Jesus Naranjo
DSCN8452
a) The soil at Lake Merced seems to be sandy loam.
b) Sand loam's porosity makes it an excellent retainer of water, but a poor retainer of nutrients.
c) At the time there were only pollinators, a few ants, and some foreign plants.
d) The plants probably affect the moisture and nutrient levels of the soil year round through photosynthesis and decomposition.
e) The sandy loam is likely to be eroded due to its high sand content, it not having rained this year, and the fact certain paths along the lake are heavily trafficked by joggers. My first guess on where the sand would go is to the immediate edges of the lake as the street and sidewalks have plenty of soil in them.
f) It is important to understand soil composition as an ecologist because of the information that soil provides on what plant life can live there. It can also be useful in studying erosion and water conservation.
DSCN8452
a) The soil at Lake Merced seems to be sandy loam.
b) Sand loam's porosity makes it an excellent retainer of water, but a poor retainer of nutrients.
c) At the time there were only pollinators, a few ants, and some foreign plants.
d) The plants probably affect the moisture and nutrient levels of the soil year round through photosynthesis and decomposition.
e) The sandy loam is likely to be eroded due to its high sand content, it not having rained this year, and the fact certain paths along the lake are heavily trafficked by joggers. My first guess on where the sand would go is to the immediate edges of the lake as the street and sidewalks have plenty of soil in them.
f) It is important to understand soil composition as an ecologist because of the information that soil provides on what plant life can live there. It can also be useful in studying erosion and water conservation.