Habitat exposed rock

Where the waves and currents weaken, resuspended sediment settles back down to the seafloor. Given the small particle sizes of the suspended material (mostly 3 to 10 pm), redeposition can take many years. The resulting redistribution of sediments creates patches of clay, mud, and exposed rock on the continental margins. In other words, resuspension from waves and currents can cause some sediments to become reUct deposits. Hard bottoms can serve as good habitats for some members of the benthos as they promote the formation of coral reefs. For paleoceanographers, relict deposits are problematic because they represent gaps, or imconformities, in the sedimentary record. 

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