iseler13
Picture of surrounding soil
Water probably moves threw my soil fairly quickly considering its composition according to the USDA texture triangle is 70-85% sand and 10-15% clay. The speed that it moves threw the soil may also be a problem because it may wash nutrients away from the plants and into the creek. I saw a lot of ants around where I took my sample and even though I dug around I was unable to find any earth worms or other critters crawling around in the soil. After doing some research online I discovered that ants would help the soil similar to earthworms. They have been known to create tunnels 15 feet into the earth. That would definitely help aerate the soil and their waste and other bi-products from the plants they collect and fungus they grow would add nutrients to the soil.
The soil is mostly eroded on the banks of the creek. Some parts of the creek have steep banks where you can tell that the soil has broken off into the water. From those points if you follow the stream a little bit and go around a curve you can see where this soil eventually settles out on the opposite bank. I am not sure on the total affect of this erosion because although the one bank is eroding away the other down stream is build so the soil is not really leaving the ecosystem. Eventually over time I know the creek will become so curving that part of it will break off and form and oxbow lake but that could take million of years.
Soil is very important to ecologist it is the building grounds that an ecosystem is formed on. What plants grow there attracts certain herbivores and in turn then attracts certain carnivores to eat those herbivores. Knowing what types of soils plants like also help an ecologist learn about a plants preferences, then the preferences of those herbivores that are attracted to the plants growing and so on. And ecosystem is a continuous circle centered around the soil.
Picture of surrounding soil
Water probably moves threw my soil fairly quickly considering its composition according to the USDA texture triangle is 70-85% sand and 10-15% clay. The speed that it moves threw the soil may also be a problem because it may wash nutrients away from the plants and into the creek. I saw a lot of ants around where I took my sample and even though I dug around I was unable to find any earth worms or other critters crawling around in the soil. After doing some research online I discovered that ants would help the soil similar to earthworms. They have been known to create tunnels 15 feet into the earth. That would definitely help aerate the soil and their waste and other bi-products from the plants they collect and fungus they grow would add nutrients to the soil.
The soil is mostly eroded on the banks of the creek. Some parts of the creek have steep banks where you can tell that the soil has broken off into the water. From those points if you follow the stream a little bit and go around a curve you can see where this soil eventually settles out on the opposite bank. I am not sure on the total affect of this erosion because although the one bank is eroding away the other down stream is build so the soil is not really leaving the ecosystem. Eventually over time I know the creek will become so curving that part of it will break off and form and oxbow lake but that could take million of years.
Soil is very important to ecologist it is the building grounds that an ecosystem is formed on. What plants grow there attracts certain herbivores and in turn then attracts certain carnivores to eat those herbivores. Knowing what types of soils plants like also help an ecologist learn about a plants preferences, then the preferences of those herbivores that are attracted to the plants growing and so on. And ecosystem is a continuous circle centered around the soil.