Natural Features & Ecosystems To many, the most outstanding natural features of Canyonlands are the park's geologic formations. In each of the districts, visitors can see the remarkable effects of millions of years of erosion on a landscape of sedimentary rock. Two unusual natural features are common in Canyonlands ...

Plants Many visitors are surprised at the amount of vegetation in Canyonlands. Plants are critical components to all ecosystems, and Canyonlands is no exception. Plants capture particulate dust in the air, filter gaseous pollutants, convert carbon dioxide to oxygen, provide animal habitat and possess many raw materials useful to ...

Above all, it is the availability of water that determines the species of plants and animals that can exist in a given location. And water, or the lack of it, has had a profound effect on Canyonlands. Aside from the Green and Colorado rivers and the few springs, water ...

Anticline Rock layers that have been bent so that they bow upwards or fold convex side up. Aquifer A rock layer with enough space between its grains to allow water to flow relatively freely. Butte A hill or very small mountain that is flat topped and steep sides all around. Calcite A mineral composed of calcium ...

Animals Though the natural quiet of Canyonlands often creates the impression of lifelessness, many animals live here. Birds, lizards and some rodents are seen most frequently, though seasons and weather play a large role in determining what animals are active. Desert animals have a variety of adaptations for dealing ...

Nonnative Species Non-native species are a problem throughout the American west, and Canyonlands is no exception. Several animal and plant infestations have significantly altered the area's ecology, disrupting food chains and nutrient cycles by out-competing native organisms in their own habitat. Non-native plants impacting Canyonlands include tamarisk (salt cedar), ...