Mammoth Cave Kentucky 4 H Geology Independent Study

Mammoth Cave, Kentucky 4 H Geology Independent Study Chandler Stahl

History of the Cave Legend states that the first person to visit Mammoth Cave was John Houchin in 1797. While hunting, Houchin was bear hunting, and the bear turned and began to chase him. He found the cave entrance when he ran into the cave for protection from the bear. The land containing this historic entrance was first registered in 1798 to Valentine Simons began mining Mammoth Cave for The historic entrance to Mammoth Cave its saltpeter reserves.

Physical Description • Mammoth Cave in Kentucky is the world's longest known cave system, with more than 400 miles explored. • The Mammoth Cave system is a part of the Green River Valley. • It is located in south central Kentucky, mostly in Edmonson County. • It is made up of the Flint Ridge Cave System.

Geological Features • It has 30 entrances at the current time, about ¼ are natural entrances. • • It’s made up of limestone with a layer of sandstone. It contains many different speleothems (Cave formations) – stalactites, stalagmites, helictites, travertine dams, and several types of gypsum formations called "gypsum flowers. ” It contains sink holes, conduits, cracks, fissures, underground rivers, streams, and springs. • Gypsum flowers

Climate/Ecology in the Cave Climate • It has a humid subtropical climate. • It’s average minimum temperature is -3. 2 °F. Ecology • The section of the Green River that flows through the park is known as "Kentucky Wild River. " • Different types of animals have adapted to living inside the cave like cave crickets, eyeless fish, and eyeless crayfish. • The following species of bats live in the caverns: Indiana bat, gray bat, little brown bat, big brown bat, and the eastern pipistrelle bat. • Fungi also grow there.

Recent Discoveries • Scientists and cave experts discovered the fossil of an extinct shark called Saivadus, which lived 330 million years ago, in early 2020. • Mammoth Cave has been found to be connected to many smaller cave systems nearby.

Interesting Facts • Native Americans first discovered entrances to Mammoth Cave about 4, 000 years ago, and they explored about 20 miles into the cave. There have been Native American remains found in the cave. • Mammoth Cave is the longest cave system in the world. • The cave's Mammoth Dome is 192 feet high, and the Bottomless Pit is 105 feet deep. • In the 1800 s and early 1900 s, weddings were held inside the cave. • It was established as a national park in 1941. • More than 2 million people visit Mammoth Cave National Park every year.

Sources • https: //www. nps. gov/maca/index. html • https: //www. nationalparks. org/explore-parks/mammoth-cave-nationalpark • https: //www. nationalgeographic. com/travel/national-parks/mammothcave-national-park/ • https: //www. basicplanet. com/mammoth cavenational-park/