Nova Scotia Fossil Quest Featuring Blue Beach, Hantsport

Nova Scotia Fossil Quest – Featuring Blue Beach, Hantsport T. Webb HHS

Part A: Go to this site: http://www.chesterbound.com/joggins/fossils.html

1. What type of fossil can you find at Evangeline Beach? Describe.

2. Kennetcook River area has many fossil assemblages. What type of rock is in this area? ______. What are some of the common fossil types found? List.

3. Arisaig is an amazing place to collect trilobites. What type of rock group was first formed in this area? What was deposited next, and in what type of environment? Are the fossils similar to Kennetcook’s? Give examples.

Part B: Parrsboro and Joggins are world-famous for the dinosaur finds. Many people do not realize that Blue Beach/ Horton Bluff is an equally (if not more) significant geological area of fossil finds. Way back in the ancient time of 1979, I was part of a team that preserved the footprints of the largest dinosaur tracks found near Horton Bluff… Go to http://earthnet-geonet.ca/vft/ns/bluebeach/history_e.php

1. How old are the rocks here? ______

2. Go to “Rocks at Blue Beach” link. What type of rock is present in the Blue Beach member, and how was it deposited?

3. Go to “Fossils at Blue Beach” link. Describe the characteristics of the clubmosses (lycopods) and how they differ from present day specimens.

4. Go to http://www.scienceblog.com/cms/node/4562. What are tetrapods?

5. How are they significant to paleontologists and other scientists? 6. What other fossils could you expect (hope) to find at Blue Beach?  List.

7. Go to http://museum.gov.ns.ca/fossils/protect/index.htm Read through the four common questions about fossil hunting. Does this mean you can keep a fossil you find on the beach? Explain…

8. Go to http://museum.gov.ns.ca/mnh/nature/tracefossils/english/ Read through the listed topics and answer below:

What is the importance of a trace fossil? How does something become a fossil? 

What is a coprolite?

Search the geographical location for Horton Bluff – look at the fossil info found there… Give the trace names of the two examples shown.

What two processes are often used? Why do scientists do this?

Try - Survivor IV: Traces in the Field Being a trace isn't easy. Conditions have to be just right before a trace will become fossilized. Pick a card and see if your trace will survive! For additional background reading and information – http://museum.gov.ns.ca/fossils/gallery/specimen/990513.htm http://museum.gov.ns.ca/fossils/gallery/specimen/987701.htm http://www.donnasaxby.com/rhizodonts/ http://www.gov.ns.ca/natr/meb/00re2/00re2.htm#06 http://ace.acadiau.ca/science/geol/ft1.htm