Los Padres National Forest

Los Padres National ForestCalifornia

Heike JohnsonLake Tahoe Community College

Prepared on 9 June 2016, for Geology 103, taught byProfessor Mark Lawler

(Los Padres National Forest, by Heike Johnson, 2016)

Los Padres National Forest

General Information• Los Padres National Forest encompasses nearly two million acres in

the beautiful Coast and Transverse Mountain Ranges of central California

• The forest stretches across almost 220 miles north to south from the spectacular Big Sur coast in Monterey County to the western edge of Los Angeles County

• Elevations up to 8,800 feet from sea level

• In Monterey County, Los Padres National Forest extends through Big Sur, Ventana Wilderness, and the Santa Lucia Range

• Major ecosystems include chaparral (68% of the land area), oak woodland, mixed conifer, coast redwood, grassland, pinyon-juniper, semi-desert scrub and riparian

• Habitat of the California condor, about 500 species of fish and wildlife, as well as nearly 1200 endangered and sensitive plant species

(USDA Forest Service, 2016)

(Summit Post, 2015)



Geological Background• Los Padres National Forest is part of the California Coast Range• Formed by subduction of the Pacific plate beneath the western

border of North America • The coast ranges are folded and faulted and have created the ridges

and valleys characteristic of California• The Coast Range in relatively new, with a central core of granitic rocks

separated from Franciscan rocks by major faults 20 million years ago during early Miocene era

(See California, n.d.)• Tallest peak is Junipero Serra at 5862 ft. elevation• More than 15 peaks above 4000 ft. above sea level (Summit Post, 2015)• Santa Lucia Range is dominated by Mesozoic granitic and pre-

Cretaceous metamorphic rocks• Some Cretaceous sedimentary rock of the Great Valley Sequence• Considerable Miocene and Cenozoic marine sediments• Cretaceous intrusions composed of quartzo-feldspathic gneiss and

granofels, quartz biotite schists, marbles and amphibolites(SFSU, 2006)

Junipero Serra Peak, Elevation 5862 ft.

(Mission San Antonio, Fort Hunter Liggett, Dalmdad, 2012)


Principle of InclusionPrinciple of Inclusion:

• Used for relative dating• Inclusions or fragments of one rock within a layer of another are older than the rock

itself(Changing Earth, 2015, pg. 420)

• The principle inclusions also applies to xenoliths• A xenolith is a fragment of country rocks which has been broken off during an intrusion,

and has become surrounded by magma• The xenolith is older than the igneous rock which contains it(Mark Lawler, 2016, Lecture 1.2)


Inclusion

Inclusions



UnconformityUnconformity:

• Unconformities are gaps in the geologic record that may indicate episodes of crustal deformation, erosion, and sea level variations

• Older sediment strata has been tilted, truncated by erosion, and then a younger strata of sediments was deposited on this erosion surface

• Unconformities record major episodes of uplift, erosion and subsidence during the growth of the continents

(Indiana.edu, 2016)

Angular Unconformity:• Implies tectonic deformation and erosion of underlying strata • Characterized by an erosional surface which truncates folded,

dipping, or tilted strata• Overlying strata are deposited basically parallel with the erosion

surface• The rocks above and below the unconformity are at an angle to one

another(Mark Lawler, 2016, Lecture 1.2 )

(Taken on Del Venturi Road, Los Padres National Forest, by Heike Johnson, 2016)


Shale RockShale:• “Laminated” means that the rock is made up of many thin layers• “Fissile" means that the rock readily splits into thin pieces along the laminations(Geology, 2016)Monterey Shale Rock:• Formation that accumulated in deep structural basins during the mid-Miocene

period• Very young, only 6 million years old or less• Generated over millions of years by the conversion of tiny, dead marine organisms,

known as diatoms, into hydrocarbons• When these organisms died, they fell to the bottom of what was then an ocean

and decomposed• Remaining biological sludge was covered by layers of sand and silt• Depth of the sediments reached 10,000 feet• Pressure and heat transformed the organic compounds into crude oil• Monterey Shale Formation is younger, with more internal folding(Bay Nature, 2013)




