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A. My site has loam soil.
B. My soil is not too tight like dense nor too loose like sand, therefore water can flow pretty efficiently through it and bring along all the nutrients that water normally carries.
C. Grasses, trees, shrubs, flowering plants, insects, and larger animals like squirrels are found in my location where this soil is present.
D. The quality of the soil seems to be quite good since many organisms can survive in it. All of the plants that grow from it will provide the soil with richness once the plants die, decomposing and adding nutrients to the soil. The extensive system of roots through the soil likely aid in its quality as well, keeping it moist and fairly loose.
E. It is possible that the soil from my site can be mildly eroded by rainfall or by intense winds during a dry period. Loss of a great quantity of soil would certainly hinder plant growth, but this is unlikely due to the nature of its geographic location. If it will erode as a result of rainfall, the loam would travel down into topographically lower regions of the site where the soil should have a neutral or beneficial effect or it would trickle down into the gutters of the streets that perimeter the location where its affect would either be neutral or otherwise unwanted - say as a result of being drained into said gutters.
F. Soil texture is important for an ecologist to think about because soil in many cases houses primary producers which are greatly important to the chain of organisms that interact with one another at a given location. By knowing the texture of the soil, one can predict the type of plant life that will proliferate and thus be further able to make predictions about the type of herbivores, pollinators, or other organisms that will be present as well.
Water moves through sand very quickly, as do nutrients. Sand is very grainy and easily allows water to flow through. Many types of organisms were in the area when I collected this sample. They included: bugs, caterpillars, worms, mushrooms, moss, grass, and several types of plants and trees. These organisms probably both add to soil quality and take away from soil nutrients. For example, I know that when certain worms leave their skin? it adds to the quality of the soil. However, there are a few plants around that drain the nutrients from the soil. I collected soil from several different areas so I don't believe that it will be eroded. If the soil is moved or taken away, organisms that balance the soil pH will die out in that area and it will also affect surrounding areas. If it is moved anywhere in my hometown the soil wont be affected because everything is sand.
Soil type clay loam. Very long ribbon formation, very sticky.
Clay loam hinders water flow through the soil, making it hard for water to penetrate and to dry out later.
grasses, wild flowers and larger exposed boulders were near soil sample
the exposed boulders could add to surface runoff, depleting soil of nutrients, grasses will act to hold soil in place, retaining nutrients, wild flowers will also add to retention.
The area is a drainage basin, that in heavy rainfall does produce a small stream. This could lead to nutrients leaving the system.
How nutrients enter and leave system and how fast they can leave. Also affects what type of plants can grow in soil, if nutrients are rich or poor.
Boalttas is approved by various public sector undertaking state governments.our company located in Chennai to carry soil testing to be performed and sample report give to all clients as besides as possible and we are members in Indian geotechnical society.
a) My locations was all sand. I couldn't find sandy loam anywhere.
b) When I dampened the sand to try and make a ball, the water was either absorbed by the sand or ran through my fingers. So I would think that the sand would both aid and hinder water movement of nutrients. I think the sand would absorb as much as it could, but at a certain point it would allow water to run over the sand and transfer nutrients as well.
c) Plants: shrubs, ice plant, trees, calla lilies
Animals: crows, seagulls, mice
d) The birds sift through the sand in order to find food so by over searching it may lower the quality of the soil. The ice plant was planted in order to stop the spread of sand throughout the bay area, it has no real affect on the quality.
e) I think in some parts of this area it may be eroded. I don't think that there is much loss, but if it were to be lost, it would affect the location greatly since it is a beach. The erosion would go into the ocean and be washed away. It would only add to the sand that is already in the ocean.
f) To know what kind of vegetation would grow in this location is one of the most important things to know about a region. Also to know what kind of wildlife would survive in this location.
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.
These were the second type of rods. They had already done the soil samples ... this test was to determine the soil density.
Silty Clay Loam (my soil was found under a litter of dead or decomposing organic matter with a lot of moisture, insects, fungi and decomposers. It was very dark in color and very smooth. I had to remove a lot of twigs and leaves from the soil before the test. It was already very compact without the added water)
How does your soil’s texture aid or hinder water flow and the movement of nutrients?
