13 became more inhabitable because of its increase in the variety of earth deposits from the aftermath of the Pleistocene Epoch, and the melting of the topsoil in Illinois. The Pleistocene deposits of Northern Illinois increased its abundance of laminated clay after accumulating resources from the melting glaciers. This type of clay consists of a combination of organic material, minerals, and fossils. Pleistocene deposits such as laminated clay also share the ability to filter water. This earth material contains sufficient oxygen, which increases the atmospheric oxidation in the area. It helps mandate healthier soil due to the balanced amount of oxygen that is filtered and flows through the soil. Since Northern Illinois has achieved laminated clay in its land, it is evident that the glaciers have produced successful moraines that help with the recession of glaciers and that there has been a succession with the improvement of soil conditions in Northern Illinois, specifically with the soil surrounding the Fox River. 7 The geographical advancements from the melting glaciers of the Pleistocene Epoch and the Wisconsin Glaciation have improved the climate. Melting glaciers can change the chemistry and temperature of the atmosphere because of its warming and cooling circulation. When the glacier melts, it can release greenhouse gases such as methane and carbon, which are produced by the buildup of gas from organic matter that had been buried within the glacier. Since global warming has impacted glaciers around the world, an immense amount of greenhouse gases has been released into the atmosphere, causing an alteration in its balance. This drastic change can cause climatic storms and temperature fluctuations to occur. Especially with the atmosphere being thin during the Pleistocene Epoch, greenhouse gases would have reacted more severely and rerouted a general circulation of cool air to match with Earth, thus creating a balanced climate. Along with the amount 7 Winchell, Newton Horace. In The American Ecologist. 17. (Minneapolis, MN: The Geological Publishing Company, 1896) pp 289–293.
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