asymmetric (current) ripple marks, animal
tracks and trails, mud cracks, raindrop impressions; plant debris and tree fossils; irregular and
thin sheet shape.
(b) Channel-Sandstone and conglomerate, moderately sorted and quartz-rich; cross-bedding,
current ripple marks, scour of channel surfaces; may contain plant debris, non-marine (aqueous
and terrestrial) fossils; irregular lenticular to sinuous shape, closely associated with floodplain
deposits.

2. Paludal (Marsh or Swamp) – fine-grained deposits (siltstone, shale, coal) with dark color and high
organic content; thin horizontal laminations or massive (no visible sedimentary structures); abundant
plant fossils; irregular lens to sheet shape.
3. Lacustrine (lake) – fine-grained shale and some limestone; varve (alternating thin, light and dark
layers) clay common; possible freshwater fossils (ex. snails); irregular lens to sheet shape

B. Terrestrial (subaerial)-
1. Desert-

(a) Aeolian dune- fine-to medium-grained sandstone with excellent rounding and sorting; large-
scale cross-bedding common; fossils rare; extensive sheet-like or “blanket” shape.
(b) Alluvial fan- poorly sorted arkosic sandstone and conglomerate, abundant feldspar and
mica; cross-bedding, massive bedding, inverse and normally graded beds; fossils rare to absent;
thick fan-or wedge-shaped deposits.

2. Glacial- poorly sorted massive sandstone and conglomerate containing angular particles striated
pebbles, large pebbles and boulders, variable mineralogy; massive or crude horizontal laminations;
fossils absent; irregular shape and patchy distribution.

II. TRANSITIONAL (MARGINAL MARINE)

A. Delta-
A complex grouping of environments including channels, floodplains, swamps, bays, etc. Deposits
range from sandstone to siltstone and shale, and generally became finer-grained outward from the
shoreline; cross-bedding, horizontal laminations, current ripple marks and animal burrows are
common in some parts; fossils generally rare but may include locally abundant plant stems and roots
and rare marine; delta complexes are generally fan or wedge shaped.

B. Barrier Island/Lagoon-

1. Barrier Island- are mostly high energy deposits consisting of well-sorted and rounded quartz rich
sandstone. Grain size decreases systematically in a seaward direction; large-scale cross-bedding;
current and symmetrical (wave) ripple marks, horizontal laminations and animal burrows common;
fragmented marine fossils may be present; sand body shape is narrow and elongate parallel to the
shoreline and a lagoon is typically present between the barrier and the mainland.
2. Lagoon- lower energy environment dominated by fine-grained sandstone, siltstone, and shale;
horizontal laminations, ripple marks, and animal burrows, tracks and trails are common; carbonate
lagoons contain abundant and diverse marine fossils; shape is characteristically elongate parallel to
shore, and a barrier island is typically present immediately offshore from the lagoon.

C. Littoral (between mean high and low tides)-

1. Beach – high energy environment dominated by medium- to course- grained sandstone, well-
sorted and rounded; horizontal laminations, low-angle cross-bedding, wave ripple marks are most
abundant; fossils are rare and typically broken into fragments; sand body is elongate in shape and
trends parallel to shore.
2. Tidal flat – so named due to the tide coming in and receding in this relatively flat region. It will
have inter-bedded sandstone, siltstone and shale, with grain size increasing in a seaward direction;
cross-bedding (some large-scale), wave and current ripple marks, mud cracks, scour or channel
surfaces, and animal burrows, tracks and trails are common; fossils (marine) are rare to abundant;
wedge to irregular sheet shape.

III. OPEN MARINE

A. Pelagic- These environments are within the ocean water mass; thus, they don’t have characteristic
features preserved in the geologic record. Organisms which live in these environments fall to the ocean
bottom upon death and become part of the record of one of the benthic environments listed:
1. Neritic-depth to sea-floor less than 200 meters
2. Oceanic- depth to sea-floor greater than 200 meters

B. Benthic (bottom environments)
1. Shallow marine (Shelf) – sandstone, siltstone, limestone and shale interbedded,
sandstone composed predominantly of quartz but with some marine fossil fragments; cross-
bedding (some large-scale), ripple marks, and marine burrows, tracks and trails common;
marine fossils locally abundant; widespread sheet-like or blanket shape. Water depths are
typically less than 200 m.

