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Bow Valley Naturalists present … Early Life in our Rocks – The Stromatolites of Dolomite Pass with Astrid Arts
watch the video or listen to the audio or read the pdf
April 23 @ 7:30 pm – 9:00 pm
(In Person, Catharine Robb Whyte Building, 101 Bear Street, Banff)
The Canadian Rockies are a time capsule of the evolution of life over the last 540 million years. The towering peaks of this UNESCO World Heritage Site showcase some of the most spectacular fossil outcrops of tropical Paleozoic aged rocks in the world (540-245 million years). The evolution of life from single cell organisms to complex reef systems can be found on many of the hiking trails in our parks.
Our journey through time starts with one of the simplest forms of life: microbes. These photosynthetic single celled organisms have existed for more than 2 billion years. Stromatolites are the layered sediments created by these micro-organisms and are commonly found in the rock record. In the Cambrian, microbes dominated our tropical climate, and the Stromatolites of Dolomite Pass are an impressive kilometer long outcrop displaying their domal to conical growth structure.
After the Cambrian explosion of life, the rock record became full of numerous other organisms that flourished in Paleozoic oceans. The dominant reef builders have changed globally through time. We will look at some great fossils outcrops along popular hiking trails to have a glimpse at how live evolved in the Paleozoic. Next time you go hiking you too will be able to see them if can you can keep your eyes on your feet instead of the views.
Biography:
Astrid Arts is a Staff Geologist at Cenovus Energy who has spent 25+ years looking at carbonate and clastic reservoirs across Western Canada. Her current focus is on finding Carbon Sequestration solutions in Alberta and Manitoba.
Astrid holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Geology and a Master of Science in Earth and Atmospheric Science from the University of Alberta. In 2023, she received a Geoscientists Canada Fellowship for her noteworthy contributions to the geoscience profession in Canada. Astrid is happiest when hiking and has a knack for finding geology stops while on vacation much to the chagrin of her 2 children