restratify

Restratify is a verb meaning to form or reestablish distinct layers, or strata, in a system that has become mixed or homogenized. The term is used across disciplines to describe a process by which a previously layered structure is reconstituted after disturbance. Its noun form, restratification, denotes the act or outcome of this re-layering. The word combines the prefix re-, stratify, and the -fy suffix.

In limnology and oceanography, restratification describes the reappearance of vertical stratification in a body of water after mixing events such as winter overturns or storms. This re-formation of temperature or density gradients creates identifiable layers (eg, epilimnion and hypolimnion) and affects oxygen distribution, nutrient cycling, and biological activity.

In soil science and geology, restratification may refer to the re-establishment of layered structure after disturbance, such as deposition, weathering, or bioturbation, resulting in renewed stratification of mineral and organic matter. It can influence soil horizons, sediment coloration, and geochemical gradients.

In social science and economics, restratification denotes the re-emergence or intensification of social or economic divisions following policies, shocks, or changes that temporarily reduced stratification. It describes how class, income, or access to resources can become stratified again, with implications for inequality and mobility analyses.

Because restratification is used in several fields with field-specific meanings, exact definitions vary by context. The common thread is the re-formation of a layered structure after a period of mixing or leveling.