Clark reservation field lab assignment
- 1. John Dzuba Professor Lawler Geo 104-001 December 11th, 2011 Clark Reservation Field Assignment Content Background Geological History Clark Reservation Geology Geological Features Rock Examples Animal Examples
- 2. Background In late September I visited Clark Reservation State Park with my Geology 104 class and hiked the cliff trail. Photos and rock examples are from the internet. Identification of rocks done by course and text information. Animals were identified by sight, and sound example photos from the internet. Site Location Near Jamesville, NY 13078 Entry from NY Route 173 Coordinates: Lattitude: 43.005845 Longitude:-76.117719
- 3. Cliff Trail, weathered Jamesville Limestone along fence.
- 4. Cataract Lake formed by a glacial waterfall ~10-15k y.a. Clark Reservation Geologic History The rocks of Clark Reservation formed in a shallow-to- deep sea about 400 million years ago in the Devonian. Regional uplift was followed by millions of years of erosion by wind, snow, rain and rivers which gradually shaped the land. A succession of glaciers in the last 2 million years have sculpted Central New York and Clark Reservation like much of North America. The most recent glacial period occurred approximately 10-15,000 years, finally melted away about 12,000 years ago. Green Lake a glacial Cataract Lake 180 feet below the cliffs. The lake is about 62 feet deep and it is fed by groundwater springs. Meltwaters flowing over limestone cliffs formed an acid which dissolved the weaker parts of the rocks. Water action enlarged the cracks to appear hummocky like a riverbed (see Cliff Trail photo).
- 5. Glacial meltwaters spread across the land, carrying boulders and other material which scraped away the land and formed ravines. The Long Ravine may have been formed by water flowing under the ice. Rock Examples Limestone- A sedimentary rock, various forms Onondaga Limestone younger higher layer and Jamesville Limestone lower illustrating Law of Superposition. The Onondaga limestone covering an irregular erosional surface illustrates a nonconformity with the younger layer the Onondaga limestone containing clasts from the underlying layer.
- 6. Shale- Much older sedimentary rock lower layer. Animal Examples Wild Turkey, MeleaigrisGallopovain their modern genus Meleagris evolved from the extinct genera Rhegminornis (early Miocene) and Proagriocharis (late
- 7. Miocene/early Pliocene) now much larger birds within the modern genus Meleagris there are a considerable number of species. Brown Bullhead, AmeiurusNebulosus. A fish of the Ictaluridae family a species of Blue Catfish. Like other catfishes over the course of its evolution it has evolved “whiskers” to enable it to sense prey and food in dark muddy water. Gray Squirrel, SciurusCarolinensis evolution has allowed the squirrel to reproduce prolifically and an ability to adapt to many environments.
- 8. References http://nysparks.com/parks/126/details.aspxCover Photo of Clark Reservation. http://cnyhiking.com/NYSP-ClarkReservation.htm Cliff Trail and Green lake photos. http://en.wikipedia.org Animal Photos and information. www.geology.com Rock photos and information. Clark Reservation Lab notes: Professor Lawler for Clark Reservation Geologic History.