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following the course of the soil layers

English translation: 'Course' is correct

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
English term or phrase:following the course of the soil layers
Selected answer:'Course' is correct
Entered by: Anton Baer

03:23 May 15, 2007
English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Geology
English term or phrase: following the course of the soil layers
At the multiple bends of the river, the banks are undercut, mostly revealing a sand-and-clay composition. The upper layer looks darker, almost like fertile soil, while closer to the water’s edge strips of gravel can be seen. The intermediate portion seems particularly suitable for bank swallows. The numerous entrances to their burrows stretch along the bank in a sinuous line following the course of the soil layers.

Dear native English speakers!
Please advise on the phrase. Does it sound natural enough, is the idea clear? I'm not really sure that 'course' is the right word here, but I can't come up with anything better. '...Following the STRUCTURE of soil layers', probably?
Andrew Vdovin
Local time: 03:05
Correct
Explanation:
'Course' is better indeed; a soil layer will rise and dip, and the swallows are staying with that layer because it is most suitable to peck their holes in... 'Course' is analogous with the course of a river or stream, and fits well with the 'flow' of the layer.
Selected response from:

Anton Baer
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:05
Grading comment
Thank you for your help Heinrich!
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED
4 +5Correct
Anton Baer
4following the storied layers of different soils
Tae Kim


  

Answers


4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
Correct


Explanation:
'Course' is better indeed; a soil layer will rise and dip, and the swallows are staying with that layer because it is most suitable to peck their holes in... 'Course' is analogous with the course of a river or stream, and fits well with the 'flow' of the layer.

Anton Baer
United Kingdom
Local time: 21:05
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thank you for your help Heinrich!

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Jack Doughty
2 mins
  -> Thank you
agree  swisstell: plus perhaps "meandering" instead of "sineous"
6 mins
  -> Thank you -- not sure though about 'meandering'; the variation in rise and fall probably isn't that great...
agree  airmailrpl: -
3 hrs
agree  Ken Cox
4 hrs
agree  Vicky Papaprodromou
4 hrs
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8 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
following the storied layers of different soils


Explanation:
storied layers sound a bit better than course

Tae Kim
United States
Local time: 13:05
Native speaker of: Native in KoreanKorean
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