Illinois Junior Academy of Science - Yearbook (Urbana, IL)

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A Plant Census in a 250,000,000 Year Old Forest sauce JOHNSON in Edison Junior High School Wheaton Sponsor: Mrs. Hope Lebo ti- comnz f is 15.2-is ff- A 'H vfiil.T.5L11 1 anis-lwehwl' Vu A study of a Pennsylvanian Period forest is presented. One hundred and fifty-six plant fossils were collected from a selected area of the coal mine spoil banks near Coal City, Illinois. Upon identification of the fossils, it was found that the forest consisted of more than half True Ferns and Seed Ferns. The remainder consisted of Calamites, Lepidoden- dron and Lepidophloios, Sigillaria, and Sphenophyllum. Based upon what we know about present day plants of these types, the climate, geology and conditions of the Penn- sylvanian Period forest would have been as follow: There would have been frequent rains, high humidity and no killing frost. The landscape would have been level with a deep, black, rich soil and occasional flooding. The forest would have been dense and shady with no evidence of leaf-eating animals or insects. Microseismal Activity as Related to Barometric Pressure Changes LEE RAYMOND JOHNSON Lyons Township High School LaGrange The behavior of microseisms, or very slight earth tre- mors, has long been a puzzle to seismologists. For years it has been known that they were loosely connected with atmospheric pressure variations and storms, but there have been few suitable theories as to the actual mechanism by which they are formed. My project is an attempt to find a relation between changes in barometric pressure and the size and duration of microseisms. My analysis shows a rough relation between rising and falling barometric pressure and the period or duration of the microseisms. Paleozoic Evolution THOMAS PERKINS noi Community High School North Chicago Sponsor: Wood Reinheimer ,,,,,.....-- r The purpose of this project is to present an in depth study of the evolution during the Paleozoic Era as shown by fossils. The collection of Paleozoic fossils reveals to the pur- suer the extensive evolutionary changes which occurred during this era. During the Paleozoic Era, 600-230 million years ago, life evolved from simple aquatic forms li.e.-protozoans, sponges, jellyfish, brachiopods, worms, trilobites, and algael, to the first complex terrestrial vertebrates-the reptiles, and to towering trees over 100 feet tall. The Paleozoic Era has been divided into seven periods of geologic time. These periods varied in duration and are separated on the basis of relatively brief periods of broad continental uplifts. The uplifts were followed by advances of the seas, which deposited sediments containing evidence of the next geologic period. Land features, as well as life, evolved throughout the Paleozoic Era. The earth's geography was constantly under- going physical changes. Continents and mountains rose majestically, then eroded, and sank under water. It has been shown that weather conditions have also changed during the

