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

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

Cliff Trail, weathered Jamesville Limestone along fence.

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).

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.

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

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.

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.