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1) I would say that because the soil was so thick it probably hinders the flow of the movement of nutrients. However, because it does have some grit to it it is probably better than if it was smoother meaning it is probably is denser. 2)Organisms in the area where the soil include a variety of plant life... grasses mostly, small plants..further away were trees, and animals like birds, bunnies, deer, and humans frequent the area. 3) I think that the organisms probably help to enrich the soil qualities...as most people know feces can be used as fertilizer so the larger animals probably help enrich the soil while the plants obviously use the nutrients to grow, also worms and things would help airate and loosen the soil helping the movement of nutrients. 4) I think the soil is likely to erode a little during heavy rain but overall its so dense that it probably doesn't erode much. If it did move it would possibly effect the type of plant life growing in the area and in the new area to where it moves if the soil in these areas became different.
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.
I had to dig beneath leaf litter and organic debris to reach the soil, even then it was full of various sizes of organic matter.
1) The type of soil that I hypothesis to be at my site after doing the soil tests is Clay Loom:
a) The Moist Soil forms a ball: Not Sand
b) The Moist Ball does not break: Not a Loamy Sand
c) The Ribbon forms a 2.5 – 5cm ribbon: Clay Loom
2) The soil has some clay particles, allowing water and nutrients to be stored that plants can use to grow.
3) A lot of flowers grow in the area I collected soil. Some larger organisms, such as squirrels, birds, and insects, also live nearby.
4) Organisms such as plants living in the soil will use the resources stored in it to grow. The plants can also use their roots to better prevent erosion. Animals may excrete materials that the soil will absorb to become richer in quality.
5) The soil I sampled may be eroded, as it is not as heavy and dense as soil made entirely out of clay, but it is not as easily moved as soil made entirely of silt particles either. As a whole I don’t think the soil is in any danger of being completely eroded away. If the soil was lost then the habitat would find it harder to store resources to be used for organisms to live. It may have a positive effect on the location that is moves to, as it would be able to hold resources easier, but it may also cover up plants that are already in the location and kill them.
6) As an ecologist it is important to think about soil texture because it can be what determines what types of plants and other organisms can survive in the habitat. In the instance of agriculture, planting crops in an environment where the soil cannot support them by supplying them with the correct resources will prove fatal and be a huge waste of money.
Ant
I believe the soil at my location was sandy loam.
a. My soil felt very nutrient rich, which I think may aid some water flow because this type of soil will have large amounts of nutrients and will be moist already, so water will flow to areas that are lower in moisture levels.
b. In my area, the types of organisms that exists are small animals (ie birds and squirrels), small, medium and large vegetation (plants and shrubs) and very large trees (50-100 feet tall). The area is by a lake, and thus is a breeding ground for mosquito and small insects.
c. Organisms around the area help give nutrients to the soil by digging into it (uprooting the "old" dry soil, and exposing the "fresh" nutrient rich undersoil. Also, by living in this area, the decay of animals and plants alike help to give nutrients back into the ground.
d. I definitely think this soil could be slightly eroded, because this area is between a river and a lake. With the rainy season in full swing, the soil is becoming very loose and moist, and with my area being semi-hilly, I believe some nutrients could be washed away into the river, and carried out of the area. However, since this area has so many large trees, I believe that regardless of the season, the ground soil has high amounts of nutrients, both at the surface and deep within its ground.
e. Soil texture will determine what plants and animals can be supported in a certain habitat. If the ground is too dry, certain types of trees will not grow, and thus certain animals will not be able to build their nests in the tree and thus will not reproduce in that area. Thus, there will be no new import of nutrients into the area and the area will remain dry and nutrient deficient.
The texture of my soil is loamy sand. When I bounced it in my hand, it flattened. My soil's moist texture allows water to flow through it, and store it. Nutrients pass through it easily, so it is not very nutrient rich. There is a lot of vegetation living in the soil. I would presume that the plants liked wet soil because they are growing in a wet environment. The plants absorb the moisture, and what little nutrients the soil has. I don't think that the soil I collected is likely to be eroded, because although it is near water, it is not moving water, which could cause the amount of erosion needed to help create the soil. If the soil moved, I think that it would go into the pond through water runoff. It could dry out the current location and organisms and create a thicker and muckier pond bottom in its likely new location.
