Which process triggers oxbow lake sediment infilling following channel avulsion?

💡 Explanation

When channel avulsion disrupts flow into an oxbow lake, reduced water velocity decreases shear stress and increases residence time of suspended particles, allowing clay mineral flocculation to accelerate, leading to increased settling and sediment infilling. Therefore, clay mineral flocculation is the primary process, rather than biogenic silica, hydraulic conductivity increases or erosion reductions which don't directly account for accelerated infilling.

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