1. 2 Introduction to Mississippi Named after the Mississippi River Located in the southeastern...

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Introduction to MississippiIntroduction to Mississippi

Named after the Mississippi RiverNamed after the Mississippi River Located in the southeastern part of the U.S. Located in the southeastern part of the U.S. Bordered by Tennessee (N), Alabama (E), Bordered by Tennessee (N), Alabama (E),

Mississippi River (W), and Gulf of Mexico (S)Mississippi River (W), and Gulf of Mexico (S) 3232ndnd largest state (47,695 square miles) largest state (47,695 square miles) Highest Elevation- Woodall Mountain, 806 ftHighest Elevation- Woodall Mountain, 806 ft Lowest Elevation- Coast, sea levelLowest Elevation- Coast, sea level

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Fossils of MississippiFossils of Mississippi

Zygorhiza Zygorhiza kochii kochii (Prehistoric Whale)(Prehistoric Whale)––Mississippi State FossilMississippi State Fossil

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Myliobatis (Eagle Rays) Myliobatis (Eagle Rays)

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Basilosaurus cetoides (Prehistoric Whale)Basilosaurus cetoides (Prehistoric Whale)

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Carcharodon auriculatus (giant shark)Carcharodon auriculatus (giant shark)

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Mastodon (Wooly Mammoth) Mastodon (Wooly Mammoth)

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Mississippi State StoneMississippi State Stone

Petrified WoodPetrified Wood Best known site is the Best known site is the

Mississippi Petrified Mississippi Petrified Forest, in Flora Forest, in Flora MississippiMississippi

The Mississippi The Mississippi Petrified Forest is the Petrified Forest is the only Petrified Forest in only Petrified Forest in the eastern United the eastern United States States

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How Does Wood Become How Does Wood Become Petrified?Petrified?

Need plenty of wood near a water sourceNeed plenty of wood near a water source

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2nd Step to Petrification 2nd Step to Petrification Trees must be knocked over near water Trees must be knocked over near water source. Most of the time this is caused by a source. Most of the time this is caused by a volcanic eruptionvolcanic eruption

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33rdrd Step to Petrification Step to Petrification

Wood is saturated with waterWood is saturated with water

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44thth Step to Petrification Step to Petrification Wood is buried by mud, silt or ash Wood is buried by mud, silt or ash This fairly rapid burial allows the process of This fairly rapid burial allows the process of

permineralization to beginpermineralization to begin

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Permineralization BeginsPermineralization Begins Minerals and elements enter the wood from Minerals and elements enter the wood from

water and fill in the "pores". This is what causes water and fill in the "pores". This is what causes the wood to become petrified. When all the the wood to become petrified. When all the pores of the wood have been filled, the color pores of the wood have been filled, the color can change.can change.

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Petrified Wood is ExposedPetrified Wood is Exposed The wood begins to be exposed on the surface The wood begins to be exposed on the surface

due to weathering (rain). Because the "pores" due to weathering (rain). Because the "pores" of the wood have been filled with minerals, it of the wood have been filled with minerals, it has become resistant to weathering and rotting, has become resistant to weathering and rotting, allowing it to stand on the surface virtually allowing it to stand on the surface virtually undisturbed. undisturbed.

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Wood is Exposed on the SurfaceWood is Exposed on the Surface Now it is considered a fossil and a rock, Now it is considered a fossil and a rock,

because of it’s mineralized state. because of it’s mineralized state.

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Landforms of MississippiLandforms of Mississippi

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2 Main Land Regions in Mississippi 2 Main Land Regions in Mississippi

Mississippi Valley Alluvial PlainMississippi Valley Alluvial Plain Coastal Plain Coastal Plain

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Mississippi Valley Alluvial PlainMississippi Valley Alluvial Plain Known as the DeltaKnown as the Delta Covers the entire Covers the entire

western edge of MSwestern edge of MS Enriched with silt Enriched with silt

deposits from the deposits from the Mississippi River Mississippi River floodsfloods

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Coastal PlainCoastal Plain

Extends over all the State east of the DeltaExtends over all the State east of the Delta Composed mainly of low, rolling forested Composed mainly of low, rolling forested

hills, prairies and lowlandshills, prairies and lowlands

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Loess HillsLoess Hills

Composed of windblown Composed of windblown deposits of clay sized deposits of clay sized materialmaterial

Loess can be seen in Loess can be seen in Vicksburg along I-20Vicksburg along I-20

Many fossils can be Many fossils can be found in these depositsfound in these deposits

Loess cliffs can maintain Loess cliffs can maintain vertical cliffs unlike most vertical cliffs unlike most other sediment.other sediment.

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Tennessee River HillsTennessee River Hills

Located in the northeast part of the stateLocated in the northeast part of the state Foothills of the Appalachian MountainsFoothills of the Appalachian Mountains Highest point in Mississippi located here (Woodall Highest point in Mississippi located here (Woodall

Mountain 806 feet)Mountain 806 feet)

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Pine HillsPine Hills

Often called Piney WoodsOften called Piney Woods Located in the southeastern part of the Located in the southeastern part of the

statestate

ClarkcoState Park

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Black Belt or Backland PrairiesBlack Belt or Backland Prairies

Called this because their soils are largely Called this because their soils are largely black in color. black in color.

Long narrow prairie lies in the northeast Long narrow prairie lies in the northeast section of the statesection of the state

Black belt run through 11 countiesBlack belt run through 11 counties

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Flatlands (Coastal Areas)Flatlands (Coastal Areas)

Along the Mississippi SoundAlong the Mississippi Sound The coast line (beaches)The coast line (beaches) Barrier Islands Barrier Islands

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Mississippi RiverMississippi River

Longest River in North America (2,350 Longest River in North America (2,350 miles long)miles long)

Mississippi-Missouri River is the 4Mississippi-Missouri River is the 4thth longest in the worldlongest in the world

River basin, or watershed, is the third River basin, or watershed, is the third largest in the world largest in the world

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Drainage Basin for 31 states and 2 Drainage Basin for 31 states and 2 Canadian provincesCanadian provinces

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Mississippi River is Divided into 2 Mississippi River is Divided into 2 PartsParts

Headwaters / Upper Headwaters / Upper


Lower Mississippi Lower Mississippi RiverRiver

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Meandering River SystemMeandering River System

Point Bar

Cut BankFloodplain

Main Channel

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Mississippi GeologyMississippi Geology Geology becomesprogressively youngermoving from East toWest across state andinto Delta region

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Mississippi GeologyMississippi Geology Continental Glaciation approximately 10,000

years ago during the Pleistocene has shaped

most of Mississippi’s physical terrain as we know

it today Glaciers during the Pleistocene created and shaped

the whole upper part of the Mississippi River!

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Jackson VolcanoJackson Volcano

Extinct volcanoExtinct volcano 2,900 Feet Below Jackson2,900 Feet Below Jackson Peak of volcano is below the coliseum off Peak of volcano is below the coliseum off

I-55I-55 No other capital city or major population No other capital city or major population

center is located above an extinct volcanocenter is located above an extinct volcano

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The EndThe End

1. 2 Introduction to Mississippi Named after the Mississippi River Located in the southeastern...

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