soil.capstone.3

a. Sandy loam

b. The soil at Lily Pond aids the movement of water and nutrients because even when moist, the soil does not hold together well, allowing water to move quickly and freely along with the nutrients.

c. I gathered my soil at a spot where there had recently been a landslide caused by erosion and so I took loose soil from the top where there were no organisms found within the soil but a lot of plant matter debris. I don't doubt that earthworms and isopods live in areas where the soil was recently disturbed, but none were found where I took my sample.

d. Earthworms and isopods consume plant matter and break them down into soil so these organisms overall improve the quality of soil and accelerate the decomposition process.

e. The soil that I collected does seem likely to erode as was evident in the fact that the soil I collected had recently collapsed due to erosion. Its loss from its original location damaged a well used path and left new soil to be exposed to the elements. The collapse also covered all plant life that had been present on the side of the hill. All eroded soil would fall either to Lily Pond itself, or to the paved path that edges the pond. Its new location would allow for the spread and establishment of nearby species.

f. It is important to think about soil texture because it allows for ecologists to gain a knowledge about what plants and other organisms survive best within that area, and how they interact, decompose and contribute to the water and nutrient cycle.

 

Done