Le Rufflays
Soil Texture Test
1.My soil texture was sandy loam. Sand particles are larger than silt or clay particles and therefore allow water to pass more quickly. Since my soil was not completely sand, but was in the loam category as well, this means that water did not flow as fast as it would had it been in the completely sand category. The movement of nutrients through my soil is similar to the water flow. The nutrients do not stay or remain in this soil type. This is because nutrients flow more quickly in my soil type than in other soil types such as clay loam.
2.There were many small plants and grassed in the area I collected the soil from. There were many insects, such as ants, in the area as well.
3.When the plants decay they add plant litter to the organic layer of soil. Their nutrients are passed on to the soil this way. As you can see from the picture, there is a lot of plant litter in the area. The same can be said of the insects, from their decaying bodies or from their wastes, more nutrients are added to the soil. The plants had short roots perhaps because of the sandy texture. Plants in clay texture do not have short roots because there is a risk of drowning since the soil texture does not allow much water movement.
4.Sandy soils can be eroded more easily than clay or silt because they have less adhesion than the other soil types. The roots and dead leaf litter covering the area might reduce the erosion of my soil by inhibiting the water flow. If my soil were to be eroded it will most likely flow towards the lake. This is because the area I collected was close to the lake, and from last weeks watershed project I learned that the water flows towards the lake in my plot due to the lower elevation of the lake. If my soil was eroded I do not think it would have a huge impact on the area it was eroded from because much of the area looked to be about the same type of soil. The soil would affect the lake by bringing the nutrients that were in the soil to the lake.
5.It is important to think about soil textures because soil textures can affect water flow, air flow, and the retention of nutrients. This can vastly impact and determine the types of organisms that live in the area. An example of this is the sandy soil within deserts. The soil does not maintain nutrients very well and also water flows too quickly through it. This is why only certain types of plants, such as cacti, can survive on this soil type.
Soil Texture Test
1.My soil texture was sandy loam. Sand particles are larger than silt or clay particles and therefore allow water to pass more quickly. Since my soil was not completely sand, but was in the loam category as well, this means that water did not flow as fast as it would had it been in the completely sand category. The movement of nutrients through my soil is similar to the water flow. The nutrients do not stay or remain in this soil type. This is because nutrients flow more quickly in my soil type than in other soil types such as clay loam.
2.There were many small plants and grassed in the area I collected the soil from. There were many insects, such as ants, in the area as well.
3.When the plants decay they add plant litter to the organic layer of soil. Their nutrients are passed on to the soil this way. As you can see from the picture, there is a lot of plant litter in the area. The same can be said of the insects, from their decaying bodies or from their wastes, more nutrients are added to the soil. The plants had short roots perhaps because of the sandy texture. Plants in clay texture do not have short roots because there is a risk of drowning since the soil texture does not allow much water movement.
4.Sandy soils can be eroded more easily than clay or silt because they have less adhesion than the other soil types. The roots and dead leaf litter covering the area might reduce the erosion of my soil by inhibiting the water flow. If my soil were to be eroded it will most likely flow towards the lake. This is because the area I collected was close to the lake, and from last weeks watershed project I learned that the water flows towards the lake in my plot due to the lower elevation of the lake. If my soil was eroded I do not think it would have a huge impact on the area it was eroded from because much of the area looked to be about the same type of soil. The soil would affect the lake by bringing the nutrients that were in the soil to the lake.
5.It is important to think about soil textures because soil textures can affect water flow, air flow, and the retention of nutrients. This can vastly impact and determine the types of organisms that live in the area. An example of this is the sandy soil within deserts. The soil does not maintain nutrients very well and also water flows too quickly through it. This is why only certain types of plants, such as cacti, can survive on this soil type.