STUDY GUIDE FOR EXAM 2:

GEOLOGY OF NATIONAL PARKS

Locate approximately the major physiographic provinces on either an outline (states delineated) or physiographic map of the U.S.

Locate on an outline map all of the parks we have studied prior to the exam.

Describe the geologic and geomorphic characteristics of the physiographic provinces we have studied through Tape 18 (end of Colorado Plateau).

Discuss the geologic history of the following regions (include the evidence for and sequence of geologic events, approximate timing, tectonic significance, etc):

• Superior Uplands emphasizing Voyageur to Isle Royal National Parks.

• New England Province emphasizing Acadia National Park

• Appalachians emphasizing Shenandoah National Park

• Southern Appalachians emphasizing Great Smoky Mountains National Park

• Appalachian Plateau emphasizing Mammoth Cave National Park

• Great Plains/Basin & Range, i.e. Carlsbad Caverns and Guadalupe Mountains

• Colorado Plateau emphasizing Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, Arches

Origin, timing, and evidence of the Taconic, Acadian, and Alleghenian Orogenys.

Evidence for different orogenic events affecting the Colorado Plateau

Compare and contrast different parks (i.e. what do they have in common and how are they different). Examples might include:

Voyager vs. Isle Royale

Shenandoah vs. Great Smoky Mountains

Mammoth Cave vs. Carlsbad Caverns

Zion vs. Bryce

Canyonlands vs. Arches

Know the Geologic Time Scale as simplified below. Be able to place the geologic events recorded in the National Parks on the time scale below. I will only emphasize that portion of the time scale discussed in the context of the parks studied prior to the exam.

SIMPLIFIED GEOLOGIC TIME SCALE

EON Era Period

--------------------------------------------------------------- present

Cenozoic Quaternary

Tertiary

----------------------------------- 66.4 MY

Cretaceous

Mesozoic Jurassic

Triassic

----------------------------------- 245 MY

PHANEROZOIC Permian

Pennsylvanian

Mississippian

Paleozoic Devonian

Silurian

Ordovician

Cambrian

--------------------------------------------------------------- 545 MY

Z

----------------------------------- 900 MY

PROTEROZOIC Y

----------------------------------- 1600 MY

X

--------------------------------------------------------------- 2500 MY

ARCHEAN

--------------------------------------------------------------- 4000 MY

HADEAN

----------------------beginning of the earth---------------- 4600 MY