This is what I was left with after trying to get it to form a ball and bounce it. As you can see, it would not stay together. Therefore, it is a loamy sand.
-The soil's texture allows water to move easily through thanks to the larger particle sizes of the individual grains. The nutrients are also able to move well through the soil and I bet they go pretty deep thanks to the water being able to move them down.
-In the immediate vicinity of this sample were trees such as oak and silver maple as well as a decent amount of ground cover plants. Chipmunks and robins were also seen in the area as well as one annelid that I disturbed when digging.
-The soil I collected is not likely to be eroded since I had to remove a thick layer of leaves and other organic material to get to it. If it were to disappear, the area would lose a great deal of nutrients and the location might not support as big of a biodiversity as it currently does. I'm not to sure where it would go, as I said that it's not going anywhere with out some major changes, such as loss of trees and maybe a tornado.
-Knowledge about soil texture tells you what components are in a soil and how well water and nutrients move through it. Also, it can determine what type of plants live there and how their roots are spread out; deep versus wide.
a) What type of soil is at your site?
Silty clay loam
b) How does your soil’s texture aid or hinder water flow and the movement of nutrients?
It is good for water and nutrient retention.
c) What types of organisms are in the area where you collected the soil?
There were aquatic plants, ducks, fish, spiders, and a bunch of dragonflies.
d) What effects do these organisms have on the soil’s qualities?
The aquatic plants may affect the soil through nutrient absorption through the roots. Oxygen exchange may also affect the soil from the fish and insect.
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?
It is most likely not be eroded. This soil was collected closest to the lake near the water. Although there is a trail that leads down, fishermen are not allowed to cast their bait there. Since the water looks murky and muddy, I doubt pet owners will bring their pets for a swim there.
f) As an ecologist, why is it important to think about soil texture?
You would want to about the composition of the soil so you can determine what species will do best in that environment. Not only will plants thrive, but there are animals and insects as well. Some fish lay their eggs by rocks/bury them in the soil. Dragonflies lay their eggs in the lake and you have to consider the pH of the water which can be affected by the soil.
How does your soil’s texture aid or hinder water flow and the movement of nutrients?
The Soil that I tested holds water very well. With this being said this will constrict water movement. This forms a flood in the area when there is high amounts of rainfall because the water does not fall through to other layers.
What types of organisms are in the area where you collected the soil?
When I dug up the soil, I found worms and pill bugs. Above the dirt was decomposing leaves and twigs.
What effects do these organisms have on the soil’s qualities?
Worms and pill bugs bring nutrients into the soil. When the worms decompose the leaves, organic matter will be added.
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?
The soil would not erode in the area that I collected the dirt. It retains a lot of the water and sticks together. I believe that in the East side of my area the soil would erode. The river is very fast pace and would erode the outer edge of the curve. The river would take the soil and drop it off at a location with a slower current. This would affect the area by not allowing the water to penetrate the layers of soil beneath.
As an ecologist why is it important to think about soil texture?
The different soil types allow more or less water to flow through them. this important when an ecologist is trying to determine when plants can live there, and how the area will be affected by rainfall. Is the area going to flood or will the water more right through?
1. My soil was a silty clay loam so nutrients and water pass through this soil easily.
2. This was taken on the edge of the wood so there was a lot of plant life. There were also a ton of insects (a really big daddy longleg!), and some birds up in the tree tops.
3 When the plants and insects die, they become part of an organic matter that covers the forest floor and their nutrients pass into the soil. Also any feces that animals in the woods dispose of add nutrients as well.
4. I do not believe that this was likely to be eroded. With this being in an area of low elevation I would say that water and nutrients eroded from higher elevations would travel to this area.
