The Geographical story of Rhode Island

A Brief Summary

1

550-250 Million Years ago

Rhode Island is the only state in New England formed entirely atop basement rock, it is formed on top of billion-year-old igneous crystals. During this period, the state was landlocked in conjunction with the African continental plate.

2

200 Million years ago

Some of the rocks in New England and Morrocco are exactly the same from when the two regions were joined. The continental plates containing what is now the east coast of the US and Western Africa tore apart forming the Atlantic ocean. Pinned on the map is the border between the North American plate and the newly formed oceanic plate.

3

250 Million-75 Thousand years ago

Frequent and plentiful erosion of soft sediments from the Appalachian region spills onto the hard basement rock leaving a thick surface of soft, light rock that is easily eroded by glaciers, shaping the landscape in their paths.

4

75,000-18,000 years ago

Glaciers converge on what was a freshwater lake at Narragansett bay and carve away the soft sedimentary rock, leaving a deep basin lined by hard basement rock that connects to the ocean.

5

18,000-14,000 years ago

As the ice sheet melted off, it created a huge moraine across the coast, making up what is now Block Island, Long Island, Nantucket, and Martha's vineyard

6

Moraine formation of surrounding islands

This entire coastal regian was shaped by glaciers carving the land out and pushing up piles of rocks in the ocean to form the present day landscape

7

14,000 years ago-Present

By 1400 years ago, the glacial ice sheet had melted completely, leaving the geopgraphical landscape we are more familiar with today

8

Present day geological composition

Nearly all of the soil covering Rhode Island today is glacial till and glacial outwash. much of this soil is mixed with acidic, crystalline sand.

Narragansett Bay area

Rhode island falls in the Northeastern coastal zone with most of its biomes being coastal, temperate forests, and wetlands. The land cover is of glacial till and outwash as previously mentioned, often covered in coastal plants or forest.

Temperate forests in the area consist of a mix of oak and coniferous trees

An example of a coastal wetland

Wildlife:

An Eastern Grey Squirrel

Mammals: Foxes, Deer, squirrels, raccoons, weasels, and bats are also among the most common Rhode Island mammal species. Black Bears, opossum, coyote, fisher, and beaver have recently established breeding populations.

A white crested nuthatch

Birds: Rhode island is home to over 400 species of bird including woodpeckers, warblers, and owls.

a spotted salamander

Reptiles/amphibians: Salamanders, frogs, toads, turtles, and snakes are common throughout Rhode Island’s woodlands. Several amphibian and reptile populations depend upon vernal pools (where water collects seasonally in low areas of the forest floor) to breed. These habitat features are generally at-risk as land development transforms or eliminates vernal pools.

fish species

Due to the large coastal area, a variety of marine species can be found around Rhode Island.

Weather

Annual average tenperature

Large seasonal fluctuations in temperature cause some freezing and thawing of smaller bodies of water, while the rivers and greater coastal area remain unchanged. Harsh winters cause migration and hibernation of some species.

Average annual precipitation

Precipitation is fairly consistent throughout the year at a moderate rate that consistently supports ecosystems.

An example of a coastal wetland

An Eastern Grey Squirrel

A white crested nuthatch

a spotted salamander

fish species

Annual average tenperature

Average annual precipitation