Paleontological Resource Inventory and Monitoring, Upper Columbia Basin Network
Kenworthy JP, Santucci VL, McNerney M, Snell K. 2005. Paleontological Resource Inventory and Monitoring, Upper Columbia Basin Network. National Park Service
The paleontological resources found within the parks of the UCBN are extraordinarily diverse, and in many cases nationally, or even globally, significant. For example, the well-preserved plant and animal fossils entombed within John Day Fossil Beds National Monument form one of the longest and most continuous paleontological and paleoecological records over nearly 40 of the last 65 million years. Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument preserves plant and animal fossils from the Pliocene epoch (about 3.5 million years old) such as the oldest member of the Equus genus, the “Hagerman Horse”. Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve contains both the oldest (approximately 340 million year old worm burrows) and among the youngest fossils (tree molds in lava up to 16,000 years old) known from the UCBN parks. In addition, the tree molds found in the basalt represent a rare occurrence of fossils associated with volcanic lava. Significant fossil discoveries have also been made in Nez Perce National Historical Park. For example, the Tolo Lake mammoth site produced one of the most complete mammoth skeletons in Idaho, archeological excavations at Spalding uncovered associated faunal material, and well-preserved Miocene plant fossils found near White Bird Battlefield were described by paleobotanists in the 1920s and 1930s.
- Type
- Published Report
- Authors
- Kenworthy, Jason; Santucci, Vincent; McNerney, Michaleen; Snell, Kathryn
- Date of Issue
- 2005-08
- Publisher
- National Park Service
- Units
- BIHO , CIRO , CRMO , HAFO , JODA , LARO , NEPE , UCBN , WHMI
- Keywords
- Fossils, Paleontogocial resource inventory, Presence (Biodiversity), Taxa List Only