Geology 3Field Assignment

Exploring and Learning Nature

By: Laura Lopez

• Oakhurst is part of the Sierra Nevada Foothills

• Oakhurst is the Gateway to the most beautiful park in the world Yosemite

• Oakhurst, Ca is part of Madera County as well as the Sierra Nevada region.

• Oakhurst is formerly known as Fresno Flats (Oakhurst History, 2000)

Oakhurst, Ca

*My mother-in-law in Lake Tahoe 2010

• Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake. It is located between California and Nevada.

• Snow falls from November and April and with some rain causing snow to melt; This causes massive floods.

• There are many pine trees. These in the background seem to be Lodgepole Pine.

• It drains into Nevada’s Great Basin via the Truckee River (Peters, 2004)

Lake Tahoe

How has it changed? • Made up of mostly Quaternary sediments and granite rocks. (Geologic map)

• Rocks older than 600 million years are rare in California.

• The oldest rocks, which are more than 1,000 million years old, are located in the eastern deserts and the eastern Transverse Ranges (San Bernardino and San Gabriel Mountains). (Williams, 2008)

• With the erosions so powerful it propelled sediment into the valley which then became thousands of feet thick (Geology Overview, 2006)

• Trees here at Oakhurst have been around for many years.

• Trees you see are: Oak, Pine and many plants Ex: bushes, flowers, etc

• These trees are located all around the Oakhurst area

• In the winter there are covered with snow and change color with the changing seasons

• Trees have been called the structural elements of the ecosystem

• They are very tall and big all around, some reach 250 and 300 feet tall

• They have existed longer than we have. For thousands of years, trees have grown.

• It is important that the trees retain their needles through the winter. So they can immediately begin photosynthesis once spring returns. (Plants, 2011)

*One of the oldest trees in California from the Giant Sequoias (Alex, 2007)

How has it changed?

Lake Tahoe Animals Lake Tahoe is home to a wide variety of animals. Animals that live in the forest, on ground or in the water. I didn’t get to see any animals while in Lake Tahoe. In addition, I did some research (Keep Tahoe Blue, 2011) and I learned about some of the animals that roam around Lake Tahoe. Therefore, when visiting this wonderful place, you just might encounter an animal or two.

Black Bear

Mountain Whitefish

Willow Flycatcher

Pika

*Pictures from KeepTahoeBlue.com

Animals I Encountered in Oakhurst

As I took a walk into the woods in Oakhurst. I did come across a paw print though I am not too sure what animal it may be. Lion came in mind and I was a bit terrified so I had to leave. Moreover, I went to another location about 10 miles away I seen a deer walking across the dirt road it’s a far away picture I didn’t want to get too close and scare it away. Though I was a bit scared and even though I didn’t see a mountain lion I am glad that I got to take a picture. In the state of California there are many animals and plants. From different birds, fishes, bears to trees, plants, etc.

*Brown deer possibly looking for food.-Deer live about 9 to 11 years.

*Big paw print

*Pictures while on a nature walk in Oakhurst

Mountains outside of Oakhurst

Many mountains are made up of volcanic activity. Or simply by the Earth’s crusts. Mountains consist of sedimentary rocks. Snow and rain don’t change the appearance of these mountains. Also, this mountain seem to be a glacial. You can see a bit of snow on top.

How has it changed?

•Mountains are formed is when magma from beneath the Earth’s surface is pushed up, but doesn’t actually crack through (Cain, 2009). Then it will harden like a granite rock.

•Another way mountains are formed is along fault lines. Blocks of Earth are uplifted and tilted over as two plates grind together. The uplifted part forms a mountain, and the lowered parts are filled in with eroded material. An example of this is the Sierra Nevada mountain range in California. (Cain, 2009)

• Means fire-formed

• Formed from the solidification of molten rock material

• It can be weathered and broken down to form sediment

• Most igneous rocks contain quartz and will be granite

Igneous rocks

*Two top rocks from my house which I found in the outskirts of Firebaugh, Ca. *Bottom rock found on the side of the road on Hwy 152

Sedimentary Rocks

There are three basic types:

• Clastic sedimentary rocks- sandstone and shale

• Chemical sedimentary rocks- rock salt and some limestones

• Organic sedimentary rocks- such as coal and some limestones which form from the accumulation of plant or animal debris.