Quartzite RockIn my opinion this is a Quartzite rock.Quartzite:• Non-foliated metamorphic rock composed almost entirely of quartz• It forms when a quartz-rich sandstone is altered by the heat, pressure,

and chemical activity of metamorphism• These conditions recrystallize the sand grains and the silica cement that

binds them together• The result is a network of interlocking quartz grains of incredible strength• The interlocking crystalline structure of quartzite makes it a hard, tough,

durable rock• Quartzite is usually white to gray in color• Quartzite forms during mountain-building events at convergent plate

boundaries• Quartzite is one of the most physically durable and chemically resistant

rocks found at Earth's surface(Geology, 2016)



Gneiss RockIn my opinion, this is a Gneiss rock.

Gneiss:

• Common rock in the California Coast Ranges

• Shows visible layers

• Metamorphic rock

(Geology Café, 2015)

• “Gneissic banding“ caused by segregation of different types of rock, typically light and dark silicates

• Gneissic foliated texture refers to the segregation of light and dark minerals

(HyperPhysics, 2012)

• Gneiss usually forms by regional metamorphism at convergent plate boundaries

• High-grade metamorphic rock in which mineral grains recrystallized under intense heat and pressure

• It is this banded appearance and texture - rather than composition - that define a gneiss

(Geology, 2016)



Gneissic banding


Tule ElkTule Elk:

• Cervus canadensis nannodes is one of two subspecies of native California elk

• Endemic to California, meaning they are found only here

(National Park Service, 2016)• A fully matured bull (or stag) will weigh 700 pounds

• Only males have widely spread antlers, averaging four to six points on each

• Grazes on grassy areas and browses on leaves and twigs• Healthy adult can run as fast as 35 mph

(Oakland Zoo, 1991)

Evolution:

• Megaloceros giganteus • Pleistocene-Modern (two million-10,000 years ago)

• Up to eight feet long and 1,500 pounds (!!!)

(About Dinosaurs, 2016)

(Tule Elk herd, Los Padres National Forest, by Heike Johnson, 2016)

(Megaloceros giganteus, AMNH, 2016)(Megaloceros giganteus,Dinopedia, 2016)

(Tule Elk, California State Parks, 2016)


Bald EagleBald Eagle:• Haliaeetus leucocephalus is a member of the sea and fish eagle group• Female is 35 to 37 inches, slightly larger than the male• Wingspan ranges from 72 to 90 inches• Bald eagles weigh from ten to fourteen pounds(Bald Eagle Info, 2016) • Carnivore• Weight: 6.5 to 14 lbs.• Bald eagles are believed to mate for life(National Geographic, 2016)Evolution:• First modern raptors appear in the fossil records from the Eocene epoch about 50 million years

ago• From this epoch also evolved the ancestral kites• Bald Eagle found fossil remains in La Brea tar pits date back over one million years ago(SFSU, 2006)• Archaeopteryx as a transitional fossil between dinosaurs and modern birds(Live Science, 2016)

(Bald Eagle, Los Padres National Forest, by Heike Johnson, 2016)

(Bald Eagles, Birds Gallery, 2011)

(Archaeopteryx, Its Nature, 2016)


California Ground SquirrelGround Squirrel:• Spermophilus beecheyi• Named after Frederick W. Beechey who explored much of Northern California in 1826• Found in plains, small meadows, tree-covered hillsides, rocky outcrops and granite

taluses• Diet is primarily seed-based, barley, oats, and acorns• Also known to eat eggs, insects, roots, nuts and fruit• Adults have a mix of gray, light brown and dusky fur• California Ground Squirrels can live up to 6 years in the wild(Nature Mapping Foundation, 2016)Evolution:• The earliest fossil evidence for squirrels was found in western North America and dated

to about 36 million years ago• Strong evidence that geological and climatic change influenced how their ancestors

evolved and spread over 36 million years from just one part of ancient North America to nearly all of today's world

(Duke Today, 2003)

(Ground Squirrel, Nature Mapping Foundation, 2016)

(Jurassic Squirrel, Life Science, 2013)


Valley Oak TreeValley Oak:• Quercus lobata• Large deciduous tree• Valley oak is endemic to California• Most impressive valley oak woodlands are seen in the

valleys of the Coast Ranges• Mature specimens may be up to 600 years old• Sturdy trunk may exceed 10 ft. in diameter• Height may surpass 100 ft.• Valley oak’s taproot can reach 60 ft. deepEvolution:• Angiosperms (flowering plants) arrived in the fossil record

as far back as 135 million years ago• First remains of an undeniably Quercus plant didn’t arrive

until approximately 40 to 56 million years ago(SFSU, 2016)


(Cretaceous period angiosperm, Boundless, 2013)

(Quercus Hispanica fossil, Living Fossils, n.d.)


