Which mechanism causes increased stream meandering downstream when floodplain gradient decreases?

💡 Explanation

When the gradient decreases, stream competence reduces because the ability to carry sediment diminishes due to lowered velocity, thereby increasing lateral or side-to-side erosion and downstream meandering. Therefore, reduced gradient alters local channel erosion, rather than lowered channel stability, heightened shear stress,/bankfull discharge altering the river.

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• Which deflection occurs on ocean currents due to the Coriolis effect closer to the Earth's equator?
• Which phenomenon limits maximum magnitude of earthquakes along oceanic transform faults?
• Which weather outcome intensifies because of high-altitude Coriolis forces?
• Which mechanism primarily causes an oxbow lake to eventually become a swamp?
• Which outcome occurs when basaltic lava cools rapidly underwater?