Earth Science in a National Park. Life Sciences Essay

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The Great Smoky Mountains
I. Introduction
The Great Smoky Mountains are located in Tennessee - North Carolina. This mountain range borders the Southeastern United States of America. It is considered as one of the country’s most popular national parks, which attracts a lot of tourists, and even citizens, because of its grand hikes and magnificent biodiversity showcasing various living organisms including flowering plants, fish, and birds.
The study involving beautiful landscapes, such as the Great Smoky Mountains, which integrates the structure, composition, and history of the earth, including its oceans, atmosphere, and environment is called Earth Science. In this paper, a holistic discussion of the Earth Science involved in the Great Smoky Mountains, including the changes that have occurred through time, will be provided.
II. Geography
As mentioned previously, the Great Smoky Mountains are seen rising next to Tennessee - North Carolina borders. These mountains are a subrange of the Appalachian Mountains, also forming a part of the Blue Ridge Mountain Range. The continuity of these mountains makes it hard for viewers to determine the separation of the Appalachian Mountains and Blue Ridge Mountain Range from the Great Smoky Mountains. As part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, it also appears foggy also having the same blueish tint due to the increased amount of isoprene, an organic compound, that the mountains emit. This is also one of the reasons why this mountain range is called “Smokies”.
The Great Smoky Mountains cover 187,000 acres of land, and can easily be identified when looking at a map. This mountain range consists of 16 mountains ranging up to 6,000 feet in height. Rivers and creeks which are the Tuckasegee River, Jonathan Creek, and Soco Creek, outline the mountain borders. It can also be identified as the mountains along the stretch of the Pigeon River to Little Tennessee River (“Great Smoky”, 2019).
The mountain range also presents numerous peaks and elevations, and at the center of the Great Smoky Mountains is the Clingmans Dome, also having the highest peak in the Tennessee side of the mountain range. The tallest mountain, despite Clingman’s Dome having the highest peak, is the Mt. Leconte measured from its base to the summit in the mountain range.
Mountain building continually occurs and is said to be eroding every thousand years at approximately two inches. The breaking of Pangea, the supercontinent including African and North American tectonic plates produced the Appalachian and the Great Smoky Mountains that are known today (“Great Smoky”, 2019). It underwent erosion brought about by water, ice, and wind. Plate movement occurred every year recorded to be only a few inches, but the movements that have happened in the past because of the influence of the heat from the earth’s core gave rise to intense earthquakes, hug mountain chains, and massive volcanoes.
III. Geologic Story
A composition of silt, sand, clay, gravel, and some calcium carbonate form the mostly sedimentary rocks in the Great Smoky Mountains (“Great Smoky”, 2019). The cycle of deposition and erosion mainly contributes to the formation of these sedimentary rocks. Minimal igneous rocks from lava can also be found. Eroded particles found in the mountain range and park are silt, clay, pebbles, cobbles, and sand. Various metamorphosed rocks are found depending on the mountain and specific location. For example, in Clingmans Dome, igneous rocks referred to as dikes are found, as well as some pegmatite and Quartz veins. Siltstones are also found to be common in the east of the park, attributed to the exposure to high pressures and temperatures in the area. The oldest formed rocks in the Great Smoky Mountains are found close to Bryson City, and these are granitic gneiss and granite.
Some rocks are common all over the Great Smoky Mountains, and these are huge boulders commonly found in streams. These boulders are metamorphosed sandstone from the cliffs high above the mountains. The movement of the stream influences the roundness of the boulders eventually turning it into small cobbles, sand, pebbles, and silt. These small particles are transferred to the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico through time. The cemented rock formations are known as the Ocoee Supergroup which consists of various types of rocks reflecting the different climate and topography throughout the years.
IV. Weather and Climate
The elevations and topography of the Great Smoky Mountains have a huge effect on the temperature and local weather in the area. The temperature varies from 10 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit from the base to the top of the mountain. Clear skies and determinants of good weather at the base of the mountain do not provide any assurance of the same weather and temperature on top of the mountain. More rainfall is recorded at Clingmans Dome at 85 inches every year, while the average in the lowlands is 55 inches annually.
Four seasons are experienced in the Great Smoky Mountains within a year. Spring happens from March to May which is characterized by unpredictable weather rapidly changing from sunny to snowy in just a couple of hours. Snow on March is likely at higher parts of the mountains, often with the low temperatures below freezing. After milder weather in May, Summer in the mountains is experienced from June to August. This season is characterized by increased heat, humidity, and haze. Thunderstorms and rain showers in the afternoon are expected. Autumn occurs from September up to the middle of November, alternating warm days at 70...