ajohunter Report post Posted October 15, 2008 We were up in units 7 & 8 this last weekend doing some Elk scouting and ran across these strange things in Unit 7. It turned out to be a cake pan on top of a pole cemented in the ground, screwed down with strapping and filled with marbles on a screen inside the pan. I can only assume it was to catch rain water?...any ideas? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
cjw2222 Report post Posted October 15, 2008 hmmm pretty weird lookin contraption. maybe the marbles are used as a way to decrease evaporation while not absorbing any water...? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snapshot Report post Posted October 15, 2008 Marble cake? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
YOUNGGUNZ Report post Posted October 15, 2008 Marble cake? Dang it!!! You beat me to it!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WFGinNM Report post Posted October 15, 2008 Seems like a lot of trouble just to wash your marbles. --Bill Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mattobertin Report post Posted October 15, 2008 I have hunted 7 alot for deer and I have seen alot of strange things that G&F (I think it is G&F anyway???) has put up for research on hummingbirds. Like some wierd looking bird housing and what not. I would be willing to bet it is to catch water and the colored marbles are meant to attract hummingbirds. I can think of numerous occasions when I was stalking deer with my bow and the hummingbirds would dive bomb my fletchings on my arrows and scare the crap out of me!!! They are very loud when they are a foot or two away from your face!!! LOL! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
4Falls Report post Posted October 15, 2008 looks like more of a NAU type project than G&F. No way G&F would save money and use bundt pans theyd have custom recepticles made and shipped in from Berlin. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ernesto C Report post Posted October 15, 2008 Maybe part of the Blair witch project?? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SilentButDeadly Report post Posted October 15, 2008 I think its something like Frisbee Golf -- you throw the marble, go find it, toss it, till you get to the next hole... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
elkhunter Report post Posted October 16, 2008 It's NAU research Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snapshot Report post Posted October 16, 2008 Briefly, the dust trap consists of a coated angel-food cake pan painted black on the outside and mounted on a post about 2 m above the ground. Glass marbles rest on a circular piece of galvanized hardware cloth (now replaced by stainless-steel mesh), which is fitted into the pan so that it rests 3-4 cm below the rim. The 2-m height eliminates most saltating sand-sized particles. The marbles simulate the effect of a gravelly fan surface and prevent dust that has filtered or washed into the bottom of the pan from being blown back out. The dust traps are fitted with two metal straps looped in an inverted basket shape; the top surfaces of the straps are coated with a sticky material that effectively discourages birds from roosting. NPS Photo by Neal Herbert Using bundt cake pans filled with marbles, dust is collected at five different locations in Canyonlands. Dust storms have long been associated with erosion of topsoil, poor air quality and other harmful effects. In March of this year, a dust storm from the Gobi Desert in northwest China cast much of southeast Asia in a pallid gloom as airports canceled flights and health officials warned people to carry umbrellas and wash when they returned home. Residents of Utah faced similar storms in April. But dust isn’t all bad: scientists working in Canyonlands have discovered that airborne dust can be extremely beneficial to the area in which it falls. Any local gardener will agree that it’s a miracle anything grows in Canyonlands without the advantage of compost, manure and daily irrigation. Despite natural obstacles like extreme temperatures and lack of water, native plants endure, even surprising visitors with their abundance. Airborne dust may be one reason for this success. As much as 30% of the soil in Canyonlands may have arrived as airborne dust. Dust can be distinguished from other sediments because it differs in mineral and chemical composition from nearby bedrock, the only other source of soil-building material in many areas. According to lab results, dust both introduces new elements and enriches many others consumed by plants. For example, dust doubles the amount of phosphorous and manganese, triples the amount of sodium, and more than quadruples the amount of magnesium in the soil. Imagine food falling from the sky, filling your fridge and three others just like it. It’s a virtual feast for the plant community. Examining new elements helps identify potential dust sources, though naming exact origins remains impossible. Given the right conditions, dust can travel halfway around the world, and frequently does. A Gobi Desert storm last year crossed the Pacific and sprinkled tons of Asian dust from California to Florida. It was the largest storm ever recorded, and noticeably affected visibility in Canyonlands as it passed. Most dust destined for Canyonlands probably originates in the American Southwest. The Mojave, Great Basin and Sonoran deserts are all upwind of the park, and recent satellite images have recorded dust plumes traveling from the Mojave to the Canyonlands area. Soil profiles in Canyonlands indicate a change in sources during the past several decades, so it’s possible that human modifications like farming, grazing, military testing, urban development and water diversions have made the Mojave more prone to erosion. Not surprisingly, the Gobi has witnessed many of the same activities. Soil loss can be devastating to the ecosystem in which it occurs, and the newly airborne nutrients only benefit soils that can retain them. In Canyonlands, this job falls to biological soil crust, a living groundcover and efficient dust trap found throughout the park. The lumpy, irregular surface of healthy crusts combs dust particles from the air and shelters them. When it rains, bacteria living in the crust actually bind the dust particles to existing soils in a sticky, fibrous web. While it can withstand wind, the flattening impact of feet or wheels crushes crust back into dust, which may float away on the next breeze. More importantly, the formation of healthy soil crust requires up to half a century. Protecting park soils is a small but significant step every visitor can take. Stay on roads and trails, and hike on rock or in sandy washes during any off-trail explorations. And don’t forget, the soil under your shoes may have traveled all the way from China. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Coach Report post Posted October 16, 2008 Ahh - the mother ship, I've been looking for that! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ajohunter Report post Posted October 16, 2008 Wow! Mystery solved! Now we can jump back in the Mystery Machine and solve some more!.....Thanks Brent! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Snapshot Report post Posted October 16, 2008 Where's my Scooby snack? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