My soil is very adhesive and will hold water, preventing movement. This means that nutrients will not be washed away easily. It also means that the soil will retain water on the top layer of the soil.
What types of organisms are in the area where you collected the soil?
I found many worms, various insects and fungi. The soil was covered in a layer if decomposing material (leaves, twigs, etc)
What effects do these organisms have on the soil’s qualities?
They bring a lot of organic nutrients to the surface and borrow mixing the nutrients more evenly throughout. They also add to the organic matter of the soil by decomposing it.
Is the soil you collected likely to be eroded? How would its loss affect the current
location? Where would it erode to in your site? How would its presence affect the
location it moves to?
My soil is silt clay loam so it is mostly adhesive and compact and not very likely to be eroded. It would erode to the lowlands on the site which will be the west part of the land, mostly in the south. I think that my soil would mostly retain water and nutrients with very little movement so that they may build up. (Which would explain the high plant and tree density and very little grass).
As an ecologist why is it important to think about soil texture?
Soil provides the organic matter and nutrients plants and decomposers need to live. Soil determines which organisms will be able to live in a specific ecosystem. They also play a huge part in the storing and moving of water. They are a major part in an ecosystem and define it. They provide a huge array of information on an environment to ecologists (water movement, likely plants, organic matter content, etc)
These were the second type of rods. They had already done the soil samples ... this test was to determine the soil density.
My soil texture is that of sand. In some areas, is it mixed with water and looks hard and lumpy. In sand, water flows rapidly because the grains are so small. The movement of water this fast easily distributes nutrients evenly. One disadvantage of this rapid flow of water is that it can lead to leaching where nutrients are actually removed from the soil. I found a lot of worms in the ground. I don’t think the soil in this location will easily erode. There are many organisms that maintain the soil and also because is it in a well supported environment. The texture of the soil is important in determining the type of organisms that will inhabit that area. It also lets us know whether it is a pleasant source of nutrients for organisms as well.
How does your soil’s texture aid or hinder water flow and the movement of nutrients?
Since my soil is less sandy and has more slit and clay, water does not easily penetrate through. Therefore, water may not flow through as easily. If water is not able to move through nutrients will probably not move through easily also.
What types of organisms are in the area where you collected the soil?
In the soil there were plants, ants, spiders, mosquitoes, and worms
What effects do these organisms have on the soil’s qualities?
Organisms would add nutrients and other elements to the soil with their wastes and as they die and decompose. Worms mix and air to the soil when they tunnel through it.
Is the soil you collected likely to be eroded?
Since the soil is on an incline it would easily be eroded if there was a downpour of rain.
How would its loss affect the current
location?
If the soil was eroded it would expose new soil, but also take away organisms and nutrients that were previously in the soil.
Where would it erode to in your site?
It would probably erode to the river, which is where the incline angles to.
How would its presence affect the
location it moves to?
The soil would bring along the nutrients that eroded away and may be able to help the vegetation around it grow better. The soil may fall into the river and then also be carried downstream.
As an ecologist why is it important to think about soil texture?
Soil texture is an important component to think about because the things that make up the soil will control a lot of abiotic factors that are important to the ecosystem. For example, the texture of the soil is important to know the flow of water and nutrients and how deep the water will flow down. Since plants are dependent on water, knowing how porous the soil is.
The soil at my site is loamy. I think because there are a lot of trees at my site that having sand that is more clay-like than sandy helps by grounding the roots so that the trees don’t fall over. Because the trees are on a slope, water needs to be able to be absorbed quickly, which is why it would be good to have sandy soil instead of clay so that the water doesn’t just flow past and down to the bottom of the hill. I think trees, especially large ones like the eucalyptus affect the soil by giving the soil more nutrients, and roots so large that it separates the soil. Also a lot of birds are in the area which can aid in seed dispersal. I don’t think the soil I collected will erode, when I squeezed the soil it stuck together for a bit and then broke up once I hit it into my other hand, but only if I threw it pretty hard. I think this would be helpful to avoid erosion because when the soil gets a little wet, which happens a lot here in SF, then it packs down tight enough that it doesn’t break-up easily. I think it is important to think about soil texture because based off of what the soil is like you can predict what could happen to that area in the future.
