KRutkowski4
Soil Test 6
1. My soil’s texture, which is sandy clay, partly hinders and partly aids in water flow and the movement of nutrients. The movement of water and nutrients in the soil is mostly hindered due to its main component of my soil being clay. Clay is composed of very small particles. It does not allow water to move easily through it. The particles are so small that there is not much air in between the particles and therefore not much room for water, air, and dissolved nutrients in the water to move through the particles of clay. So there is not much movement of water, air, and nutrients in clay in this ecosystem. However, the movement of water and nutrients in the soil is also partly aided due to it also having a component of my soil being sand. Sand is composed of larger particles. It allows water, air, and nutrients to pass quickly through it. The particles are big enough that there is more air in between the particles and therefore more room for water, air, and dissolved nutrients in the water to move through the particles of sand. So there is movement of water, air, and nutrients in the sand. So, since my soil is mostly composed of clay, it mostly hinders the water flow and movement of nutrients.
2. The types of organisms that are in the area where I collected the soil are insects, large trees, small trees, lots of different species of ground brush, moss, deer, squirrels, chipmunks, geese, ducks, turtles, frogs, and fungi.
3. The effects that these organisms have on the soil’s qualities are that the decaying organisms and animal’s excrements add more soil and nutrients like Phosphorus, Nitrogen, and Carbon to the soil, which help the plants grow, so they add to the soil quality. Plant’s roots help hold the soil in place. Animals do the opposite when they burrow into the ground making the soil unstable.
4. The soil I collected is not likely to erode. This is evident in its texture and the soil test’s I performed. When I rolled it into a ball, made it into a ribbon, and supersaturated it, the sandy clay remained in its shape showing that soil is not easily moved. Water moves over it and not through it very much. Also, all of the plants hold the soil together making it less likely to erode. The loss of the soil would affect the current location by that it may expose some of the plant’s roots, which may hurt the plant and may even kill it. This is because it may fall over or its roots may not be able to take up enough water and nutrients to keep it growing. The loss of the soil would also affect the current location by that it may ruin some animal’s habitats. The soil would erode to the pond down the hill in my site. The soil’s presence would affect the location it moves to by that it would make the water have a higher concentration of nutrients, organic matter, and soil in general. This adds nutrients for aquatic plants to take up and use to grow. It would also reduce water quality and may negatively affect aquatic animal’s habitats.
5. As an ecologist, it is important to think about soil texture because it affects the entire integrity of the location. It can positively and negatively affect the organisms that inhabit the location and manmade structures in the location. It affects the most essential component of life, water, and its flow through the soil and to organisms. It also affects the types of plants and animals that can live and thrive in the environment.
Soil Test 6
1. My soil’s texture, which is sandy clay, partly hinders and partly aids in water flow and the movement of nutrients. The movement of water and nutrients in the soil is mostly hindered due to its main component of my soil being clay. Clay is composed of very small particles. It does not allow water to move easily through it. The particles are so small that there is not much air in between the particles and therefore not much room for water, air, and dissolved nutrients in the water to move through the particles of clay. So there is not much movement of water, air, and nutrients in clay in this ecosystem. However, the movement of water and nutrients in the soil is also partly aided due to it also having a component of my soil being sand. Sand is composed of larger particles. It allows water, air, and nutrients to pass quickly through it. The particles are big enough that there is more air in between the particles and therefore more room for water, air, and dissolved nutrients in the water to move through the particles of sand. So there is movement of water, air, and nutrients in the sand. So, since my soil is mostly composed of clay, it mostly hinders the water flow and movement of nutrients.
2. The types of organisms that are in the area where I collected the soil are insects, large trees, small trees, lots of different species of ground brush, moss, deer, squirrels, chipmunks, geese, ducks, turtles, frogs, and fungi.
3. The effects that these organisms have on the soil’s qualities are that the decaying organisms and animal’s excrements add more soil and nutrients like Phosphorus, Nitrogen, and Carbon to the soil, which help the plants grow, so they add to the soil quality. Plant’s roots help hold the soil in place. Animals do the opposite when they burrow into the ground making the soil unstable.
4. The soil I collected is not likely to erode. This is evident in its texture and the soil test’s I performed. When I rolled it into a ball, made it into a ribbon, and supersaturated it, the sandy clay remained in its shape showing that soil is not easily moved. Water moves over it and not through it very much. Also, all of the plants hold the soil together making it less likely to erode. The loss of the soil would affect the current location by that it may expose some of the plant’s roots, which may hurt the plant and may even kill it. This is because it may fall over or its roots may not be able to take up enough water and nutrients to keep it growing. The loss of the soil would also affect the current location by that it may ruin some animal’s habitats. The soil would erode to the pond down the hill in my site. The soil’s presence would affect the location it moves to by that it would make the water have a higher concentration of nutrients, organic matter, and soil in general. This adds nutrients for aquatic plants to take up and use to grow. It would also reduce water quality and may negatively affect aquatic animal’s habitats.
5. As an ecologist, it is important to think about soil texture because it affects the entire integrity of the location. It can positively and negatively affect the organisms that inhabit the location and manmade structures in the location. It affects the most essential component of life, water, and its flow through the soil and to organisms. It also affects the types of plants and animals that can live and thrive in the environment.