2. Introduction
Located west of Las Vegas, Red Rock
Canyon, Calico Hills was my field
location. Went on a hike about a week
ago with my roommate. I will show you
the types of rocks, rock formation, and
vegetation I came across on the hike. I
will also give some background
information on where and how they got
there. All the pictures, with the exception
of maps in this presentation were taking
by me during the hike.
Map of Red Rock
Canyon. Circled area
was location of hike.
3. History of Red Rock Canyon
Red rock today is not as it was 14 million years ago. Instead a
sea covered the area from southern Nevada all the way the
Colorado Plateau. Overtime the sea receded. The earth’s crust
pushed upward forming mountains, volcanic activity , basin
sediments, and fault activity have re-shaped the region. Animals
who once roamed the earth specifically during the late
Paleozoic have been found fossilized in the sediments that
overtime have taken shape. Animals such as three-toed horses,
saber-toothed cats, ancestral skunks , and shrews. As Red rock
took its shape today it has been formed by several cross beds,
formed by the sand that was left from the sea floor, there is
also many sandstone formations.
4. Creosote Bush
View:
As I walked up to the creosote bush it gave me an aromatic smell similar to a
sage, and piney smell,. It is to be said the plant is aromatic after a rain fall. I
noticed the furry little seeds ad the bush hadn’t yet flourished.The branches
were spotted with black spots.
Evolution:
For Millions of years the creosote has thrived throughWestern North
American Desserts. Part of the caltrop family the plants inability to grow
based off of its needs, this plant has survived through it all. There is no
certain change to is evolution.The plant solely adjust to its own needs. The
plant only photosynthesizes in the mornings, when humidity is high.The
plant also only faces the way the sun comes up in order to absorb the
morning sun.This helps the plant save water in order to keep it alive. The
plants fertility also benefits smaller dessert animals as they live underneath
the bush.This also benefits the plant by creating rich soil.
Now:
Today the plant continues to thrive in dessert areas. Its abilities to adjust to
dry environments keeps it well alive, and plentiful.
5. Mojave Yucca
View:
Many were spotted during this hike, some well, and thriving others
not so much. It looks almost similar to a palm tree, the leaves
though similar to an aloe plant. And several string like strands hung
off the leaf.
Evolution:
The MojaveYucca is believed to have coevolved from the Joshua
tree. It grows slowly and can live hundreds of years. Its ability to
grow in gravel, mesas, and dry dessert conditions have let the
Yucca thrive through dry climatic areas. It can grow in areas where
little rain falls.The plant after it dies can regrow form the same root
when killed by a fire.The only flaw to the plant evolution is that
since its time, it only relies on the pollination of theYucca moth. If
the moth ever becomes extinct, theYucca will die off, because it is
unable to be pollenated by any other insect.
Now:
TheYucca continues to thrive in dry areas, mainly in western
America. It Evolution from the Joshua tree has been the only
evolution to where it is today.
6. Pancake Prickly Pear
View:
At first glance I saw a cactus like plant. Has many long yellow
thorns covering every square inch.Very short and widespread
throughout.
Evolution:
Many species of cacti have evolved overtime. Leaves on cacti
have been discarded to stop consuming so much water.They
have lived in dry, dessert areas.The pancake prickly pear
cactus has evolved in time because of where they live. Due to
little rain fall in dry areas has evolved to store water in itself,
and use it appropriately.
7. Igneous Rock; Basalt
This dark spotty rock possibly had other smaller sediments
that over time came off. Supper rough and coarse rock.When
hit with water the rock was a dark gray like color. My
conclusion to the rock being igneous was that there was said
to be volcanic flow through this valley , now canyon like,
overtime the rock could have eroded away from the rock
whom intruded the rock.
8. Sedimentary; Sandstone
As I examine these huge boulders I can
tell it has gone through many erosions
lines, and many layers. the boulders
were smooth like sand and layered.
Overtime the sand that was once there
with erosion and lots and lots of
deposits the boulder was created to
have been a san-like boulder. In the
picture labeled A you can se erosion
has occurs there also in Z there has
been and event of erosion. You can
also see a fault has occurred in D.
A
z
D
9. Sedimentary; Sandstone
Many boulders were seen on this hike
but this one stood out to me the most
because there were so many
occurrences in this boulder itself. You
can see the angular unconformities
labeled A,B,N. the layering of the
rocks also have been cause to events,
such as lava flows erosion and such. In
this boulder you can see the law of
superposition, which is basically
stating what was deposited first, an it
is clear here due to the many layers
presented. In this picture we can tell B
was the first to deposited, then A, F,N.
Bbeing th youngest because it is at the
bottom and was deposited first, and
the top layer is the youngest that was
deposited.
A
B
N
F
10. Resources
About Red Rock Canyon. (2010, February 28). from
https://nhm.org/site/research-collections/vertebrate-paleontology/red-rock-
canyon/about-red-rock-canyon
(n.d.). from
http://www.birdandhike.com/Hike/Red_Rocks/Calico_Hills/_CH.htm
Mojave Yucca. (n.d.).from http://mojavedesert.net/plants/shrubs/yucca-
schidigera.html
(n.d.). from
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/pancake_prickly_pear_cactus.htm