5. Ecologists find it important to know soil texture to be able to tell how different organisms live and survive within that area
a.Water will generally have a good, steady flow of water through the loamy sand found at the nature preserve. The larger pores allow water to move through more rapidly than soils that have smaller pores like clay.
b.Some insects such as worms and ants are present as well as some ferns and trees.
c. These organisms can add and/or take away from the soil. Organic matter is added to the soil through the decomposition of dead plants and animals. As the live plants use the soil they are taking nutrients and moisture out of the soil that needs to be put back in to keep the soil enriched and so plants will continue to be able to flourish.
d.I think this soil is likely to be eroded but not to a great extent. The location I took the sample was generally low but at the base of a hill. If there was a very heavy rain I think the soil would be eroded down the hill and into the river but because there is so much vegetation on the hill it would help with control of the erosion. If the soil did erode down the hill it would give the vegetation less soil to receive nutrients and water through. The new location of the soil would increase sediments in the water but would not have a great impact.
(a) Loamy sand.
(b) When I poured water over my sample of soil, water seemed to move fairly quickly through it due to the large air spaces between the sand particles. Because water did not encounter much resistance, I would imagine that nutrients would move just as quickly and easily over time.
(c) I have seem birds visit the area from time to time but mostly the area was sparsely covered by plants.
(d) If these birds happen to regurgitate or void in the environment, then I would imagine they would void excess nutrients in their urine or feces and into the soild, thereby contributing to the soil's make up. In contrast, the plants would extract nutrients from the soil diminishing the nutrients in the sand, and when such organisms die in the environment, or washed onto the shore by rising tides, then these too provide additional nutrients to the environment.
(e) I think it's very unlikely that the soild I collected will be eroded by wind or water over time. Even though it can become windy from time to time, the soild is covered with debris, rocks, plants, and roots which provide a protective layer so that the sand is not easily blown away. When the tides happen to rise, sand particles tend to stick together, remaining largely in their location.
(f) I think it's important for ecologists to consider soil texture in order to asses the quality of resources organisms have at their disposal for consumption, reproduction, or perhaps even shelter depending on the species. Life is sustained by what the environment is able to supply in terms of resources and whether or not those resources are available or not, will determine the potential for life to thrive in that environment.
area with silty loam clay soil.
What type of soil is at your site?
My site has silty clay loam.
How does your soil’s texture aid or hinder water flow and the movement of nutrients?
Since my soil is clay that will hinder the flow of water when compared to the flow of water found in sand because of the relative size of the particles. So it will retain more water than sand.
What types of organisms are in the area where you collected the soil?
There were more plants than animals. The only animals I found were a couple of worms. There was an abundance of grasses and different types of weeds. In addition there were mushrooms close by as well.
What effects do these organisms have on the soil’s qualities?
They aerate the soil more allowing more interactions between the soil and the atmosphere. They also increase the nutrient cycling within the soil and surround areas whether it be with the atmosphere or other organisms. Also there is manifestation of abiotic factors that are attributed to the presence of these organisms.
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?
No the current soil is not likely to be eroded very easily but it may with sufficient forces. If it were to be eroded the plants roots would be exposed to the sun as well as the worms living beneath the soil. The soil samples were taken near a lake that is at a lower elevation than the soil we sampled from and so if the soil were to be eroded it would move downhill into the lake. Upon entering the lake there would be an increase in water levels if there were enough accumulation of eroded soil down into the lake maybe after a large storm.
As an ecologist, why is it important to think about soil texture?
It is important to think about soil texture because it will give information about what plants and animals will be able to survive there because different type of soils will give clues about the amount of water and nutrients in the soil. In addition soil texture is important because it will give insight about the relative proportions of particulates in the soil. Lastly, soil texture is important because it will give insight about water flow through an area of land.
Disappointed that they didn’t measure Nitrogen or a lot of other micronutrients. The test is from Penn State. Next time I’ll use Cornell.
My soil really seems to hold water well, so I think it aids in plant growth. There are lots of trees and small plants, worms, bugs, birds, and deer in the location. The organisms all help to hold water. When the trees loose leaves, they provide a sort of cover for the soil. The worms borrow through it, and the small plants and trees give the soil more organic matter. Where, I got my soil, the ground was pretty flat so probably not extremely eroded. If I would have gotten the soil on a hillier part, the soil would have been more eroded and there would have been less organic matter in the soil. The location it moves to would then have much more nutrients and the location I got the soil from would have much less nutrients. Soil texture is important because it really determines what lives in the area. It can also be indicative of what has been there.
