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)

Atmosphere

http://www.theozonehole.com/atmosphere.htm

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