This EarthCache is located with permission in Louis W. Campbell State Nature Preserve
Hours are 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset
There are 2.3 miles of hiking trails. Please stay on designated trails.
Why here?
The sand dunes scattered throughout this area are unique geological features left behind by glacial activity roughly 15,000 years ago. The exposed sandy soil moving with the wind to form the dunes is described as an aeolian process. Aeolian processes involve erosion, transportation, and deposition of sediment by the wind. The deposited sand also contains northern plant species from the northern climate-originated glacier, sparsely populating shifting dunes with boreal plant species.
Types of sand dunes
Star The star sand dunes are pyramid-shaped. They form in places with multidirectional and strong wind regimes.
Linear The linear sand dunes are the longest type of sand dunes in the world. They are straight, regular-spaced, and snake-like in shape.
Parabolic A parabolic sand dune is an inverted crescent-shaped dune that has vegetation-anchored tips. Sometimes, it seems like it is U-shaped.
Barchan A barchan sand dune is a crescent-shaped dune. It has a steep slip face whose tips point away from the wind.
Reversing Reversing sand dunes can be found in areas where the wind periodically changes direction or reverses its direction.
Dune Stages
Embryo dunes Embryo dunes are the youngest sand dunes. They are the earliest stage in a dune’s life.
Semi-fixed Dune With plant roots reaching deep into the dune, semi-fixed dunes are pretty stable, but you can still see exposed sand on their surface which is able to move.
Fixed Dune These dunes are starting to build up more humus (the broken-down organic plant matter which is found in soil) from the diverse plant life and bacteria which now lives in these stable dunes. These dunes are also better at holding in water, making them able to support larger shrubs.
Mature Dune The oldest dunes in sand dune system and often have very little exposed sand. Lots of broken down organic plant and animal matter in the very stable sand make these inland dunes accessible to some larger plants and even trees.
LOGGING REQUIREMENTS
In order to log this EarthCache, send me your answers to the following questions either through email or messaging from my profile page.
1: Describe the soil you are standing on. What color is it? Is it sand, dirt, rocky?
2: Using the information from this cache page, what type of dune is here?
3: Using the information from this cache page, what stage are these dunes in?
* Pictures are not required but are appreciated. Please post a pic of you or your GPS with anything you find interesting around the area.
Special thanks to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources for allowing this EarthCache.
Sources:
https://ohiodnr.gov/go-and-do/plan-a-visit/find-a-property/campbell-state-nature-preserve https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/earth/geology/sand-dune1.htm https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/types-of-sand-dunes.html https://dynamicdunescapes.co.uk/about-sand-dunes/dune-lifecycle
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