Kyle Howard Martha Flores Jonathon Blackmore Dykinga, J. (Photographer). (n.d.). 125 years of grand canyon photography. [Print Photo]. Retrieved from Canyon/slideshow/pages/JackDykinga- ToroweapOverlook_jpg.htm

How did the Grand Canyon form?  The grand canyon was formed over 5-6 million years of erosion.  The Colorado river eroded the land to form the grand canyon. Yglesias, M. (Photographer). (2011). Grand canyon. [Web Photo]. Retrieved from ainst-uranium-mining-in-the-grand-canyon/

Contributing factors  The Colorado plateau has undergone many rapid uplifts. The Colorado river rose about 5,000 to 10,000.This contributed to stream gradients becoming steep leading to heavier erosion  As the rocky mountains increased in elevation, perception increased, more runoff and melt water(glaciers) became available. It made streams gain volume and increase erosion.

Contributing factors etc.  The climate of the plateaus is dryer than the mountain climate. This lead to runoff being able to carve the land because dry soil is easier to erode.  The gulf of California lowered base level for the canyon region and caused stronger erosion forces.  The east-west canyon segment is asymmetrical and results from tilting during uplift processes. This leads to the North Rim receiving more moisture and more sediment falls off.

Layers of the Grand Canyon  The Grand Canyon is made up of many different layer of rocks that where deposited during the early Pre- Cambrian to Paleozoic Eras. The following mnemonic sentence provides an easy way to remember the primary rock layers (Paleozoic Era) in the Grand Canyon: o Know Kaibab Limestone o The Toroweap Formation o Canyon’s Coconino Sandstone o History, Hermit Shale o Study Supai Formation o Rocks Redwall Limestone o Made Muav Limestone o By Bright Angle Shale o Time Tapeats Sandstone

Layers of the Grand Canyon  Kaibab Limestone: About 250 million year old Is located at the top of the Kaibab and Coconino Plateaus Primarily composed of a sandy limestone with a layer of sandstone below it Color ranges from cream to a grayish- white Brachiopods, coral, mollusks, sea lilies, worms, and fish teeth fossil can be found here  Toroweap Formation: About 255 million years old Composed primarily of the same material as the Kaibab Limestone Color ranges from yellow to grey Contain similar fossil history as the Kaibab Limestone  Coconino Sandstone: Also referred to as the canyon’s “bathtub ring” About 260 million years old Composed of pure quartz sand, which are petrified sand dunes. Wedge- shaped cross bedding can be seen, evidence of traverse- type dunes Color ranges from white to cream colored. No skeletal fossil have yet to be found, but numerous invertebrate tracks and fossilized burrows do exist.

Layers of the Grand Canyon (con.)  Hermit Shale: About 265 million years old Composed of soft, easily eroded shale The color is mainly a deep, rust- colored red. Fossilized ferns, conifers and other plants, as well as fossilized tracks of reptiles and amphibians can be found in this layer.  Supai Formation: About 285 million years old Composed primarily of shale that is mixed with small amounts of limestone and capped by sandstone Color varies from red for the shale to tan for the sandstone cap Numerous fossils of amphibians, reptiles, and terrestrial plants exist in the eastern portion, but are replaced with marine fossils as you move westward.  Redwall Limestone: About 335 million years old Composed of marine limestone and dolomites Deep reddish color do to the iron oxides leaching out and staining its outward face Brachiopods, clams, snails, corals fish, and trilobites have been found in this layer Many caves and arches can also be seen in the Redwall Limestone

Layers of the Grand Canyon (con.)  Temple Butte Limestone: About 350 million years old Composed of freshwater limestone in the east and dolomite in the west Color ranges purplish in the eastern regions to grey or cream colored in the west Bony plates of freshwater fish can be found in the east and numerous marine fossils can be found in the west  Tonto Group: This layer consists of three mini layers: Muav Limestone: ○ About 515 million year old ○ Composed of limestone that is separated by beds of sandstone and shale ○ Grey in color ○ Not many fossils, a few trilobites and brachiopods.

Layers of the Grand Canyon (con.) Bright Angle Shale: ○ About 530 Million years old ○ Composed of mudstone shale that is interbedded with small amount of sandstone and sandy limestone ○ Color varies from green with some grey, brown, and tan ○ Fossilized marine animals can be found here, such as Trilobites and Brachiopods Tapeats Sandstone: ○ About 454 million years old ○ Composed of medium- grained and coarse- grained sandstone ○ Color is a dark brown ○ Contains fossils of trilobites, brachiopods, and trilobite trails.

Great Unconformity  This non-layer indicates an age in which no sediments can be found. It is indicative of a time when an advancing sea eroded away the sediments that should be here. (2012). The great unconformity - precambrian at the mouth of stone creek river mile 132. (2012). [Print Photo]. Retrieved from ord/stone creek. precambrian

Grand Canyon Wildlife and Climate  The large size, diverse habitats, different elevations, and climates.  The grand Canyon holds diverse amount of habitats except the alpine tundra.  The rims of the canyon have Montane Forests, the Mojave Desert is found in the western part of the Grand Canyon and the Sonoran Desert is found on the eastern part.  The park inhabits 225 bird species, 89 mammalian species and 56 amphibians and reptile species.

Climate  Since the elevations are so different in the grand canyon the climate varies depending on location. ○ The South Rim is 7,000 feet above sea level, meaning that it snows in the winter and has cool summer night. The inner canyon can reach temperature of 120 degrees F. ○ The North Rim is 8,000 feet above sea level so it is cool and can receive snow most of the year Rainwater, G. (Photographer). (2008). Snow in grand canyon national park. [Web Photo]. Retrieved from park/

Squirrels  Two species of squirrels inhabit the Grand Canyon.  The Abert squirrel lives in the South Rims. It is peppered gray with white under parts with narrow stripes that separate the colors. A dark brown is on the back.  The Kaibab squirrel lives in the North Rim. It has a black belly and a white tail.  These two squirrels were separated by the deep canyon and evolved differently over time.

Kaibab squirrel (North Rim) Aberts Squirrel (South rim) (n.d.). Abert's squirrel. [Print Photo]. Retrieved from Yglesias, L. (Photographer). (2009). Kalibab squirrel, grand canyon national park. [Print Photo]. Retrieved from og/?p=813

Bibliography  Animals - Grand Canyon National Park. (n.d.). U.S. National Park Service - Experience Your America. Retrieved April 17, 2012, from  Grand Canyon Rock Layers. (n.d.). Bob Ribokas - On-Line Photography Portfolio (BobsPixels.com). Retrieved April 17, 2012, from