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New page: {{Infobox_protected_area | name = Calvert Cliffs State Park, Maryland, USA | iucn_category = V | image = | caption = | locator_x = | locator_y = | location = [[Calvert Coun...
{{Infobox_protected_area | name = Calvert Cliffs State Park, Maryland, USA
| iucn_category = V
| image =
| caption =
| locator_x =
| locator_y =
| location = [[Calvert County, Maryland]], [[United States|USA]]
| nearest_city =
| lat_degrees = 38
| lat_minutes = 24
| lat_seconds = 7
| lat_direction = N
| long_degrees = 76
| long_minutes = 25
| long_seconds = 26
| long_direction = W
| area = 1,313 acres (5.31 km²)
| established =
| visitation_num =
| visitation_year =
| governing_body = [[Maryland Department of Natural Resources]]
}}
'''Calvert Cliffs State Park''' is a [[state park]] in [[Calvert County]], [[Maryland]], situated on the [[Chesapeake Bay]]. On the 1612 [[John Smith of Jamestown|John Smith]] map, the site was called Rickard's Cliffes. The park is located in [[Lusby, Maryland]].
It is a short distance south of [[Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant]] operated by [[Constellation Energy]].
==Geology and paleontology==
The park is known for the abundance of mainly [[Middle Miocene]] sub-epoch [[fossil]]s, which can be found on the shoreline. It contains the [[type locality (geology)|type locality]] site of the Early to [[Middle Miocene]] '''Calvert Formation'''. These rocks are the [[sediment]] from a coastal ocean that covered the area during that time. The age of the formation is (19-)18-15(-14) million years, i.e. it extends essentially over the [[Hemingfordian]] [[NALMA|stage]]. This formation occurs in Maryland and neighboring [[Virginia]].
In addition, rocks of the younger [[Choptank Formation|Choptank]] and the [[St. Marys Formation]]s are exposed. This makes Calvert Cliffs State Park highly interesting for [[paleoclimatology]] and [[paleontology]], because the accessible [[Stratum|strata]] provide a good record of the [[Middle Miocene Climate Transition]] and documents a minor [[mass extinction event]], the [[Middle Miocene disruption]].
This formation is notable for the plentiful fossil [[shark]] teeth found therein. Especially popular among "[[rockhound]]s" are those from giants such as ''[[Carcharocles]]'' and the famous ''[[Megalodon]]'' (which is often included in ''Carcharocles''). Some remains of a prehistoric [[loon]] (''Gavia'') are also believed to be from the Calvert Formation; they are the oldest known record of that [[genus]] known from North America. Collecting can be done on the beach as access to the Cliffs is no longer available due to erosion.
The ancestral [[baleen whale]] ''[[Eobalaenoptera harrisoni]]'' and the [[merganser]] ''Mergus miscellus'' were described from the Virginian part of the formation. From the uppermost layer, deposited 15-14 million years ago, they represent the oldest known member of their [[family (biology)|family]] and genus, respectively.
==External links==
*[http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/southern/calvertcliffs.html Calvert Cliffs State Park]
*[http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/calvertguide.html Calvert Cliffs State Park Trail Guide]
*[http://www.unep-wcmc.org/wdpa/sitedetails.cfm?siteid=21876 Calvert Cliffs State Park in World Database on Protected Areas]
*[http://www.fossilguy.com/sites/calvert/calv_meg.htm Megatooth Fossils Found at the Calvert Cliffs of Maryland]
[[Category:Public Parks]]
[[Category:Calvert County, Maryland]]
{{Maryland-geo-stub}}
| iucn_category = V
| image =
| caption =
| locator_x =
| locator_y =
| location = [[Calvert County, Maryland]], [[United States|USA]]
| nearest_city =
| lat_degrees = 38
| lat_minutes = 24
| lat_seconds = 7
| lat_direction = N
| long_degrees = 76
| long_minutes = 25
| long_seconds = 26
| long_direction = W
| area = 1,313 acres (5.31 km²)
| established =
| visitation_num =
| visitation_year =
| governing_body = [[Maryland Department of Natural Resources]]
}}
'''Calvert Cliffs State Park''' is a [[state park]] in [[Calvert County]], [[Maryland]], situated on the [[Chesapeake Bay]]. On the 1612 [[John Smith of Jamestown|John Smith]] map, the site was called Rickard's Cliffes. The park is located in [[Lusby, Maryland]].
It is a short distance south of [[Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant]] operated by [[Constellation Energy]].
==Geology and paleontology==
The park is known for the abundance of mainly [[Middle Miocene]] sub-epoch [[fossil]]s, which can be found on the shoreline. It contains the [[type locality (geology)|type locality]] site of the Early to [[Middle Miocene]] '''Calvert Formation'''. These rocks are the [[sediment]] from a coastal ocean that covered the area during that time. The age of the formation is (19-)18-15(-14) million years, i.e. it extends essentially over the [[Hemingfordian]] [[NALMA|stage]]. This formation occurs in Maryland and neighboring [[Virginia]].
In addition, rocks of the younger [[Choptank Formation|Choptank]] and the [[St. Marys Formation]]s are exposed. This makes Calvert Cliffs State Park highly interesting for [[paleoclimatology]] and [[paleontology]], because the accessible [[Stratum|strata]] provide a good record of the [[Middle Miocene Climate Transition]] and documents a minor [[mass extinction event]], the [[Middle Miocene disruption]].
This formation is notable for the plentiful fossil [[shark]] teeth found therein. Especially popular among "[[rockhound]]s" are those from giants such as ''[[Carcharocles]]'' and the famous ''[[Megalodon]]'' (which is often included in ''Carcharocles''). Some remains of a prehistoric [[loon]] (''Gavia'') are also believed to be from the Calvert Formation; they are the oldest known record of that [[genus]] known from North America. Collecting can be done on the beach as access to the Cliffs is no longer available due to erosion.
The ancestral [[baleen whale]] ''[[Eobalaenoptera harrisoni]]'' and the [[merganser]] ''Mergus miscellus'' were described from the Virginian part of the formation. From the uppermost layer, deposited 15-14 million years ago, they represent the oldest known member of their [[family (biology)|family]] and genus, respectively.
==External links==
*[http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/southern/calvertcliffs.html Calvert Cliffs State Park]
*[http://www.dnr.state.md.us/publiclands/calvertguide.html Calvert Cliffs State Park Trail Guide]
*[http://www.unep-wcmc.org/wdpa/sitedetails.cfm?siteid=21876 Calvert Cliffs State Park in World Database on Protected Areas]
*[http://www.fossilguy.com/sites/calvert/calv_meg.htm Megatooth Fossils Found at the Calvert Cliffs of Maryland]
[[Category:Public Parks]]
[[Category:Calvert County, Maryland]]
{{Maryland-geo-stub}}
