This cache is located in Little Laurel Park of Fish Pond Lake. It
is a Letcher county owned and operated park that offers fishing,
camping, hiking, bicycling, and an OHV trail system. It is within
this park that you will find a Vernal pond.
Vernal pools, also called
vernal ponds or ephemeral pools, are temporary pools of water. They
are usually devoid of fish, and thus allow the safe development of
natal amphibian and insect species. Certain tropical fish lineages
(such as killifishes) have adapted to this habitat specifically,
however.
Most pools are dry for at least part of the year and fill with
the winter rains or snow melt. Some pools may remain at least
partially filled with water over the course of a year or more, but
all vernal pools dry up periodically.
They are called vernal pools because they are often, but not
necessarily, at their peak depth in the spring ("vernal" meaning
of, relating to, or occurring in the spring).
Despite being dry at times, once filled they teem with life. The
most obvious inhabitants are various species of frogs and toads.
Some salamanders also utilize vernal pools for reproduction, but
the adults may visit the pool only briefly. Other notable
inhabitants are Daphnia and fairy shrimp, the latter often used as
an indicator species to decisively define a vernal pool. Other
indicator species, at least in New England, are the wood frog, the
spadefoot toad, and some species of mole salamanders. There may be
vegetative indicators of vernal pools but further study must be
conducted to verify the relationships between vernal pools and
their characteristic flora and fauna.
To get credit for this earthcache you will need to answer the
following questions
1.What is the predominent types of rock formations in this area.
2. How does this rock type play a role in this vernal pond? 3. In
your opinion what formed this vernal pool? Was it natural or
manmade?