Scientists from across Texas gathered at the Terlingua Ranch Lodge from May 18–20 for the annual Christmas Mountains Symposium, an event focused on the unique geology, ecology, and water systems of the remote mountain range bordering Big Bend National Park.
Hosted by the Texas State University System (TSUS), which owns the 9,270-acre Christmas Mountains tract, the symposium included presentations and guided field excursions led by faculty from Sul Ross State University and other TSUS institutions.
The Christmas Mountains are composed of Cretaceous marine sedimentary rocks intruded by younger igneous formations, dating back approximately 40 to 44 million years, forming a complex caldera structure. The area’s desert grassland ecosystem includes a range of distinctive plant communities, making it an important site for ongoing scientific research and education.
Photo: Dr. Liz Measures, professor of geology at Sul Ross State University, leads a field discussion on the geological features of the Christmas Mountains during the symposium.
Image Source: https://www.sulross.edu/sul-ross-state-university-scientists-attend-christmas-mountains-symposium/