I did a soil test of my garden and just could not resist taking a picture of the results. It's like looking in to the soul of your garden. The results are a Neutral pH, medium potash, low nitrogen and medium phosphorous.
I did a soil test of my garden and just could not resist taking a picture of the results. It's like looking in to the soul of your garden. The results are a Neutral pH, medium potash, low nitrogen and medium phosphorous.
What type of soil is at your site? Sandy loam, The ball I formed broke and the ribbon test determined that it was mainly loam, the texture was sandy.
How does your soil’s texture aid or hinder water flow and the movement of nutrients?
Sandy loam allows for better irrigation of water due to the larger air spaces created by the larger sand particles.
What types of organisms are in the area where you collected the soil?
The vegetation is some what sparse by the shoreline of the lake however, sandy loam is an ideal type of soil to grow plants in. The types of organisms that inhabit the sandy loam areas are plants that are able to tap into the soil that is able to retain water really well. The plants have to be able to thrive in a consistently moist soil environment. The organisms present in the soil provide it with more nutrients and more space for water to irrigate in to.
e)Is the soil you collected likely to be eroded? How would its loss affect the current location? Where would it erode to in your site? How would its presence affect the location it moves to? f)As an ecologist, why is it important to think about soil texture?
The soil I collected can be easily eroded, especially areas where there is less moisture, due to the sand content of the soil. The soil would most likely erode into the Lake because of the decline into the lake. The presence of the eroded sandy loam might begin to dry the lake up (if enough of it were collected in the lake)
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Joseph here with his stick on the site. He is showing us around where he has dug soil testing pits prior to construction. That's Gbloyee in the background.
My soil was able to make a ball and I was also able to bounce it as well. I would consider my soil to be Clay Loam from the tests I conducte and the feelig of the modifyers. my soil aids the watershed in my area because the little sandy texture helps the flow of water and the silt comes form the decokposign plants and the clay helps holf the water in for the little pools that collect in the marsh areas. The types if organisms that are in the areas is grass, frogs, aquatic plant life. These organisms affect the soil by them decomposing an fertilizing, They also allow the water flow with the plants. I think thatthe soil that we collected wouldn't be eroded but it migth be it was in a pretty flat spot for the area, and i also didn;t collect from one of the pools.
A soil test is a process by which elements (N, P, K, pH, EC, Ca, Mg, S, organic carbon,and micronutriants: Zn, Br, Mn, Fe, Cu, Mo) are chemically removed from the soil and measured for their “plant available” content within the sample. For more details visit us @ bit.ly/2me5K92
a) I took two soil samples from an area close to the dirt path in McClaren Park. Sample A is sandy clay loam as it formed a sturdy ball and measured about 3 cm in ribbon. Sample B is sandy loam as the ball still formed but the ribbon was shorter in length.
b) The soil textures are quite similar and they are good for water and nutrient absorption, however, there are plenty off small rocks that make the soil pretty rough and hard in texture, which moves water and nutrients towards the watershed easily.
c) There were a few small worms and snails in the soil sample.
d) The worms and snails help mix and soften the soil as they move around in the soil. The more movement of these organisms, the more soft the soil may be.
e) I would like to say the soil is likely to be eroded because the park has hills, which can definitely cause some movement and transportation of soil and rocks to a different location within the park. Loss of soil in the location would definitely change what organisms can live or be grown in the park. Since the park is surrounded by a lot of vegetation, there would be very little vegetation with the loss of soil. The soil would erode towards the bottom of the hills, into the valleys and within the watershed. The movement of soil would cause plenty of vegetation/organisms to grow in the area the soil settles in.
f) It is important to think about soil texture because we can determine what organisms are capable of living in that type of soil or area containing that type of soil. We can determine what plants and animals can or can't survive in that soil texture or type.
A.The soil is silt loam. I think it will help the flow of water because silt allows for water to flow through it.
B.The only organisms I saw was grass and things like worms and “rolly pollies”.
C.They can add nutrients be excreting their waste in it. they can also remove nutrients by digesting it like worms.
D.I may be moved or eroded at some point but I don’t think it is very likely unless an animal moves it and it wouldn’t have much of an effect of the location.
