Lingering pools in an ephemeral stream
Walking toward a deep canyon, I crossed this ephemeral stream. Two pools were visible, but I wondered whether the pools were rare or abundant. On the way back, I walked up this stream cutting into bedrock, and found four more in about half a mile. So I conclude that the pools are recurring element in a stream cutting into sandstone.
Potholes can be desert aquaria, populated with fairy shrimp, tadpole shrimp, horse hair worms and frogs. But I could not find anything in these. So, either pools in ephemeral streams are dramatically different habitats (scoured after fast water or floods) or else these were very young pools, with tiny eggs hatching but not yet visible.
Lingering pools in an ephemeral stream
Walking toward a deep canyon, I crossed this ephemeral stream. Two pools were visible, but I wondered whether the pools were rare or abundant. On the way back, I walked up this stream cutting into bedrock, and found four more in about half a mile. So I conclude that the pools are recurring element in a stream cutting into sandstone.
Potholes can be desert aquaria, populated with fairy shrimp, tadpole shrimp, horse hair worms and frogs. But I could not find anything in these. So, either pools in ephemeral streams are dramatically different habitats (scoured after fast water or floods) or else these were very young pools, with tiny eggs hatching but not yet visible.