The Grand

Canyon
- Group 13-
Valiente, Mata, Sarmiento
 What is a Canyon?
A canyon is a deep, narrow valley with
steep sides. “Canyon” comes from the
Spanish word cañon, which means “tube” or
“pipe.” The term “gorge” is often used to
mean “canyon,” but a gorge is almost
always steeper and narrower than a canyon.

The movement of rivers, the processes of

weathering and erosion, and tectonic
activity create canyons.
 What is a Canyon?
The most familiar type of canyon is
probably the river canyon. The water
pressure of a river can cut deep into a river
bed. Sediments from the river bed are
carried downstream, creating a deep, narrow
channel.

Rivers that lie at the bottom of deep

canyons are known as entrenched rivers.
They are entrenched because, unlike rivers
in wide, flat flood plains, they do not
meander and change their course.
About the Grand Canyon
Where it is and Facts about it!
Google Earth Screenshot:

Here is a screenshot of the Grand Canyon from Arizona, USA..

About the Grand Canyon:
Layers:
In the Grand Canyon, there are clear
horizontal layers of different rocks that
provide information about where, when,
and how they were deposited, long before
the canyon was even carved.
Erosion:
Grand Canyon is also considered one of the
finest examples of arid-land erosion in the
world. Incised by the Colorado River, the
canyon is immense, averaging 4,000 feet
deep for its entire 277 miles. It is 6,000 feet
deep at its deepest point and 18 miles at its
widest. However, the significance of Grand
Canyon is not limited to its geology.
Rock Layers in the Grand Canyon:

You can clearly see the different rocks layered through the canyon.
About the Grand Canyon
Part 2:
Flora and Fauna
 Fauna in the Grand Canyon:
Animal life in the Grand Canyon area today,
however, is varied and abundant. Common
mammals are the many varieties of
squirrels, coyotes, foxes, deer, badgers,
bobcats, rabbits, chipmunks, and kangaroo
rats. In addition, the canyon region is home
to a great many bird species, including
raptors such as bald eagles and peregrine
falcons and the rare California condor. Fish
species include trout and (in the Little
Colorado River) the rare humpback chub
(Gila cypha).
Flora in the Grand Canyon:
There are approximately 12 species of endemic
plants that only grow in the park and over 1700
different varieties of vascular plants, over 160 fungi
and over 190 lichen varieties that flourish at the
Grand Canyon.

Cactus plants, wildflowers, trees, grasses, shrubs,

fungi and lichen are all found at varying levels
within the canyon – most of them are found closer to
the River’s edge. The higher the elevation, the more
desert-like the plants become on the plateaus and
above 6,500 feet, you will find wooded areas of
Pine, oak mahogany and more.

The beauty of the Canyon’s vegetation is often

breathtaking, from the sparse desert type of plants to
lush flora near the water’s edge and all the way to
the higher elevation wooded areas.
THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!