Heart Fossil EarthCache EarthCache

A nice walk along a wheelchair accessible pathway, however there are a couple sections between the two signs that are quite steep. Even though a power wheelchair or scooter will probably have no trouble with the grades, I think it would be very hard for an individual in a manual chair to manage this, for that reason it is a 1.5 terrain, with a wheelchair attribute. Enjoy the views.

425 million years ago this area was underneath a warm tropical Sea. This was during the mid-Silurian Period in our Earth's History. During this time period the Limestone Bluffs that you walked beside to get to this earthcache were formed, except back in those days they were large, underwater reefs.

The builders of the reefs in the mid-Silurian Period were the stromatoporoids and tabulate corals.These creatures attached themselves, grew, reproduced and then died in place. After a while, this process formed the reefs, which then became an ecosystem for other organisms. During the Silurian era, the reef dwellers were organisms such as brachiopods, cephalopods and crinoids. These creatures lived out their life cycle, and their calcium rich skeletal remains contributed to forming the reef, and as a result, through millions of years, the Limestone Bluffs you are standing on.

One of the Reef dwellers was a large clam, called megalomoidea canadensis. The shell of the clam is seldom preserved, because during the fossilization process it usually dissolved. However, what we commonly see in local limestone is the hardened mud that filled the inside of the clam shell. They are sometimes called Heart Fossils, or Beef heart Fossils, as they resemble a beef heart. This earth Cache will take you to a place on the trans-Canada trail where you can view some examples of the fossils of the Megalomoidea.

To Log This EarthCache as a find, you will need to visit the two plaques that I have waypointed. Please email me the answers to the following questions via my profile page. Do Not post them in your log!

1) What is the name of the Warm Tropical Sea that covered most of Southern Ontario during the formation of the reefs 345-500 million years ago? (Posted Coords)
2) In the Map at Waypoint 2, find Lake Ontario. Which time period(s) are the fossils found here?
3) Have a look at the bluffs at waypoint 2, and perhaps further along the path. Could you see any evidence of the megalomoidea canadensis? Explain.

 Pictures are always welcome!

Thanks for Visiting

References:
http://www.silurian.com/geology/reefs.htm

Pictures:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C4pl53WWAAEI_WR?format=jpg/>
http://www.knuckleheadquarters.net/images/PAL-SIL-Megalomoidea-Woodville-OH-8.JPG