The Petrified Forest National Park, Central Arizona - Essay Example

The Arizona Forest Order No: 192484 No: of pages: 6 Premium – 6530 The world’s largest most fascinating and most colorful expanse of scenic beauty is the Petrified Forest National Park in Central Arizona. Its breathtaking multi-hued expanse of the Painted Desert with its interesting archaeological sites, ancient historical structures and its precious display of fossils as old as 225 years is a Paradise for any enthusiastic tourist or researcher. Its fascinating Plant and Animal life proves to be a fascinating science that is continuously explored by all science lovers. It is known to be the world’s largest concentration of petrified wood found in the forest. Animal and Plant Life in the Petrified Forest: This forest is rich in both Flora and Fauna. The animal life includes mammals, amphibians, birds and reptiles. Most of the animals are nocturnal (active at night) but the other animals are “diurnal” (active during the day) The seasons and weather play a major role in determining the activities of these animals. Activity changes according to the seasons. Some of the animals are "Crepuscular" in nature and therefore venture out at dawn and dusk because they cannot withstand the high temperatures during the summer time and they also avoid other predators. Plants add to the scenic beauty of the Petrified forests, though much of them have become fossils. Besides being a haven for the animals plants help to change the carbon – di – oxide in the air into oxygen and filter harmful gas pollutants. They also supply a rich source of raw material for human consumption. Most of the plants have to adapt themselves to the arid climate of the forest. Most of them are annuals and thrive well during the rainy season. Fossils: Fossils are the echoes of an ancient but glorious past. It has a rich heritage of both flora and fauna. In addition to the surrounding rocks, the fossils narrate tales of the ancient ecosystem. Fossils date back to the Late Triassic period which goes back as far as 200 million years ago. This Triassic Period is often referred to as the "Dawn of the Dinosaurs" that depicts a time before the Jurassic Period when dinosaurs walked the Earth. Some fossils are so huge and measure about 190 feet in length whereas some of them are as small as a single tooth not more than an inch long. Every piece of fossil that is found is very important as it is like a piece in a jigsaw puzzle. Fossils are studied by researchers to find out more of the ecosystems of the past. Streams: The Petrified Forest was endowed with a complex system of streams which was the home of numerous fish which included fresh water sharks. Streams were fed mostly during the rainy season or when the snow melted. At other times especially during the summer, most of the water bodies dried up due to the intense temperature in the forest. Trees and ferns grew densely along the waterways and provided food and shelter to the animals. Though these forests are located near the Equator where the temperatures are very high, yet it possesses the largest river system on the Earth. Weathering: Weathering is the breaking down or disintegration of the rocks near the surface of the Earth. There are two types of weathering which include Mechanical weathering where the rocks expand and contract and finally break up into smaller and smaller pieces by the action of heat and cold. The other kind of weathering is Chemical weathering where water combines with certain other elements such as carbon – di – oxide to form carbonic acid which gradually dissolves the rocks through chemical action. Sedimentary Rocks: The materials brought down by the action of erosion and deposited in streams, lakes, rivers and oceans form sedimentary rocks. These materials are deposited in layers and gets fused or cemented over long periods to form sedimentary rocks. These layers are the prime characteristic feature of sedimentary rocks. Each of these layers denotes and records the condition of the ecosystem at that particular time. Each layer called strata is separated by what are called bedding planes. Examples of sedimentary rocks are Sandstone, Limestone and Shale. Sub- topics Petrified Wood: The wood found in the National Park and its surrounding regions is composed of solid quartz. Every piece looks like a giant crystal that sparkles in the sunlight as if dipped in glitter. The rainbow like colors seen is due to the impurities in the quartz which include carbon, manganese and iron. Minerals thrown up from volcanic ash that includes silica got deposited and absorbed by the porous wood and crystallized to form huge jewel-like crystals of quartz, yellow citrine and purple amethyst. Depositions: The Petrified Forest National Park with its beautiful streams and rivulets were continuously deposited with brilliantly colored sandstone and mudstone. The Painted Desert area was deposited with much younger sediments than the Blue Mesa and Rainbow Forest areas of the Park. Transportation: Preserving its resources is the primary aim of the National Park because it caters to thousands of visitors each year who come to experience the Parks natural