Bedforms are features on the sediment surface, while sedimentary structures are the features within the sediment and they are usually preserved in the rock record. During sediment transportation, a range of distinctive shapes form on the sediment surface (bedforms) and continued transport and deposition might lead to the preservation of them (sedimentary structures).
Examples of sedimentary structures include cross bedding, graded bedding and ripple marks. In stratigraphic studies, sedimentary structures could indicate the original layering order of strata and understand the depositional environment.
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Ripple marks in a siltstone (Carmel Formation, Middle Jurassic, near Gunlock, Utah). Courtesy Wikipedia
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Current ripple preserved in sandstone of the Moenkopi Formation, Capitol Reef National Park, Utah, USA. Courtesy Wikipedia
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