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Introduction to Natural History. Master Naturalist Program University of Maryland Extension Author: Sylvan Kaufman. What is Natural History?. The study of the natural world Plants, animals, rocks, planets, weather, …. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Introduction to Natural History
Master Naturalist ProgramUniversity of Maryland Extension
Author: Sylvan Kaufman
What is Natural History?
• The study of the natural world– Plants, animals,
rocks, planets, weather, …
Illustration from Mark Catesby’s Natural History of Carolina, Florida and the Bahama Islands
Geology
• The Earth’s physical structure
Sideling HillPhoto by Paul Breeding, http://www.mgs.md.gov/esic/features/sidel.html
Formation and Structure of the Earth
Movement of Continents
Plate Tectonics
Formation of the Appalachians
http://geology.teacherfriendlyguide.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=63&Itemid=83
Types of Rocks
• Igneous – from volcanic activity
• Sedimentary – from erosion, deposition
• Metamorphic – from heat and/or pressure
Maryland’s Physiographic Provinces
Geologic Time
http://www.cr.nps.gov/history/online_books/geology/publications/bul/1393/images/fig59.jpg
Important Events for Maryland
Formation of Earth
4.56 bya
one-celled organisms
Chesapeake Bay bolide lands
Insects, mollusks, fish, amphibians, primitive plants
Pangaea forms
3.5 bya 1.8bya 500 mya
oxygen increasing in atmosphere
Precambrian 3.5-1bya
Paleozoic 600-230 mya
230mya 35 mya
Mesozoic 230-65 mya
Pangaea breaks apart
Dinosaurs, birds, first mammals, seed plants
Cenozoic 65 mya - present
North America splits from Laurasia
65mya
Mammals dominate on land
18000 ya2mya
Glaciation periods, spruce forests, tundra, grasslands
End of Wisconsin glaciation
Appalachians forming
50mya
Extinction of dinosaurs
10000ya
Humans settle eastern North America
Chesapeake Bay forms
(not to scale)
Climate
Historic climate change
Image from: http://climate.nasa.gov/evidence
Recent climate change
Future climate change
• Warmer winters and summers• Wetter autumns and springs, drier summers• Increase in storm severity• Sea level rise
Weather
Maryland Watersheds
Chesapeake Bay
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/bay/monitoring/
Formation of Dead Zones
Native Americans in Maryland
• Paleo Indians• Archaic period• Woodland Period
Human Population Growth
Year
Popu
latio
n
Hydrological Cycle
Soils
Figure from: http://vro.dpi.vic.gov.au/dpi/vro/vrosite.nsf/pages/soilhealth_what_is
Industrial Mining
Mine tailings in the Savage River Image from http://ian.umces.edu/imagelibrary/displayimage-960.html
Limestone quarry in Cockeysville, MD
Forest Products
• Building lumber• Shipping crates and
pallets• Shelves and furniture• Chips for fuel pellets• Mulch• Pulp for paper
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/forests/planning/sfla/socioeconomic.htm
Wildlife – Hunting and Fishing
• Deer• Black bear• Rabbits• Muskrats• Squirrels• Game birds• Waterfowl• Fish• ShellfishImage from:
news.maryland.gov
Loss of Habitat
Skills for Naturalists
• Observation• Recording• Research• Reporting
Nature journal page from Margan Glover, used with permission from the author.
Famous Maryland Naturalists – You could be next!
Rachel CarsonBenjamin Banneker
Chandler S. Robbins
Mary Elizabeth Banning
Charles Wilson Peale