Cibolo Creek Fossil Finds EarthCache
Cibolo Creek Fossil Finds
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Under the ground, so very cold, a relic is waiting, from so long ago
An image in time, trapped in the earth, lies there waiting, with priceless worth
A discovery is made, from times of old, a fossil uncovered, a story is told
This is not your typical geocache, it is an Earthcache. You will not find a cache container. An Earthcache is designed to bring you to a geological feature. See (visit link) for further details.
Rocks are described by their physical characteristics or lithology. The three basic types of rock are: igneous- formed by the cooling of molten material; sedimentary- formed by the deposition, compression, and natural cementation of materials; and metamorphic- igneous or sedimentary rocks that are physically or chemically altered by high temperature and/or pressure.
Most of the rock in the San Antonio area is sedimentary in origin. Sedimentary rock groups are often identified by the presence of certain fossils in the rock. Sedimentary rocks that have many fossils embedded in it is said to be fossiliferous. The totality of fossils, both discovered and undiscovered, and their placement in rock formations and sedimentary layers is known as the fossil record. The observation that certain fossils were associated with certain rock strata led early geologists to recognize a geological timescale in the 19th century. The study of fossils across geological time, how they were formed and the evolutionary relationship between different eras are some of the most important functions of paleontology.
A fossil is the preserved remains of an ancient life form such as a plant, an animal or an organism or its traces, such as nesting grounds, egg shells, feces, footprints or the impressions left by leaves, grasses and other plants preserved in rock. The word fossil comes from the Latin word fossus which means “dug up from”. Fossils can range in size from a microscopic single cell organism to something huge like a dinosaur skeleton or even a petrified forest. A fossil typically preserves only part of the dead organism, usually bone and teeth of vertebrates, or the exoskeletons of invertebrates.
Fossils of single-celled organisms have been recovered from rocks as old as 3.4 billion years. Animal fossils first appear in late Precambrian rocks dating back about a billion years. The youngest fossils are from the Holecene Epoch and may be as little as 10,000 old.
The occurrence of fossils in unusual locations, such as dinosaur fossils found in Antarctica and fish fossils found on the Siberian steppes help to prove the movement of continental plates and environmental changes over time. The breakup of the supercontinent Pangaea can be dated to the Triassic period thru the discovery of identical fossils on several widely spread continents.
Fossils provide scientists with tangible links to the past and provide information about shifts in climate and even geography. Fossils can also be compared to the living things of today, providing clues to present-day adaptation and behavior. Knowing that certain animals only live under certain condition helps tell geologists the conditions that existed when a rock was deposited.
Fossilization is rare, because most living things tend to decompose relatively quickly after death. For an organism to be fossilized, the remains normally need to be covered by sediment as soon as possible.
To receive credit for this Earthcache, go to the given coordinates and answer the questions listed below and email me your answers. No reply from me is necessary, go ahead and log your find. Logs without verifying emails in a reasonable amount of time will be deleted.
1. Approximately how thick is the exposed layer of fossiliferous rock?
2. Describe the fossils found in the layer.
3. If alive today, where would this type of organism most likely be found.
Parking is available under the bridge or at nearby Selma Stage Stop Park. While here, why not grab some of the other nearby caches. And remember, practice CITO, leave it cleaner than it was when you got here.
Please do not attempt this cache during the rare occasions when the creek is full.
Additional Hints
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