| has gloss | eng: A terrace is a geological term for a step-like landform that borders a shoreline or river floodplain and represents the former position of either a floodplain or the shoreline of a lake, sea, or ocean. A terrace consists of a flat or gently sloping geomorphic surface that is typically bounded one side by a steeper ascending slope, which called a "riser" or "scarp", on one side and a steeper descending slope (riser or scarp) on its other side. The flat or gently sloping surface of a terrace is typically called a "tread". The term terrace is typically applied to both the tread and the steeper descending slope (riser or scarp). Terraces can also consist of a tread bounded on all sides by a descending riser or scarp. This term is commonly but incorrectly applied to the sediments underlying the tread and riser of a terrace. This is a practice that leads to much unneeded confusion. A terrace can be the remnant of an ancient floodplain, relict shoreline of an ocean, sea, or lake. |
