Physical Setting

Plants can't live just anywhere. Certain landscape features of a site give clues to what kinds of plants (and animals!) can thrive there. Recognizing patterns in the physical setting helps ecologists predict what sorts of natural communities may be present.

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The Physical Setting of Rock Creek Park

Explore these sections:

soil textural triangleSoils

What types of soils are present? Fertile or infertile? Coarse or fine? Deep or shallow?

mix of ancient river terrace gravelGeology

What types of bedrock underlie the landscape and what types of nutrients do those rocks contain?

topographic map of Rock Creek ParkTopography

What is the topography like? Is the landscape smooth or rugged, high or low? Does the land face toward or away from the sun?

Rock Creek watershedsWatersheds

What are the patterns of precipitation and runoff, and how big is the watershed?

Soil textural triangle - USDA NRCS; Mix of ancient river terrace gravel - Rod Simmons; Topographic map of Rock Creek Park; Nested watersheds