2. American River/Folsom
Lake
Lake
This river runs from the Sierra
Nevada mountain range.
It runs through Sacramento
where it meets the
Sacramento River and hits
San Francisco Bay.
The river also runs through
Folsom beneath the Folsom
Lake.
3. Metamophic Rocks
Rattlesnake bar near Folsom
Lake
Metamorphic rocks are rocks
subjected to sufficient heat,
pressure and fluid activity to
change their mineral
composition texture or both.
(The Changing Earth, pg.182)
4. Metamorphic Rocks
Metamorphic rocks, known as the Copper Hill
Volcanics, occur east of Rattlesnake Bar, These
rocks represent ancient chains of volcanic
islands (island arcs) and the associated seafloor
sediments that have since been buried, squeezed,
and heated to form metasedimentary and
metavolcanic rocks. During the Jurassic period,
from about 160 to 140 million years ago, the
island arcs were added as the ocean plate in
which they were embedded was subducted
beneath western North America. (parks.ca.gov)
6. Granite
Folsom Lake contains younger granitic
intrusive plutons that intruded and
obliterated some of the metamorphic belt
and nearly flat-lying deposits of volcanic
ash, debris flows, and alluvial fan deposits
that overlie the older rocks. (parks.ca.gov)
7. Oak Tree
Oak trees are a type of deciduous tree. These are
broad-leaved trees that shed all their leaves during
one season.
The oak trees produce acorns once a year during
the fall.
A mature oak tree draws up to 50 or more gallons
of water per day through its roots.
Oak trees can live 200 or more years.
Height up to 30 m.
8. Oaks (Quercus spp.), members of the Beech
Oak Tree
family (Fagacea), are trees and shrubs having
simple, alternate leaves found throughout the
world. Characterized by their strong, complex
wood, wind-pollinated flowers, fruits called
acorns, and their ability to live for centuries,
oaks have played an important role in
temperate landscapes. Of the 500 species in
the genus Quercus, approximately 90 are found
in the United States and Canada, with another
112 species in Mexico. Another member of the
Beech family that is closely related to the oaks
is the tanoak (L. densiflorus), which is found in
California and is the only representative of this
Asian genus found in North America. It has
flowers similar to the chinkapin (Castanopsis)
and bears acorns like the oaks, thus making it a
possible evolutionary link between the two
genera. (Science.jrank.org)
Read more:
Oaks - Evolution, Biology And Ecology, Diseases, Distributio
9. Rattlesnake
California rattlesnake species include the
northern Pacific rattlesnake (in northern
California), and the Western Diamondback,
Sidewinder, Speckled rattlesnake, Red
Diamond rattlesnake, Southern Pacific, Great
Basin rattlesnake and the Mojave rattlesnake
(all found in Southern California). (dfg.ca.gov)
Found from sea level to the inland prairies and
desert areas and to the mountains at elevations
of more than 10,000 feet. (dfg.ca.gov)
Native venomous snake.(dfg.ca.gov)
Generally not aggressive, rattlesnakes strike
when threatened or deliberately provoked, but
given room they will retreat. (dfg.ca.gov)
The shaking of their tail (rattle shaking) is a
warning sign.
10. California King Snake
Prey on rattlesnakes and have become immune to their
venom. They can also mimic the rattlesnakes rattle to
intimidate other rattlesnakes.
Generally not aggressive.
Found in parts of North America and Mexico.
Powerful constrictor.
Normally about 48 inches long.
Few weeks ago I was walking on a trail near the Folsom
Lake around dusk and a 3ft long California King Snake
was in the middle of the path and struck at me. Luckily, I
reacted fast enough and jumped away and it ran away
too!
11. Scientists have concluded that the snakes probably
evolved from a family of lizards during the time of the
dinosaurs. Snakes and lizards share a number of
distinct features in the structure of their skull; both, for
instance, possess a moveable quadrate bone at the
back of the jaw, and both are missing the
quadratojugal bone at the rear of the skull. (Flank)
One of the earliest snakes to appear in the fossil
record has been given the scientific name
Lapparentophis defrenni. It was found in the Saharan
Desert and has been dated to the early Cretaceous
period, about 130 million years ago. (Flank)
12. References
Flank, Lenny. "Evolution of Snakes." www.arachnophiliac.info. N.p., 12 Feb. 2007. Web. 22 July 2012.
"Geology and Soils." www.Parks.ca.gov. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 July 2012.
"Interesting Facts about Oak Trees." www.Ejad.best.vwh.net. N.p., 13 Nov. 2000. Web. 22 July 2012.
"Rattlesnakes in California." www.Dfg.ca.gov. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 July 2012.
www.Science.jrank.org. N.p., 2012. Web. 22 July 2012.
