Paleowetland deposit near Las Vegas, Nevada

In southern Nevada, buff-colored deposits sit against the backdrop of the Las Vegas Range just outside the city limits of Las Vegas. Once thought to be remnants of a large lake, these deposits actually record the presence of extensive wetlands that were home to an array of Pleistocene megafauna. They also hold valuable clues to understanding how desert ecosystems responded to climate change in the past. (Photograph courtesy of Eric Scott.)