Schematic showing how sediment on the seafloor moves

Schematic showing how sediment on the seafloor moves in response to a force created by the combined action of tides, ocean waves, and wind-driven currents. Sediment movement influences habitat for plants and animals, affects construction of facilities for development for offshore energy, causes suspension of contaminants such as oil that adhere to sediment particles, and shapes the seafloor. Symbols provided courtesy of the Integration and Application Network, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science.