Geography • World GeographyHard
How do Quaternary glacial-interglacial sea-level oscillations globally impact the coastal geomorphology and stratigraphy of the Kerala continental shelf and coastal plains?
A. marine regressions during glacial maxima exposed the continental shelf, inducing deep fluvial valley incision, which were subsequently drowned and backfilled with marine and estuarine sediments during Holocene transgressions.✓ Correct Answer
B. Global glaciations caused widespread volcanic subduction along the Malabar coast, creating deep oceanic trenches parallel to the shoreline.
C. Melting ice sheets deposited massive glacial moraines and erratic boulders directly across the coastal plains of southern India.
D. Sea-level drops caused the complete desiccation of the Arabian Sea, transforming the entire basin into an arid desert plain covered by sand dunes.
💡 Solution & Explanation
Quaternary sea-level cycles profoundly shaped Kerala's coastal geology. During glacial peaks, sea levels dropped by over 100 meters, exposing the continental shelf and forcing rivers to cut deep channels into bedrock. Subsequent Holocene warming raised sea levels, drowning these valleys to form estuaries and backwaters that gradually filled with sediment. Glaciers never reached tropical southern India, so no moraines or glacial erratics exist there, and the Arabian Sea never completely dried out. This stratigraphic history is recorded in the sedimentary deposits of Kerala's coastal belt.
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