After going through the steps, I think my soil ended up being a clay loam.
This particular machine is operated hydraulically ... other types are rotary (more like drilling). This one bangs the rods in.
One part of the test removes cores of soil to test for any contaminants there might be, plus the general soil type and what different layers there might be. Another test is done by banging rods in to test the density of the soil ... that one is done by seeing how many "bangs" it takes to push each rod a set depth.
This machine could go down 29Soil testing ... each rod was a metre in length. I did not see the entire operation, but there were at least 5 rods down there ... possibly more. This part of the process was for testing the soil density by seeing how many "hits" were needed to push the rods to certain depths.
This machine could go down 20 metres, although they did not go that deep today.
My soil is definetly a sandt loam. It has very little cohesion when wet, and would not form a ball in my hand. It was also gritty.
A sandy soil lets water flow more than any other kind of soil, and water will move through my soil quickly. In the area are mostly grasses, ants, small spiders, and weeds.
The grasses roots will slow the water leaching through the soil and the grasses will slow surface runoff. The soil already has air pores, but the ants breaking up the soil with their tunnels would increase the air pores.
This soil will not erode quickly, but all soils eventually erode. I think it has good potential, though, to last the longest of most soils. Its movement would not be too detrimental for building, as it is already mostly flat. Moving soils, however, might decrease the potential to water to get to the small shrubs clustered in the valley. If soil were removed, it would be dumped in an area that would lose its potential to retain water and nutrients.
a) What type of soil is at your site?
-Sandy loam
b) how does your soil’s texture aid or hinder water flow and the movement of nutrients?
-This soil texture is loosely packed and easily broken. This allows it to have easy water and nutrient movement in the soil.
c) What types of organisms are in the area where you collected the soil?
-Insects, worms, beetles, pine trees, shrubs
d) what effects do these organisms have on the soil’s qualities?
-Worms help turn organic material into compost and provide the soil with essential nutrients that plants need to grow healthy. When insects and bugs die, their bodies decompose in the soil adding to the organic matter within the soil. Pine trees and shrubs help to create more air space in the soil and add to the compost material of the soil.
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?
-Sandy loam seems to be likely to erode because it is not very dense or compact compared to clay like dirt. Floods or harsh winds could cause erosion. The soil could also erode downhill if there are not as many trees and plants with roots that help keep the soil strong and intact. Loss of water and a dryer climate could also cause the soil to be more loose and crumbly. Its loss would take away the necessary soil and nutrients that plants species need for survival. Loss of plants will in turn cause insects and animals to loose their homes as well. If this soil were to erode, it would probably end up near the lake or downhill parts of my area. If the soil were to move, it would allow for growth of plants and organisms that grow best in sandy loam.
f) As an ecologist, why is it important to think about soil texture?
-As an ecologist, soil texture is essential to determine the overall condition of the environment and what type of organisms can survive there. Also, soil texture will allow ecologists to study interactions between species that live within a specific type of soil and precipitation trends.
Soil testing ... each rod was a metre in length. I did not see the entire operation, but there were at least 5 rods down there ... possibly more. This part of the process was for testing the soil density by seeing how many "hits" were needed to push the rods to certain depths.
The soil is clay.
A. The clay hinders the movements of nutrients because water penetration is slow and usually runs off. The plant’s roots also have a very difficult time growing down in the clay and therefore can’t obtain nutrients very well.
B. There are a great deal of weeds and shrubs where I collected my soil sample. I did not see any insects or other organisms around.
C. The plants and weeds affect the soil quality by subtracting the nutrients from the soil. The soil then does not have a very high quality
D. The soil I collected has potential to be eroded but it is not as likely as with sandy soil. The soil, if it moved, would make obtaining nutrients in the new area difficult. The old location could benefit if the soil became easier to get nutrients and absorb water.
