science

Paleobiota of the Latah Formation

Paleobiota of the Latah Formation is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Paleobiota of the Latah Formation rather than just read about it. In short: The paleobiota of the Latah Formation encompasses both floral and faunal elements preserved in temporary lacustrine environments formed between eruptive phases of the Columbia River Basalts in central to east Eastern Washington and central to north Idaho. The Latah Formation is centered around the greater Spokane area, with a western extent outcropping at Grand Coulee and the eastern margins as far southeast as the…

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Reference excerpt

The paleobiota of the Latah Formation encompasses both floral and faunal elements preserved in temporary lacustrine environments formed between eruptive phases of the Columbia River Basalts in central to east Eastern Washington and central to north Idaho. The Latah Formation is centered around the greater Spokane area, with a western extent outcropping at Grand Coulee and the eastern margins as far southeast as the area of White Bird, Idaho. Dating of the core Spokane sites is based on the host Grande Ronde Basalts which give an age range of 16.5 to 16.1 million years ago. The Clarkia fossil beds lagerstätte site are slightly younger, being interbedded in the Wanapum Basalts Priest Rapids Member with an age constraint of 16.1 to 15.9 million years ago, or Early Barstovian in age. The intermittent lakes were surrounded by a temperate ecosystem that was mesophytic in nature, and hosting a diverse flora with plants that are still native to the region and others now restricted to other areas of the globe. There is a small element of the flora that consists of fully extinct genera that are unique to the time and region. Based on work from sampling around Mica, Washington a diverse assembly of diatoms and algae lived in the Spokane area lakes though water conditions for growth were not ideal. The known fauna of the formation is smaller than the flora, with most taxa being insect species though one unnamed Sciuridae fossil was described in 2018, and fish belonging to the salmonid, cyprinid, and centrarchid groups are known. Preservation varies from carbonized compressions at most sites to exceptional organic preservations in some parts of the Clarkia area localities where original organic material is preserved down to living coloration and possible ancient DNA fragments. Upper layers of the Clarkia deposits have been recorded with modern fungi actively feeding on the ancient organic material of the fossils as a food source.

Plants The initial taxonomic work on the flora was undertaken by Frank Knowlton with assistance from diatom specialist Albert Mann and bryologist Elizabeth Britton. Their combined work was published as a supplemental chapter to the initial 1926 descriptive work by Joseph Pardee and Kirk Bryan. After Knowlton's death in November 1926, his revision of the Latah flora was taken over by Edward W. Berry who also erroneously included strata of the much older Klondike Mountain Formation around Republic, Washington. This error was noted and corrected in later works by Roland W. Brown. Ralph W. Cheney and Daniel I. Axelrod broke the Latah into four major florules, Grand Coulee and Spokane in Washington plus Coeur d'Alene and White Bird in Idaho, while noting several "miscellaneous" sites as well. Modern works have concentrated more on single taxa and certain florules.

Mosses

Lycopods

Ferns

Ginkgos

Conifers

Basal dicots

Monocots

Magnoliids

Ceratophyllales

Basal eudicots

Superasterids - basal

Superasterids

Superrosids - Basal

Superrosids - Fabids

Superrosids - Malvids

incertae sedis

Fungi The Clarkia outcrops is noted for exceptionally good palynological preservation, with a number of fungal palynomorphs preserved at the sites.

Insects

Fish

Mammals

Algae An initial survey of Latah Formation diatoms was conduced by Albert Mann at the behest of Frank Hall Knowlton. Based on sample material recovered from a well 0.25 mi (0.40 km) west of Mica, Washington, itself southeast of Spokane, Mann identified a large number of diatomaceous species, including 10 new species. Mann noted the diatoms appear to have lived under stressed conditions caused by caustic water, with many of the specimens showing malformed shapes or blurred ornamentations. The typical cause of this in diatoms is a high concentration of dissolved mineral salts in the water body.

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Paleobiota of the Latah Formation

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Paleobiota of the Latah Formation claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Paleobiota of the Latah Formation before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Paleobiota of the Latah Formation ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Paleobiota of the Latah Formation

In research: Paleobiota of the Latah Formation appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Paleobiota of the Latah Formation in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Paleobiota of the Latah Formation is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Cenozoic paleobiotas, Flora of Washington (state), Lists of fauna of Washington (state), so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Paleobiota of the Latah Formation outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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Frequently asked questions

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Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

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