How can a terrace sequence help interpret climate change?

Correct answer: Incision and deposition phases can show past discharge and sediment conditions

Correct answer: A. River terraces are older valley floors or floodplain surfaces that were abandoned when the river later cut downward. A sequence of terraces therefore preserves evidence of repeated deposition followed by incision. Changes in discharge, sediment supply, vegetation, sea level, tectonic movement, and climate can influence these stages. Researchers compare terrace height, sediment type, soil development, and numerical ages to reconstruct former environmental conditions. A is correct because alternating incision and deposition may record changing flow and sediment regimes. B is wrong because terraces are not always coral or marine; many are formed by rivers. C is wrong because terraces preserve useful evidence of earlier landscapes. D is wrong because terraces are not restricted to caves or cave dating. A safe memory cue is: old floodplain left high above the river equals terrace, and a terrace sequence is a record of river history.