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Since the soil texture is classified as a silty clay loam, water movement is hindered. Clay soils have much smaller particles that are closer together which makes water movement very difficult. Less water movement means less nutrient movement from the O layer of the soil to the lower layers affecting organism growth in the area where soil was found. You can see in the picture that only short grasses where found in the area that the soil was tested. This is happening because there is not enough water/ nutrient movement to support larger organisms such as trees.

Heavy rains could affect this soils texture since only small organisms are "holding" this soil in place. Meaning that a heavy rain could wash away this area. As an ecologist it is important to think about soil texture because it has a tremendous affect in and around the soil. Certain organism can only grow on certain soils, these organisms then attract certain herbivores. In the simplest of ideas soil texture can predict and affects the entire ecology of an area.

 

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