*Top photo was taken in Oakhurst*Bottom photo found on Hwy 152

Metamorphoric Rocks

• Modified by heat, pressure and chemical process usually while buried deep below Earth's surface

• There are foliated and non-foliated rocks

• Foliated consists of slate, gneiss, etc which consists of layered that is produced and exposed to heat and directed pressure

• Non-foliated consists of quartzite and marble that don’t have a layers

Granite

-----------

Quartzite

Slate

DisconformityAngular

Non Conformity

where horizontally parallel strata of sedimentary rock are deposited on tilted and eroded layers, producing an angular discordance with the overlying horizontal layers.

*Definitions from Wikipedia, 2011

between parallel layers of sedimentary rocks which represents a period of erosion or non-deposition

exists between sedimentary rocks and metamorphic or igneous rocks when the sedimentary rock lies above and was deposited on the pre-existing and eroded metamorphic or igneous rock.

HumansHomo Sapiens

That’s Me

• Population is about 18,000 excluding visitors. (Oakhurst History, 2000)

• Residents and visitors/tourists keep this town as well as the foothills clean. They do not harm any of the plants and animals.

• Everything and everyone are affected by air. Humans create pollution that can harm all living things and can affect the mountains as well. We must take care of our environment.

HumansHow has it changed?

There have been many people who wondered the now Oakhurst, Ca. Mi Wok, Mono and Chukchansi people graciously lived and flourished, surrounded by the breathtaking scenery of the rolling Sierra Foothills peppered with oak and pine trees. (Oakhurst History, 2000) Miwok once relied on its 135 acres of meadows, mixed pine forest and oak woodlands to furnish materials for shelter, tools and food (Maurer). However, many settlers (white folks) in 1850 came to the Indian land and wanted raise their children, farm and to seek for gold.

MiWok Indian Chief

Captain John (Shibana or Poko-Tucket “Horse Eater”),

Mono Paiute

Chukchansi Yokut Chief

References• Alex. (2007, March). Retrieved November 1, 2011. from 10 Most Magnificent Trees in the World. Website:

http://www.neatorama.com/2007/03/21/10-most-magnificent-trees-in-the-world/ • Animals & Plants. (2011). Retrieved November 1, 2011. from http://keeptahoeblue.org/abouttahoe/animals-plants • Barrow, Mandy. (2011). Retrieved November 1, 2011 from The Mountain Environment. Website:

http://primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/mountains/types.htm • Cain, Fraser. (2009, April). Retrieved November 1, 2011 from How Mountains are formed. Website:

http://www.universetoday.com/29833/how-mountains-are-formed/ • Images. From www.google.com• Maurer, Debi D. Retrieved November 1, 2011. from Native Americans: Chaw-Se: Honoring the Californians

Who Were Here First. Website: http://www.sierrafoothillmagazine.com/natives.html • Native Languages. (1998-2011) Retrieved November 1, 2011. from

http://www.native-languages.org/languages.htm • Oakhurst History. (2000). Retrieved November 1, 2011from Oakhurst History travel through time…on Hwy 49. Website: http://www.historichwy49.com/oakhurst/oakhist.html• Peters, G. L. (2004). California. Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall/Hunt Publishing.• Plants. (2011, July). Retrieved November 1, 2011. from

http://users.rcn.com/jkimball.ma.ultranet/BiologyPages/P/Plants.html#Gymnosperms• Short, Nicholas M. Retrieved November 1, 2011. from Geologic Map of California. Website:

http://rst.gsfc.nasa.gov/Sect6/Sect6_9.html• Vartan, Starre. (2011, February).Retrieved November 1, 2011 from Mother nature Network. Website:

http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/stories/more-trees-than-there-were-100- years-ago-its-true • Wikipedia. (2011). Retrieved November 1, 2011. from Sierra Nevada U.S. & Unconformity Website:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sierra_Nevada_(U.S.) & http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unconformity• Williams, M. (2008) California Geologic History. Retrieved November1, 2011. From University of Colorado.

Website:snobear.­colorado.­edu/­Markw/­Mountains/­08/­CaliforniaMtns/­California_geolo­ gic_history.­pdf