Sarah Coe
Clay Loam Soil
The soil in my location is clay loam, therefore, because of the small particles size, water flow is hindered. This means that nutrients can't flow down into the soil. This explains why there is a lot of standing water in my area. It sits on the surface because it can't all flow and be absorbed by the soil.
The organisms in this area are small plants and grasses. Most of the plants in this particular area were about this size of the one in the picture. There are a few trees scattered around.
The shallow roots of the small plants would absorb water and nutrients out of the soil near the surface. the roots would also help break up larger clumps in the soil, changing its physical characteristics.
The soil would not be likely to erode in large quantities because it clings together and the water flows over the top and doesn't penetrate through the soil. If the soil did erode it may allow for different and more types of plant growth in the current area and hinder plant growth in the area that it flows to. If it were to erode it would flow down to the bottom of he hill to the low area of land with lots of standing water.
It's important to think about soil texture because that determines what types of organisms can live there. Clay soils may cause roots to rot in the standing water and die, and sands may erode away leaving the area desolate. The soil is also how plants and other organisms get their nutrients, so the texture plays an important role in determining how those nutrients are received and how successfully they are received.
Clay Loam Soil
The soil in my location is clay loam, therefore, because of the small particles size, water flow is hindered. This means that nutrients can't flow down into the soil. This explains why there is a lot of standing water in my area. It sits on the surface because it can't all flow and be absorbed by the soil.
The organisms in this area are small plants and grasses. Most of the plants in this particular area were about this size of the one in the picture. There are a few trees scattered around.
The shallow roots of the small plants would absorb water and nutrients out of the soil near the surface. the roots would also help break up larger clumps in the soil, changing its physical characteristics.
The soil would not be likely to erode in large quantities because it clings together and the water flows over the top and doesn't penetrate through the soil. If the soil did erode it may allow for different and more types of plant growth in the current area and hinder plant growth in the area that it flows to. If it were to erode it would flow down to the bottom of he hill to the low area of land with lots of standing water.
It's important to think about soil texture because that determines what types of organisms can live there. Clay soils may cause roots to rot in the standing water and die, and sands may erode away leaving the area desolate. The soil is also how plants and other organisms get their nutrients, so the texture plays an important role in determining how those nutrients are received and how successfully they are received.