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Fossils NICHOLAS SAWKA l7l Abraham Lincoln Elementary School Cicero Sponsor: Mr. John Leverenz 11' Most people collect for the simple fun of it--for the fun of tramping and exploringg for the excitement of a rare findg for the challenge of working out a perfect specimen. But in the course of doing all this, the layers of sedimentary rocks unfold the pages of a gigantic book, revealing the fas- cinating story of the earth's long and exciting past. Events 50, 100, or 500 million years ago become real because the fos- sils you have found provide a clear connection with bygone ages. With the aid of fossils the reconstruction of prehistoric plants and animals was possible, and the story of the evo- lution of life became clear. Without the evidence of fossils, evolution would still be a theory, not a fact, Fossils help determine whether sediments were formed in shallow or deep seas, in rivers, in swamps or in deserts. Thus they give a clue to the geography and ecology of the past and show how the continents and the seas have changed. ELIZABETH BROUWERS ll0l Riverside-Broolrfield High School Sponsor: Mrs. Rachel Klein The purpose of my project was to become better ac- quainted with paleontology. I have learned a great deal from the odd markings on a rock commonly called a fossil. Fos- sils interpret the age of the earth's history. Mazon Creek, Illinois, is an area where a single period of history can be studied. The Pennsylvanian forests and life are im- pressed in the concretions of the strip mines. Scientists study the tropical forests and ancient life and construct a model of the former life. Fossils can indicate the climate of an area. By studying the strata or layers. the deposits made by each particular era, paleontologists discovered an island which was once near Florida-Appalachia. Fossils fill in many open links of evolution. Through the study of fossils I have become acquainted with geology as well as physics, chemistry, and biology, aspects of which are involved with paleontology. Paleontology is not a dead subject, but a live one which can be used to help every industry and be applied to everyone. Fossils Reveal Ancient Seas NEIL D. HEALEY lol Sterling High School Sterling Sponsor: Jim Zeigler .Few Q My research concerns the study of fossils and how they reveal ancient se-as that covered our state. Fossils are the preserved remains of plants or animals. Preservation may be accomplished by burial, permineraliza- tion, or replacement, to name a few. My collection spans a period of some five hundred thirty five million years and represents nine phylla and plants. Most of my fossils are the remains of aquatic animals. Recptaculites oweni is a very good index fossil, indicating the galena fomnation of mid-ordovician period. I have found receptaculites from New Diggins, Wisconsin, south through Lena, Mt. Carroll, Brookville, Polo, and Dixon, Illinois. It is a reasonable assumption than an ordovician sea covered that area. Rccptaculities is believed to be a sponge. The fossils in my project span the scale of complexity from shark's tooth to simple protozoans. Among the more interesting specimens are the brachiopods. After etching some specimens show the brachia. Brachia are whorl shaped structures from which a cilia covered membrane is sus- pended. The brachiopod strains its food from the water with this organ. I have continued my research by going on geological survey sponsored field trips and exploration of many quar- ries in Illinois.

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Paleozoic Era. Both of these factors influenced the evolution of life. By studying Paleozoic fossils, one may obtain an under- standing of the past which is useful in predicting the evolu- tion of the future. Clay and Heavy Mineral Separation tor Correlation ot Geologic Formations FLORA YUN-YANG LU isp Edison Junior High School Champaign - The objective of this project is to identify and correlate geologic formations by the difference in clay- and heavy- mineral contents. Clay, heavy minerals, and magnetic min- erals are separatedtby the processes of decantation, heavy- liquid separation, and magnetic separation for two series of core samples from Bloomington glacial till. Some significant difference, especially in heavy- and magnetic-mineral contents are recognized. Based on these differences the two petrographic columns are identified and consequently the formations appeared at two different lo- calities l1!3 mile apartl are correlated. As a conclusion, the difference in clay- and heavy-min- eral contents can be used as a tool for identification and correlation of geologic formations. Paleontology ot an Eocene Outcrop EDWARD VALAUSKAS Thornridge High School Dolton My project dealt with the paleontological aspects of a variety of invertebrate and vertebrate fossil remains ob- tained from an Upper Eocene outcrop near Montgomery, Louisiana. - The process of collecting the fossil specimens was simple, but the identification proved to be difficult. The fossils were identified through the correlation of the specimens to those from the type locality of the Jackson Eocene at Jackson, Mississippi. Also, several old reports by T. A. Conrad and other paleontologists were used in identification. After identification, I divided my research into four phases, which are the following: tal Phase 1 - Mollusca KGastropoda, Scaphopoda, Pelecypodal tbl Phase 2- Microscopic Fossils! Primarily Molluscal Ccl Phase 3 - Anthozoa, Bryozoa, and Foraminifera Cdl Phase 4 - Vertebrata I concentrated my research on Phases 1 and 2 because they dealt with the most common and interesting fossils from the outcrop. Following my completion of my research, I then, hypo- thetically, reconstructed the environment that previously existed of the fossils found at this outcrop. From the fossil evidence, I concluded that a marine environment existed, similar to that that presently exists in the South Pacific area. Mollusks were the most common invertebrates with the univalves most predominant. Also several characteristic Eocene vertebrates did exist, including the shark Carcharo- don, the archaeocete Basilosaurus or Zeuglodon, and the ray Myliobatis.