Sediment

**__What is Sediment?__** Sediment is small pieces of most commonly natural and solid material, then broken up into even smaller pieces by weathering (The process of precipitation, temperature, and and other natural effects like water smashing against rocks.), animals stepping on dirt, and humans by walking and construction. [1]

__**How do sediments effect the earth?** __ Erosion: Erosion is the act of wearing away at the earth's surface by glaciers, walking, water, and other types of natural and unnatural things. [2] When things erode, they don’t just disappear. The sediments are simply moved to another location. Scientists call this process mass wasting. Most erosion happens at the tops of mountains and under the soil. When there’s too much erosion in the area, where the sediments are being carried to, can actually build up.[4]  __**What and where are some examples of erosion and sediment loss?**__ 1) In Lousiana massive amounts of sand have been eroded from the coast lines and other places near the ocean.A team of highly trained experts are working on putting in a sand-rich sediment. 2) In South Carolina the costal erosion is caused by severe storms in the short-term and long-term sea level rise. South Carolina's inner shelf lacks sediments (sand) and shoreline-making is caused by the older geology of the ocean, which makes some places more vulnrable to sediment loss.[6] 3) The Grand Canyon was formed by two main different things. The water (ice) and wind are the two bigges shapers and formers of the beloved Grand Canyon. The course of the Colorado River and, volcanic activity, the slight variations of the Earth's orbit, and just plain continental drift are the biggest non-weather realted factors. Lots of water ends up ends up in the Colorado River and when it's mixed with gravity, the water starts to rush quicker and quicker. When water rushes that quickly, lots of bits of rock and dirt get carried away with the water.[9]

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**__How is sediment causing the fish to die?__** When sediments go in the water, they sink to the bottom, and after there are a lot of sediments in it, the water starts to to turn dark from the sediments. The dark water absorbs the sunlight which makes the water warmer, so the fish start to die, but also the plants and algae start to die because they need sunlight. Since the sediment is blocking the sunlight, the plants die and fish die because some of them eat plants and algae. Erosion makes bodies of water wider and wider. When there's more space, there's more fish. When there are too many fish there is lots of compition for food. If there's too many fish and not enough oxygen in the water, the fish will die. [3]

__**Can cutting down trees cause sediment problems?**__ Yes, because trees support the soil. When the trees are removed, the support is weakened, which speeds up erosion. This can cause harm to the environment and cause algal blooms or the segment stated above. Also we are losing lots of rainforests and trees because people are using bulldozers, and chainsaws to clear cut trees. Once rainforests covered 14% of earth`s land and we have less then 6% so I think everyone should stop cutting so much in one area. [7]

[3]Science Book: Holtzclaw, Fred, Cronin Jones, Linda, and Miller, Steve. Science Explorer. New Jersey. Prentice Hall. 2000.

[1] Dictionary.com 2006 20 December 2008 http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/sediment [2] Dictionary.com 2006 6 January 2009 http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/erosion [4] <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;">Rader, Andrew. Break it down. January 7, 2009. <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;">[|www.geography4kids.com/files/land_erosion.html] <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;">[5] Heggie, Stewart. __The Grand Canyon Scene from the top.__ Oct. 21,2005. January 8,2009.<http://www.astrofoto.ca/stuartheggie/Grand_Canyon/GC_27.html <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;">http://www.astrofoto.ca/stuartheggie/Grand_Canyon/GC_23.html <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;">[6__] Regionally Concidering Costal Erosion: Examples from the Southeast US__ 2002. January 8, 2008. <www.gsa.confex.com/gsa/2002NC.finalprogram/abstract_2015.htm [7] Rainforests facts, 1996, http://www.rain-tree.com/facts.htm [8]Sediment and use of silt fences Beach, Marina <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;">http://www.townoflakelure.com/erosion_control_sediment_and_use_of_silt_fences.htm <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;">(click on picture to go on site) [9] Spixels,Bob. __Geology the the Grand Canyon.__ January 9, 2009.http://www.bobspixels.com/kaibab.org/geology/gc_geol.htm#how <span style="font-family: 'Comic Sans MS', cursive;">