2. Carbonate Reef/Platform- Unbedded, very fossiliferous with large and small scale, very
course grained sediment. Abundant, often large, organisms attached to the sea-floor, high
energy environment.
3. Deep Ocean- shale, fine-grained limestone and/or sandstone; graded bedding produce by
turbidity currents; large fossils rare; microfossils may be abundant; sheet to fan-like shape.

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The following charts summarize the previous discussion

ALLUVIAL FAN FLUVIAL (river)
LACUSTRINE

(lake)
AEOLIAN DESERT

(dunes)
PALUDAL
(swamp)

ROCK TYPE breccia, conglomerate,
arkose

conglomerate, sandstone,
siltstone, shale

siltstone, shale, limestone,
evaporites

quartz arenite,
(sandstone) gypsum

peat, coal, siltstone, black
shale

composition terrigenous terrigenous
terrigenous, carbonates,

evaporites
terrigenous or evaporite terrigenous

color brown or red brown or red
black, brown, grey, green,

red
yellow, red, tan, white black, gray or brown

grain size clay to gravel
clay, silt, sand, gravel,

fining upward
clay, silt, sand (coursening

upward)
sand clay to silt

grain shape angular angular to rounded —- rounded or polished —-

sorting poor variable variable good variable

inorganic
sedimentary

structures
cross bed and graded bed

assymmetrical ripples,
crossbedding, graded

beds, tool marks

symmetrical ripples,
lamination, cross beds,

graded beds, mud cracks,
raindrops

crossbedding laminated to massive

organic or
biogenic

structures
—- tracks, trails, burrows

tracks, trails, burrows, rare
stromatolites

tracks and trails root marks, burrows

fossils —-
rare freshwater shells,

bones, plants fragments
freshwater shells, fish,
bones, plant fragmetns

—-
plant fossils, freshwater

shells, bone, fish

Continental- Sedimentary Depositional Envirnonments

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DELTA BARRIER BEACH LAGOON TIDAL FLAT

ROCK TYPE sandstone, siltstone, shale,
coal

quartz arenite, coquina
siltsone, shale, limestone,
oolitic limestone, gypsum

siltstone, shale, calcilutitie,
dolostone or gypsum

composition terrigenous, some organic terrigenous or carbonate
terrigenous, carbonate or

evaporite
terrigenous, carbonate or

evaporite

color brown, black, grey, green,
red

what to tan dark grey to black or brown grey, brown, tan

grain size clay to sand (coursening
upward)

sand clay to silt clay to silt

grain shape —- rounded to angular —- —-

sorting variable good poor variable

inorganic
sedimentary

structures

cross bedding, graded
bedding

cross bedding, symmetrical
ripples

lamination, ripples cross
bedding

lamination, mudcracks,
ripples, cross bedding

organic or
biogenic

structures
trails, burrows tracks, trails, burrows trails, burrows

stromatolites, trails, tracks,
burrows

fossils plant fragments, shells marine shells marine shells marine shells

Transitional- Sedimentary Depositional Envirnonments

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REEF
CONTINENTAL

SHELF
CONTINENTAL

SLOPE AND RISE
ABYSSAL PLAIN

ROCK TYPE fossiliferous limestone
sandstone, shale, siltstone,

fossiliferous limestone, oolitic
limestone

litharenite (grewacke),
siltstone and shale, limestone

shale, chert, micrite, chalk,
diatomite

composition carbonate terrigenous or carbonate terrigenous or carbonate terrigenous or carbonate

color grey to white grey, brown, tan, green grey, green, brown black, white, red

grain size variable frameworks, few to
no grains

clay, silt, sand, gravel clay to snad clay

grain shape —- —- —- —-

sorting —- poor to good poor good

inorganic
sedimentary

structures
—- lamination, cross bedding

graded bedding, cross
bedding, lamination, flute

marks, tool marks (turbitdites)
lamination

organic or
biogenic

structures
—- trails, burrows trails, burrows trails, burrows

fossils coral, marine shells marine shells, sharks teeth
marine shells, rare plant

fragments
marine shells (mostly

microscopic)

Marine- Sedimentary Depositional Envirnonments