Yellowstone National Park has a wide range of geology. In the Yellowstone Caldera, the last massive eruption in the area left rhyolite lava flows hundreds of feet thick spreading across the land. Glacial activity swept through the area multiple times as well, leaving glacial sediment and clays rich in nutrients like calcium and magnesium, and the forming of lakes left very fine sediments nearby.
Those curious of the different types of sediments in Yellowstone should look for the connection between geology and ecology. Different plants prefer different nutrients and sediment types, allowing people to discover the history of certain areas throughout the park simply by looking at the plant life there. Yellowstone Volcano Observatory Scientist-in-Charge Mike Poland explains how vegetation can be used to map geology in Yellowstone National Park.
Glacial clay found in places like Lamar and Hayden Valleys attracts grasslands, while the Absaroka andesite volcanic field in the eastern part of Yellowstone National Park brings in a mixed conifer forest. On the Central Plateau rhyolite, guests can find a lodgepole pine forest.
