NRE 430 - EEB 489
D.R. Zak
Lab 1
Tour of Landforms, Soils, and Vegetation
The development and distribution of soils within Michigan and the Lake States region are
closely related to the geological processes that have shaped our present landscape. Twenty
times in the last 2 million years glaciers have moved southward from Hudson Bay and
northeastern Canada to cover much of eastern North America. Each glacial advance altered the
existing landscape and formed a new one upon its northward retreat. Most of the state of
Michigan, other than some areas of bedrock outcrop in the Upper Penninsula, is covered with
glacial drift deposited during the last glacial episode. This glaciation, known as the Wisconsin
advance, reached its maximum extent in Indiana and Ohio approximately 18,000 years ago. The
Wisconsin ice sheet retreated from southern Michigan about 14,000 years ago and shaped the
landscape of the Ann Arbor area.
During this lab we will observe several types of glacial materials and landforms common
throughout the Lake States region and we will discuss differences in soil and vegetation among
them.
Scheduled Stops for Tour of Landforms, Soils, and Vegetation
(Note: See following page for locations of stops)
1. Eberwhite Woods - Introduction to glacial history of Michigan
Landform - Fort Wayne moraine, rolling topography.
Soil - fine-textured (clayey), formed in glacial till.
Vegetation - mixed oak forest.
2. Railroad-cut Exposure of Outwash Deposits - gravel deposited by southwestward
drainage of the Huron River.
Landform - outwash terrace, level topography (altered by cut)
Soil - course-textured, formed in stratified sand and gravel.
3. Gravel Pit Exposure of Discontinuous Glacial Deposits - deep deposits of stratified drift
covered with 6-15 feet of unstratified drift.
Landform - outer ridge of the Defiance moraine, overlying outwash deposits,
gently rolling topography.
Soil - fine-textured (clayey), formed in glacial till.
4. Radrick Forest - Fleming Creek drainage (formerly a glacial drainage way).
Landform - outwash terrace and moraine intermingling at edge of river valley.
Soil - silty-textured, formed in stratified sand and gravel alluvium
Vegetation - oak-hickory forest.
5. Mystery Spot – can you guess the landform and parent material?
Landform ?
Soil ?