Coulter Pine TreeCoulter Pine:• Pinus coulteri• Thomas Coulter "discovered" this species in the Santa Lucia Mountains in 1831• Native to California• Can grow up to 80 ft. in height, with trunk diameter about 1-3 ft.• Stiff, blue-green to grey-green needles about 10-12 inches long• Found on steep south facing slopes between elevations of 500-7,000 feet• Life span of Coulter Pine is moderate, most reach at least 100 years• Cones are the star of this tree: weighing in at up to 5 pounds each• Heaviest pine cones in the world• Growing to about 10 inches long(Trees for Me, 2016)Evolution:• 140-million-year-old pine tree fossil found in Canadian rock quarry• Oldest known dates back to the Cretaceous period(Science Mag, 2016)

(Coulter Pine, Conifers, 2015)

(Jurassic Wollemi Pine, Academia, 2016)(Coulter Pine cone, Wild Ventana, 2016)


Yellow Star ThistleYellow Star Thistle:• Centaurea solstitialis• Common in California below 6000 ft.• Blue/green annual that can reach 3-5 ft. in height• Spiny yellow flowers are located on the tips of spreading branches• Considered one of the worst rangeland weeds in California• Covers an estimated 10-12 million acres of the state• Depletes soil moisture, threatens native annual grasses• Reproduction: seeds, that germinate primarily in the fall• Up to 100,000 seeds produced by large plant • Seeds can persist in the soil for up to 3 years (Pit River Alliance, 2016)Evolution:• Part of the sunflower family Asteraceae• Fossil records suggest the family may have originated 30 million years ago• Some Asteraceae date back about 100 million years to the mid-Cretaceous

period (SFSU, 2003)



Yellow Star Thistle Infestation

(Asteraceae, 45 myo, Wired, 2010)


References 1 of 4• (2015, July 2). Retrieved from www.geologycafe.com/rocks/index.html• Archaeopteryx – Archaeopteryx lithographica - Dinosaurs. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.itsnature.org/rip/dinosaurs/archaeopteryx/• Bald Eagles, Bald Eagle Pictures, Bald Eagle Facts - National Geographic. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/bald-eagle/• Basgall, M. (2003, February 20). Squirrels' Evolutionary Family Tree Reveals Influence of Climate, Geology | Duke Today. Retrieved from

http://today.duke.edu/2003/02/squirreltree0302.html• Big Sur Trail to Mocho & Rainbow RSI » Wild Ventana. (2015, June 18). Retrieved from http://www.wildventana.org/big-sur-trail-to-

mocho-rainbow-rsi/• Brynner, J. (2013, February 7). In Photos: Mammals Through Time. Retrieved from http://www.livescience.com/26922-ancient-mammals-

ancestors.html• California Coast Ranges Mountains North Coast and South Coast Ranges. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.seecalifornia.com/mountains/coast-ranges.html• California Ground Squirrel. (n.d.). Retrieved from naturemappingfoundation.org/natmap/facts/california_ground_squirrel_712.html• Castro, J. (2016, March 16). Archaeopteryx: Facts about the Transitional Fossil. Retrieved from http://www.livescience.com/24745-

archaeopteryx.html#sthash.uP3JsBk3.dpuf• Coulter Pine. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.treesforme.com/coulter_pine.html• Earle, C. (2014, December 12). Pinus coulteri. Retrieved from http://conifers.org/pi/Pinus_coulteri.php• Gneiss Metamorphic Rocks. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu/hbase/geophys/gneiss2.html• Gneiss: Metamorphic Rock - Pictures, Definition & More. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://geology.com/rocks/gneiss.shtml