The soil is sandy loam. I think it aids in the movement being sandy clay loam in that the sand makes the land not compacted so that the runoff doesn’t pool but there is enough clay to prevent a lot of erosion. It also hinders water movement because the sand can let some nutrients go and the clay can clump making it hard to spread the nutrients if they gather in one area. There were worms and other microorganisms around the pond and stream and then there were fish, turtles, insects, etc in the pond/stream. The worms and microorganisms help keep the soil loose where the clay is a problem and the other critters in the water and around help with replacing the nutrients in and around the water. I think that erosion may be a small problem due to the fact that there is water moving but I don’t think that runoff erosion is a big problem because the area is flatter.
1.My soil texture aids water flow by allowing it absorb in to the ground at an average rate unlike sand that usually immediately causes the water to absorb or clay that absorbs water very slow and pools.
2.Different types of bugs are in the area such and worms, centipedes, and spiders. Also different types of microbes and fungi.
3.Most of the organisms act and decomposers and create nutrients for the soil and break down dead matter that eventually becomes part of the soil.
4.No the soil would not be likely to erode. If it did erode the loss of it would mean a decrease in forest floor vegetation that dominates much of my area besides mature trees. The only place it would erode to would be some of the small impressions in the forest floor. Its presence would bring more nutrients to the new location.
5.Soil texture is important because it affects how water and nutrients move through it. Water and nutrients are very important to plant life and certain plant life have adapted to live in different types of soils making some species more equipped to survive in certain soil textures.
Water soluble soil testing proves that regularly tilled soil breaks down much quicker in water. Photo courtesy of NRCS Texas.
Watch the video on Bankhead Farm at youtu.be/Y82S00156Nk
The soil in my area is sandy clay loam. My soils texture aids in the holding of nutrients. With its high density clay it grabs onto the nutrients and keeps them for its own use rather than allowing them to flow on. In general there seem to be waterfowl and small mammals along with insects in my area. They probably aid in the texture of my soil by adding their waste to it, and by keeping grasses and other thick vegetation from forming in it. There are many plants in the area, but little grass or thick wildlife. This allows water to stay in the soil rather than being used by the plants themselves, so the area has richer soil for use of the animals. The soil in my area is largely of a clay base, so it is more difficult to erode away than sands or other soils less firmly packed. This is good because of the great incline my area has, so it helps to stop erosion. However, if the area does erode it will flow into the river at the bottom of the incline, and most likely sink to the bottom of the river causing it to clog up, or it will be carried away by the current. As an ecologist it is important to think about soil textures because they give us an idea of what kind of life is going to be sustained in a specific area due to the soils retention, erosion factor, and other such things.
- The soil's texture was mainly composed of clay, then with some sand and silt and so with the majority being clay, not much water and/or nutrients can pass through to roots and groundwater.
- There were a variety of trees spread apart, but the majority of plants were of the same or similar species that were low to the ground which gives me the impression that they are the best adapted to that type of soil. Also, there were a few deer, insects, and mostly birds.
- I don't believe it would because it tends to stay clumped and together rather than losing its minerals and nutrients. The landscape is relatively flat with a slight incline towards some ponds south of it, the nutrients/minerals that did erode wouldn't move very far and it certainly wouldn't change it in any noticeable/drastic way. What would move would move very little, or in heavy rain it would move south towards the pond. I don't think it would have much of an effect on the location it moves to since the pond is very eutrophic as it is, with no noticeable fish life.
- As an ecologist it is very important to think about soil texture because it affects plant life, which can affect organisms throughout a food chain, and water/mineral flow throughout an ecosystem.
SILTY LOAM. soiltype allows for most effective water movement. organisms: ants, spiders, squirrels, insects mostly, etc. These animals can effect soil in ways that wouldn't hinder its ability to support water and nutrient movement. Soil potentially eroded due to precipitation. Otherwise, no reason to believe it's eroded. If eroded, it would erode into the river (Red Cedar) and potentially fill the river over many years of erosion, or it would widen the river and make it more shallow. This soils loss would cause the river to broaden and/or shallow. Soil texture important because it tells you how easily/readily water and nutrients are transported through the soil as well as allows the investigation of the range of organisms that enjoy this type of soil within their fundamental niche.
Soil testing ... each rod was a metre in length. I did not see the entire operation, but there were at least 5 rods down there ... possibly more. This part of the process was for testing the soil density by seeing how many "hits" were needed to push the rods to certain depths.
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.