Articles

Continental environments are those environments that are present on the continents. • Alluvial fans • Fluvial environments • Lacustrine environments • Deserts (Aeolian or aolian environments) • Swamps (Paldal environmets)

Alluvial fans are fan-shaped deposits formed at the base of mountains. Alluvial fans are most common in arid and semi-arid regions where rainfall is infrequent but torrential, and erosion is rapid. Alluvial fan sediment is typically coarse, poorly- sorted gravel and sand.

Fluvial environments include braided and a meandering river and stream systems. River channels, bars, levees, and floodplains are parts (or subenvironments) of the fluvial environment. Channel deposits consist of coarse, rounded gravel, and sand. Bars are made of sand or gravel. Levees are made of fine sand or silt. Floodplains are covered by silt and clay.

Lacustrine environments (or lakes) are diverse; they may be large or small, shallow or deep, and filled with terrigenous, carbonate, or evaporitic sediments. Fine sediment and organic matter settling in some lakes produced laminated oil shales.

Deserts (Aeolian or aolian environments) usually contain vast areas where sand is deposited in dunes. Dune sands are cross-bedded, well sorted, and well rounded, without associated gravel or clay.

Swamps (Paludal environments) Standing water with trees. Coal is deposited.