beauty and cultural heritage. Many parks experience congestion of traffic which often results in poor experiences for the avid visitor. To alleviate this problem, visitor transit systems have been introduced. These systems not only protect the park’s resources but it also enhances the visitor’s experience making it an enjoyable one. There are currently over 8,055 miles of roads and parkways, 1,252 bridges, 60 tunnels and state – of – the – art parking facilities. Erosion: Erosion is the wearing away of rocks and soil and other materials which is carried by water, wind or ice. The deposits due to mechanical and chemical weathering form the material for sedimentary rocks. The debris that is carried down eventually is deposited in rivers, lakes and seas, river valleys and oceans. Sand grains get deposited to form sandstone. The cementing of shells and bones of animals form limestone and silt and mud constitutes shale. Geological Sites: Due to the features of the landscape and its geological rich heritage, the Petrified Forest attracts both tourists and researchers from all over the world. It is not only a wonderful tourist center but also serves as a hub for scientific and educational study and research. The geological sites within the park help to raise public awareness of the protection and preservation of the park. The first Greek Geopark in the Petrified Forest is called the “Lesvos” which has walking trails that serve to link the geomorphological and geological sites. These sites have become tourist attractions as visitors are introduced to many of the natural processes that take place in the forest. Geological Time Scale: This time scale is used for understanding the age of the ecosystems that prevailed and for gauging the age of the rocks and fossils in the Petrified Forests. This time scale is categorised into Eon, Era, Period, Sub- period, Epoch and Ma* (10 to the power of 6 which is a million years. In the Cenozoic era we have the Neogene and the Paleogene periods, in the Mesozoic era we have the Cretaceous Jurassic Triassic Triassic period and in the Paleozoic era we have Devonian Silurian Ordovician and the Cambrian periods. Preservation: The Petrified Forests work under a strong management plan for the preservation of all its natural reserves. Authorities see to it that visitors don’t disturb the natural settings. Long before people were allowed to extract minerals such as iron, manganese etc…but now it is strictly forbidden. The staff at the park enforce strict laws against theft and violation using fines and arrests. Paleobotany: One of the branches of Botany is what is known as Paleobotany which deals with plants that have been fossilized. In order for a tree to become petrified, it has to be preserved against decay. This is possible only if it is in an anaerobic environment. (oxygen free environment) such as being buried at the bottom of a lake or in a silt laden river or covered in volcanic deposits. Ancient Beliefs: In ancient times the Native Americans had weird beliefs as to the origin of the petrified logs of wood. The Paiute tribe natives believed that these huge giant sized petrifications were arrow shafts and spears shot by Shinauav the Thunder God and his enemies during a war. The natives of the Navajo tribe were of the opinion that these logs were the bones of Yeitso, the giant monster. Minerals: The Petrified forests are rich in minerals. The most common mineral is Quartz (silicon dioxide) Then there are Iron ores – limonate and Hematite are present in large quantities. The hydrated Calcium sulfate Selenite which is in the form of crystalline gypsum. Archeological Site surveys and Research: Scientific research and surveys in Archeology are on going processes. The surveys are used for identification and monitoring purposes in the Park. Research in botany on the mammals and amphibians in the park and also the endangered species is a continuous and regular process used to keep a check on the Flora and fauna in the Forest Region. Common Rock Types: The most common rock types are Sedimentary rocks consisting of mudstones, shale, siltstones, sandstone and conglomerates. The other common rock types are Igneous Rocks made up of Basalt. Park resources and Theft: Everything in the park such as the flora, fauna, archaeological artifacts, all the geological formations, the water bodies, petrified wood and even the air are referred to as resources. Even though stringent rules are levied like fines and arrests, still each year tons of petrified wood are stolen and taken away as souvenirs by the visitors who visit the park. The tourists also steal cultural artifacts such as shards of pottery and arrow heads. References: Petrified Forest National Park (U.S National Park Service) www.nps.gov/pefo/ Petrified Forest National Park/ Animals www.nps.gov/pefo/naturescience/animals.htm Assessment, protection and promotion of geomorphological sites. www.geomorphologie.revues.org/document398.html Earth science World Image Bank www.earthscienceworld.org/images/search/results.html?Keyword=Petrified%20Wood History and preservation www.nzlegacy.com/petrified_wood.htm Petrified Forest www.nps.gov/pefo/upload/AdvPetew.pdf Read More