Geological Society of America

38 Undergraduate Research Session II (Posters)

Monday, 20 March 2017
8:00 AM - 12:00 PM
Urban, 17th Floor

QUANTIFICATION OF SOIL FORMATION ON A RECENT LAVA FLOW AT MT. ARENAL, COSTA RICA

Paper number: 38-4
Program: Theme Sessions
Time: 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Authors

Melanie Flynn Presenting Author
West Chester University, West Chester, PA
Brandon Miller
West Chester University, West Chester, PA
Austin Abernathy
West Chester University, West Chester, PA
Alyssa Pfahler
West Chester University, West Chester, PA
Matt Cole
West Chester University, West Chester, PA
Zach Schwartz
West Chester University, West Chester, PA
Ryan Oxenford
West Chester University, West Chester, PA
Chros Johnson
West Chester University, West Chester, PA
Russell Losco
West Chester University, West Chester, PA
Daria Nikitina
West Chester University of Pennsylvania, West Chester, PA
William Russo
West Chester University, West Chester, PA
Matthew Schmidt
West Chester University, West Chester, PA
Dustin Renninger
West Chester University, West Chester, PA
Alison Aungst
West Chester University, West Chester, PA
Matt Trudeau
West Chester University, West Chester, PA
Deven Sceflo
West Chester University, West Chester, PA
Deanna Leri
West Chester University, West Chester, PA
Dane Ruvo
West Chester University, West Chester, PA

Abstract

The rate of soil formation from bedrock has long been in question, especially in tropical climates. The 1992 lava flow at Mt. Arenal, Costa Rica provides an excellent opportunity to capture a “time zero” and observe the formation of soil in real time. The lava flow and pyroclastic flows devastated a swath of forest in 1992. Since then the surrounding forest has begun the process of re-colonizing the lava flow and what used to be gaps between boulders are now filling with regolith. The focus of this research was to sample the regolith on the 1992 Lava Flow on Mt. Arenal, Costa Rica and attempt to quantify the amount of soil formation through several sediment analysis techniques. The intention was to develop a baseline at 24 years after the deposition of the lava that could then be easily re-sampled over time as the soil continues to develop. It is hoped that this will be a long-term collaboration between researchers in Costa Rica and the United States.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 49, No. 2

doi: 10.1130/abs/2017NE-291233

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