References 2 of 4• Hand, E. (2016, March 9). World’s oldest pine tree fossil found in Canadian rock quarry | Science | AAAS. Retrieved from

http://sciencemag.org/news/2016/03/world-s-oldest-pine-tree-fossil-found-canadian-rock-quarry• Harp, V. (2011, October 25). Bald Eagle Informations Pictures | Birds Gallery. Retrieved from http://www.birdsgallery.net/bald-eagle-

informations-pictures/• Image: Fossil evidence of angiosperms. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.boundless.com/biology/textbooks/boundless-biology-

textbook/seed-plants-26/evolution-of-seed-plants-158/evolution-of-angiosperms-620-11841/images/fig-ch26_01_05/• Keim, B. (2010, September 23). Ancient Fossil Flower Is Father of Sunflower Family | WIRED. Retrieved from

http://www.wired.com/2010/09/sunflower-family-father/• Lawler, M., Lecture Notes. GEL 103 History of the Earth and Its Life, Lake Tahoe Community College, Spring, 2016. • Leech, M. (2006, April 21). Retrieved from http://funnel.sfsu.edu/courses/geol426/Big%20Sur%20field%20guide.pdf• Living-Fossils.com. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://living-fossils.com/living_fossils_1_5.php• Los Padres National Forest - Home. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.fs.usda.gov/lpnf/• McLoughlin, S. (n.d.). The Wollemi Pine and the fossil record | Stephen McLoughlin - Academia.edu. Retrieved from

http://www.academia.edu/1127216/The_Wollemi_Pine_and_the_fossil_record• Megaloceros - Dinopedia - Wikia. (n.d.). Retrieved June 12, 2016, from http://dinopedia.wikia.com/wiki/Megaloceros• Megaloceros giganteus "Giant Horn". (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.amnh.org/join-support/naming-opportunities/name-a-fossil/

hall-of-advanced-mammals• Megaloceros. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.prehistoric-wildlife.com/species/m/megaloceros.html• Monroe, J. S., & Wicander, R. (2006). The Changing Earth: Exploring Geology and Evolution(7th ed.). Belmont, CA: Thomson

Brooks/Cole.


Reference 3 of 4• Noxious Weeds of Northeastern California. (n.d.). Retrieved from

http://www.pitriveralliance.net/comcentr/library/noxweeds/noxweeds.html• Phelan, S. (2013, September 2). Monterey Shale geology is relatively young and seismically active Bay Nature. Retrieved from

http://baynature.org/article/how-the-monterey-shale-came-to-be/• Quartzite: Metamorphic Rock - Pictures, Definition & More. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://geology.com/rocks/quartzite.shtml• Reiss, S. (2012, November 11). DalmDad's Photo and Travel Blog: junipero sera peak. Retrieved from

http://dalmdad.blogspot.com/search/label/junipero%20sera%20peak• Retrieved from http:/images.summitpost.org/original/281714.jpg• Rochelle, M. (2006, March 1). Biogeography of bald eagle. Retrieved from

http://online.sfsu.edu/bholzman/courses/Fall02%20projects/bald%20eagle.html• Shale: Sedimentary Rock - Pictures, Definition & More. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://geology.com/rocks/shale.shtml• Skahill, J. (2003, December 11). Biogeography of Yellow Starthistle. Retrieved from http://online.sfsu.edu/bholzman/courses/Fall

%2003%20project/yst.htm• Strauss, B. (2016, March 30). Irish Elk - About.com Prehistoric Mammals. Retrieved from

http://dinosaurs.about.com/od/mesozoicmammals/p/megaloceros.htm• Tice, P. (n.d.). Biogeography of Valley Oak. Retrieved from

http://online.sfsu.edu/bholzman/courses/Fall02%20projects/valley_oak.html


References 4 of 4• Tule Elk - Point Reyes National Seashore (U.S. National Park Service). (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.nps.gov/pore/learn/nature/tule_elk.htm

• Tule Elk SNR. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=584

• Tule Elk. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.oaklandzoo.org/Tule_Elk.php

• Unconformities. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.indiana.edu/~geol105b/images/gaia_chapter_6/unconformities.htm


Los Padres National Forest

Education

Transcript of Los Padres National Forest