Establishing a baseline paleontological inventory database for the Permian Reef Geology Trail, Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas

Located at the mouth of McKittrick Canyon, the Permian Reef Geology Trail (PRGT) traverses the Permian reef complex and climbs the northeast side of the canyon some 610 meters in topographic elevation. The Permian Reef is one of the world's premier fossil reefs, and the trail exposes some of the finest examples of a rimmed carbonate platform margin. The trail is an important interpretive outdoor geological exhibit with an international reputation among geologists. In order to preserve and protect this natural resource, Sul Ross State University and Guadalupe Mountains National Park undertook an effort to produce a comprehensive paleontological inventory of the trail. The inventory will function as a primary tool for monitoring the condition of the geological and paleontological resources of the trail, and for facilitating decisions concerning its management.; The research conducted is a Geographic Information Systems-related (GIS) project incorporating a baseline paleontological and geologic database inventory, digital maps, and digital photo images. A Microsoft Access searchable database was developed from Global Positioning System (GPS) data that includes 498 data file records with information relating to: fossils/fossil assemblages, lithology, stratigraphy, vandalism and/or poaching of fossils, and hyperlinks of digital photos to their corresponding data records. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)...