At times of low sea level, when the river systems discharge their sediment load directly on the upper slope, the inclined depositional surface may help sustain downslope transport of the terrigenous material and associated fluids. The modification of the local slope environment near the sediment input point could result in seaward excursions in ecological patterns similar to those caused on the shelf by the modern Mississippi River.<ref name=ch04r73 /><ref name=ch04r77 /> These seaward ecological excursions could extend to bathyal depths where downslope transport is sustained by the inclined surface and gravity-flow processes (see [[:file:sedimentary-basin-analysis_fig4-29.png|Figure 2]]). | At times of low sea level, when the river systems discharge their sediment load directly on the upper slope, the inclined depositional surface may help sustain downslope transport of the terrigenous material and associated fluids. The modification of the local slope environment near the sediment input point could result in seaward excursions in ecological patterns similar to those caused on the shelf by the modern Mississippi River.<ref name=ch04r73 /><ref name=ch04r77 /> These seaward ecological excursions could extend to bathyal depths where downslope transport is sustained by the inclined surface and gravity-flow processes (see [[:file:sedimentary-basin-analysis_fig4-29.png|Figure 2]]). |