<p>Although now rather dated,  <a href="https://pubs.usgs.gov/bul/1080/report.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">USGS Bulletin 1080</a> has a useful discussion of various lines of evidence that can be used to distinguish lacustrine from marine deposits. Looking at purely physical characteristics it is often assumed that spatially extensive, fine grained, laminated deposits are suggestive of the low energy, and potentially seasonally varying, environment of a lake, with oceanic environments having greater energy, so less uniformity. It is easy, however, to see that there are may exceptions to this simple classification.</p>
<p>Fossil evidence can be a conclusive identifying factor, but isn't always available. The presence of evaporite minerals is suggestive of closed lacustrine environments, but obviously coastal sabkha evaporites are common.</p>
<p>Carbon/Sulphur ratio have been suggested as an indicator, with pyrite more common in marine sediments.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-08-10T14:26:26.543Z
2021-08-10T14:26:26.543Z
Andy M
<p>What are the features of terrestrial lithographic/clastic sediment that indicate it was deposited into an oceanic as opposed to a terrestrial (e.g. fluvial or lacustrine) environment?  How to tell whether a given siltstone bed was deposited in either environment?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-08-07T20:46:38.703Z
Homework questions are expected to show some attempt to answer the question on your own.
John
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-08-07T21:04:40.240Z
I'm studying this on my own, thanks, no one assigned homework.
charlie_sar
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-08-07T21:21:16.860Z
an example from Tulane U.  EENS dept:  "Fine grained clastics are deposited in non-agitated water, calm water, where there is little energy to continue to transport the small grains.   Thus mudrocks form in deep water ocean basins and lakes."   Nothing about differentiating oceanic vs. lacustrine deposition
charlie_sar
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-08-07T21:27:04.953Z
and this from U. of Houston / Geophysics does not clarify:  https://uh.edu/~geos6g/1330/sedrx.html
charlie_sar
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-08-08T19:05:12.453Z
This might be useful [Ocean Sediments](https://deepoceanfacts.com/ocean-sediments)
Fred
<sedimentology>
How to tell whether sediment was laid in ocean or on land
charlie_sar
# How to tell whether sediment was laid in ocean or on land

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-08-07)

What are the features of terrestrial lithographic/clastic sediment that indicate it was deposited into an oceanic as opposed to a terrestrial (e.g. fluvial or lacustrine) environment? How to tell whether a given siltstone bed was deposited in either environment?

**Tags:** sedimentology

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Homework questions are expected to show some attempt to answer the question on your own.  
> **username_0**: I'm studying this on my own, thanks, no one assigned homework.  
> **username_0**: an example from Tulane U.  EENS dept:  "Fine grained clastics are deposited in non-agitated water, calm water, where there is little energy to continue to transport the small grains.   Thus mudrocks form in deep water ocean basins and lakes."   Nothing about differentiating oceanic vs. lacustrine deposition  
> **username_0**: and this from U. of Houston / Geophysics does not clarify:  https://uh.edu/~geos6g/1330/sedrx.html  
> **username_2**: This might be useful [Ocean Sediments](https://deepoceanfacts.com/ocean-sediments)  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_3 on 2021-08-10. Score: 1

Although now rather dated, [USGS Bulletin 1080](https://pubs.usgs.gov/bul/1080/report.pdf) has a useful discussion of various lines of evidence that can be used to distinguish lacustrine from marine deposits. Looking at purely physical characteristics it is often assumed that spatially extensive, fine grained, laminated deposits are suggestive of the low energy, and potentially seasonally varying, environment of a lake, with oceanic environments having greater energy, so less uniformity. It is easy, however, to see that there are may exceptions to this simple classification.

Fossil evidence can be a conclusive identifying factor, but isn't always available. The presence of evaporite minerals is suggestive of closed lacustrine environments, but obviously coastal sabkha evaporites are common.

Carbon/Sulphur ratio have been suggested as an indicator, with pyrite more common in marine sediments.


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