THE ROZEL POINT TAR SEEPS AND THEIR ASSOCIATION WITH THE HYPERSALINE ENVIRONMENT AT GREAT SALT LAKE, UTAH

Naturally occurring tar seeps, located at Rozel Point at the north arm of Great Salt Lake, provides an opportunity to study a petroleum-rich environment adjacent to this unique hypersaline ecosystem. These seeps result from high molecular weight hydrocarbons migrating through cracks and fissures along fault lines. During high lake levels, the seeping petroleum directly enters the salty brine, but during low lake levels, it spreads along the surface of the dry lakebed forming tar seeps that are numerous and vary in size. Throughout the warmer months, the surface of the Rozel Point tar seeps is sufficiently sticky, and it can lead to the entrapment of a range of animals. Documentation of entrapped species includes direct observations and motion-activated cameras. Our data suggest that American White Pelicans are most commonly stuck, a species that has a breeding colony at Great Salt Lake on an island nearby the seeps. However, our study recorded a broad array of entrapped animals including other birds, insects, rodents, and large mammals such as a coyote documented by our trail cameras coupled with close visual inspection. As these animals cannot drink the water from the salty lake, our research is focused on why such animals are visiting the seeps, which are right on the lake margin. One possibility is that there are freshwater springs associated with the seeps and after rainy periods as pools of freshwater form on the surface of the tar rather than soaking into the sand. Another possible factor for the visitations is the reflective appearance of the tar seeps, which can attract insects, and in turn attract insectivorous birds and mammals. Using this site at Great Salt Lake as a modern analogue, we will compare our analysis to other significant ancient petroleum-enriched sites such as the La Brea Tar Pits.