Following river avulsion, which process consolidates sediment during oxbow lake formation?

💡 Explanation

When river avulsion cuts off a meander bend initiating oxbow lake formation, suspended clay and organic particles aggregate via flocculation because electrostatic forces in the stagnant water are no longer disrupted. Therefore, biogenic flocculation consolidates fine sediment, rather than density currents, evaporation, or biogeochemical deposition which have minimal contribution in this quiescent backwater environment.

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