My soil’s texture is a sandy clay loam, I think. This texture accounts for the large stagnant pools of water on either side of the path, but also for the fact that many plants still are able to grow here... the sand and loam components aid in water flow so that the plants don’t “drown” in the soil. Nutrients are able to move through the soil along with the water in plentiful enough quantities that the plants receive them, but many of the nutrients also probably flow into the stagnant pools of water and stay there. Organisms such as beech trees, weeds, ferns, and some moss were growing in the area that I collected the soil sample. These organisms probably add to the total nutrient content of the soil as they die and decompose. They probably also keep the soil in place and keep it from eroding. The soil that I collected was nearer to the path running through the middle of my patch of land, so it probably is likely to be eroded, since there were no plants on the path. If washed off the path, it would most likely erode into the stagnant pools of water on either side of the path, where it would collect on the bottom and create a muck layer. As an ecologist it is very important to think about soil texture because that is the “food” that feeds your entire ecosystem from the bottom up. The texture affects which organisms live in the soil, which in turn affects plant growth, which in turn affects the diet of other organisms in the area.
a)Sandy loam was found at my site.
b)The sandy soil has a low surface area that gives the soil poor water retention and very little absorption of nutrients. Yet it is ideal for soil drainage (which some plants require more than others) due to the large soil particles of sand that let water flow through making it easier for fresh water to move in, this drainage of soil decreases the chance of the plant getting a disease.
c)The organisms there were bees, worms, ants, different kinds of plants and flowers, small birds.
d)The worms in the soil create burrows that allow air, nutrients into the soil and an option for efficient drainage. The birds that leave feces behind provide nutrients to the soil by fertilization. The plants and flowers in the soil area stop or slow down erosion by holding the soil in place using their roots.
e)No, because sandy loam doesn’t easily absorb water, this soil tends to form large clumps and pore spaces so it’s able to resist even a rainstorm fairly well. However, wind can sometimes cause soil erosion with sandy loam, the soil will likely travel down the steep hill and disperse into the giant lake. This would cause some plants to lose a lot of nutrients which are mainly located at the top layer of soil.
f)Because the soil texture can help us define how well vegetation in the environment can receive nutrients and water to grow healthy, as well as help animals receive the same benefits. Without sufficient nutrients and water, these organisms may die. Also the texture will help us determine how to prevent soil erosion from different things like rainstorms, wind storms and soil structure itself. The ecologist can better understand and conserve the organisms in the environment with such information.
a. Sandy loam captures and holds moisture within itself. It consists of numerous different nutrients which do not tend to get depleted very easily. Sandy loam holds it’s shape but also allows nutrients and water to pass through the ecosystem regularly.
b.In the area where the soil was collected there are organisms such as trees, ferns, fungus, moss, worms, insects, small mammals, deer, birds and many others species.
c.When these organisms decay they add organic matter to the soil. Also, the plants use some of the nutrients in the soil, but they also drop their leaves each fall, adding organic matter. The insects dig holes in the soil allowing air to pass through and this helps keep the nutrients flowing.
d.The soil collected is not eroded. It is highly rich in organic matter and remains relatively stable due to the tree roots keeping it in place. If it was moved the current location would not be as rich in nutrients or plant life. If it did erode it would erode to the pond, making it more shallow and adding more nutrients into the water. Also, it might make the water foggy which would prevent sunlight from being present for photosynthesis. This would affect the way the aquatic species lived and they would have to adapt to the different levels of nutrients.
This soil was extremely moist. This would hinder any further water flow through the soil, as the soil already appears to be moistened to capacity. This would also deter any further nutrient flow. However, nutrients could be greatly absorbed through the already moistened soil areas. There was not many organisms that I saw in this soil, perhaps the water content is too high for most. However, there were a lot of misquitos on the surface. Their decomposition in this area could lead to increased nitrogen levels. While I don't think that soil erosion is likely to occur here due to wind because the soil is much heavier due to its high water content, it could be washed away by water. This would cause a lack of environment for any organisms populating it.
QUESTION: In this environment the soil was more clay-like. However, not all ponds are surrounded by this type of soil. What would the species living in the pond be like if the soil were different? Would the soil hold different types of nutrients that would draw different species to the environment? Or would it have little to no effect?