s Replacement Assessment - “Examine the formation and evolution of the English Lake District over the last 25,000 years, providing a detailed description of the different phases and processes that have shaped its structure and current appearance.” The Lake District is a region of great value Britain famous and characterized by its landscapes. Steep peaks and boulder-strewn carriers contrast with forested valleys, farmland, conifer plantations and ribbon lakes. As well as attracting large numbers of tourists, the Lake District's scenery has also given it National Park status and, since the publication of the first scientific account of its geology in 1820, by local guide Jonathan Otley, its landscape has become one of the most extensively studied in the British Isles. Over the last 25,000 years, many changes have occurred to the landscape of the Lake District, mainly due to glaciation, which is responsible for the general shape of much of the district. The arrival of man also brought many changes, particularly in vegetation and land use. Overview of the geology of the Lake District The rocks visible on the surface of the Lake District can be roughly divided into three main groups trending south-west to north-east: • Skiddaw Slates – these are the oldest rocks in the Lake District, dating back to the Ordovician (about 500 million years ago). They are thought to have formed from the deposition of mud and silt on the seabed in deep, still water. • Borrowdale Volcanic Series – formed during a subduction event approximately 450 million years ago, the Borrowdale Volcanic Series is made up of volcanic lavas and pyroclastic materials. Most of the district's highest and steepest peaks are found in this region. • Windermere Group – slates, shales and sandstones from... middle of paper...sis. Large numbers of pollen grains are produced for reproduction and dispersed by the wind. The vast majority wither and are lost, but some fall into areas where their characteristic shells can be preserved: peat bogs aid such preservation (Millward & Robinson, 1970). If a core is passed through many layers of peat, the sheaths of pollen grains present throughout its depth can provide a chronological record of which plants were present in the time period represented by the core. Early soils in the Lake District are thought to have been much more alkaline than they are today, particularly those formed from rocks of the Borrowdale Volcanic Series, which show veins of white calcite (Pearsall & Pennington, 1973). If a fresh surface of Borrowdale volcanic rock is exposed, it will react with hydrochloric acid, showing the presence of calcium carbonate.

Topic > s Replacement Assessment - “Examine the formation and evolution of the English Lake District over the last 25,000 years, providing a detailed description of the different phases and processes that have shaped its structure and current appearance.” The Lake District is a region of great value Britain famous and characterized by its landscapes. Steep peaks and boulder-strewn carriers contrast with forested valleys, farmland, conifer plantations and ribbon lakes. As well as attracting large numbers of tourists, the Lake District's scenery has also given it National Park status and, since the publication of the first scientific account of its geology in 1820, by local guide Jonathan Otley, its landscape has become one of the most extensively studied in the British Isles. Over the last 25,000 years, many changes have occurred to the landscape of the Lake District, mainly due to glaciation, which is responsible for the general shape of much of the district. The arrival of man also brought many changes, particularly in vegetation and land use. Overview of the geology of the Lake District The rocks visible on the surface of the Lake District can be roughly divided into three main groups trending south-west to north-east: • Skiddaw Slates – these are the oldest rocks in the Lake District, dating back to the Ordovician (about 500 million years ago). They are thought to have formed from the deposition of mud and silt on the seabed in deep, still water. • Borrowdale Volcanic Series – formed during a subduction event approximately 450 million years ago, the Borrowdale Volcanic Series is made up of volcanic lavas and pyroclastic materials. Most of the district's highest and steepest peaks are found in this region. • Windermere Group – slates, shales and sandstones from... middle of paper...sis. Large numbers of pollen grains are produced for reproduction and dispersed by the wind. The vast majority wither and are lost, but some fall into areas where their characteristic shells can be preserved: peat bogs aid such preservation (Millward & Robinson, 1970). If a core is passed through many layers of peat, the sheaths of pollen grains present throughout its depth can provide a chronological record of which plants were present in the time period represented by the core. Early soils in the Lake District are thought to have been much more alkaline than they are today, particularly those formed from rocks of the Borrowdale Volcanic Series, which show veins of white calcite (Pearsall & Pennington, 1973). If a fresh surface of Borrowdale volcanic rock is exposed, it will react with hydrochloric acid, showing the presence of calcium carbonate.