THE FOSSILS OF THE FOSSILS OF CALVERT CLIFFSCALVERT CLIFFS

Where is Calvert Cliffs?Where is Calvert Cliffs?

•Calvert Cliffs is located on the Eastern Shore of Maryland in Calvert County.

What is Calvert Cliffs?What is Calvert Cliffs?

• Of all the natural resources in the Of all the natural resources in the state of Maryland, perhaps none is state of Maryland, perhaps none is more famous than the 30 miles of more famous than the 30 miles of cliffs that dominate the shoreline of cliffs that dominate the shoreline of the Chesapeake Bay in Calvert the Chesapeake Bay in Calvert County. County.

Here are some recent Here are some recent photos from Calvert Cliffs.photos from Calvert Cliffs.

Were the cliffs always Were the cliffs always there?there?• The cliffs that now The cliffs that now

stand 100 feet stand 100 feet aboveabove the water line were the water line were once the once the bottombottom of of the sea floorthe sea floor..

Class DiscussionClass Discussion

• If the cliffs were once If the cliffs were once on the bottom of the on the bottom of the sea floor..sea floor..

What might the person What might the person

in the raft observe in in the raft observe in the cliffs as he glides the cliffs as he glides along the water?along the water?

Let’s review our predictions!Let’s review our predictions!

• Do you think we will find traces or Do you think we will find traces or remains of organisms in the cliff?remains of organisms in the cliff?

• What might we learn from studying What might we learn from studying the remains of organisms that lived the remains of organisms that lived there long ago?there long ago?

Digging a little deeper…Digging a little deeper…

• For over 150 years, For over 150 years, fossils dislodged from fossils dislodged from the cliffs have been the cliffs have been studied by scientists at studied by scientists at facilities such as the facilities such as the Smithsonian Institution. Smithsonian Institution.

Let’s see what they have Let’s see what they have found…found…

• In all, fossils of over 600 species of In all, fossils of over 600 species of organisms have been identified from organisms have been identified from Calvert Cliffs. Calvert Cliffs.

Check out some of these…Check out some of these…

Fossils of Calvert CliffsFossils of Calvert Cliffs

A variety of invertebrate fossils such as coral, scallops and snails have been found in the sediments of Calvert Cliffs.Photos Adapted from:

http://www.fossilguy.com/sites/calvert/

Fossils of Calvert Cliffs, Fossils of Calvert Cliffs, Cont.Cont.• Fossils of Fossils of

vertebrate animals vertebrate animals such as shark, such as shark, turtles, porpoises turtles, porpoises and whales have and whales have also been found at also been found at Calvert Cliffs.Calvert Cliffs. Megalodon fossil teeth of

Calvert CliffsAdapted from: http://www.fossilguy.com/sites/calvert/

english.pravda.ru/main/2002/10/28/38779.html

Vertebrate Fossils of Calvert Vertebrate Fossils of Calvert CliffsCliffs

Sea Turtle Vertebrate Seal VertebrateAdapted from: http://www.fossilguy.com/sites/calvert/

www.friendlyplanet.com/popup.asp?imgSrc=images

www.sportextreme.com/Diving/Scripts

Vertebrate Fossils of Calvert Vertebrate Fossils of Calvert Cliffs, Cont.Cliffs, Cont.

Porpoise TeethPorpoise Inner

Ear Bones

Porpoise Rib Fragments

Adapted from: http://www.fossilguy.com/sites/calvert/

www.zuvuya.net/sites/.../mailbox/e-update-wwf003.htm

Vertebrate Fossils of Calvert Vertebrate Fossils of Calvert Cliffs, Cont.Cliffs, Cont.

Prehistoric Baleen Whale Teeth

Prehistoric Baleen Whale Bone Fragments

Prehistoric Baleen Whale Skull Fragment

Adapted from: http://www.fossilguy.com/sites/calvert/

THE WHALE FOSSIL OF THE WHALE FOSSIL OF CALVERT CLIFFS!CALVERT CLIFFS!

• The whale skull fossil found The whale skull fossil found at Calvert Cliffs was similar at Calvert Cliffs was similar in shape and structure to in shape and structure to the one shown here.the one shown here.

• The skull is a fossil of a The skull is a fossil of a baleen whale. Baleen baleen whale. Baleen whales lack teeth. Instead, whales lack teeth. Instead, they have grooves that are they have grooves that are used to trap food. Feeding used to trap food. Feeding baleen whales swim with baleen whales swim with their mouths open, taking their mouths open, taking in vast mouthfuls of water.in vast mouthfuls of water.

THE WHALE FOSSIL OF THE WHALE FOSSIL OF CALVERT CLIFFS, Cont.!CALVERT CLIFFS, Cont.!• Today, baleen whales Today, baleen whales

are the largest animals are the largest animals on Earth, yet they feed on Earth, yet they feed on the smallest on the smallest organisms such as organisms such as shrimp and plankton.shrimp and plankton.

• Some examples of Some examples of baleen whales are right baleen whales are right whales and blue whales and blue whales, and humpback whales, and humpback whaleswhales

Humpback Whalehttp://www.whalecenter.org/album/album27.htm

Blue Whalewww.bergoiata.org/fe/Baleines-Dauphins/10.htm

Class DiscussionClass Discussion

• Discuss how the ancient baleen Discuss how the ancient baleen whales like the one found at Calvert whales like the one found at Calvert Cliffs compare to present day species Cliffs compare to present day species of baleen whales?of baleen whales?

• Make a sketch of what this ancient Make a sketch of what this ancient whale might have looked like.whale might have looked like.

The Big Question!The Big Question!

• Now that you have some information about Now that you have some information about Calvert Cliffs and the fossils that have been Calvert Cliffs and the fossils that have been found there, you will need to focus on the found there, you will need to focus on the following question throughout the study of this following question throughout the study of this unit:unit:

•How do the fossils found in How do the fossils found in Calvert Cliffs provide evidence Calvert Cliffs provide evidence that the climate and living things that the climate and living things in the area have changed over in the area have changed over time?time?