Soil Profile

On Monday we started out the week by taking notes. We briefly reviewed the notes we started to review on Friday. One new thing I learned about soil is the different kinds of soil. The different types of soil are pedalfer, laterites, and pedocal. Pedalfer is the best soil for plants to grow in because it is very rich in minerals. Pedocal however, is very infertile and lies in an area with little rainfall resulting it to be very dry. After reviewing notes we started a soil analysis lab. For this lab we all had to bring in a soil sample to test. My soil was very coarse when viewed under the microscope and did not bubble when vinegar was applied leading me to believe I have sand. Since Wilmington is a coastal town this is common for most soil samples.

On Tuesday I was absent.

On Wednesday we started the class with a science starter. For the science starter we had to name the soil horizons from the top to the bottom. This helped me review for the test the next day because it tested my ability to remember the order of the layers. After that we reviewed the answers to the study guide. Doing the study guide helped me organize the information we had learned in class. Writing down the answers to the questions also helped me review information I did not understand the first time learning it. After reviewing the study guide we worked on our soil lab. Since I was absent the day before, I had to set up my graduated cylinder. To do this I put sand in the cylinder and filled the rest with water and shook it up. I am waiting for the results tomorrow to take the percentages of sand, silt, and clay. After that I took the pH of my soil and surprisingly it was a neutral 7.0.

On Thursday we took our test on the whole unit. This unit mainly consisted of weathering, erosion, and soil. One big thing I had to study for this test was the order of the soil layers and to do this, I would have to improve my study habits. One thing that helped me remember the order was the phrase orange apes eat big crunchy raspberries. One of the first things I did when I got my test was list out all of the layers so I would not forget when doing the multiple choice questions. The test was different because the short answer section was abbreviated. All of the answers given had to be less than two sentences which was hard for me to summarize how soil was formed in two sentences. Overall I felt good after taking the test and I was able to answer many questions from past units and current.

On Friday we continued with our marsh seed project. So far in total we have 12 seeds planted. In each planter, four seeds are planted and the goal is for them to eventually grow. After we planted the remainder of our germinated seeds, we dumped the sprouted seeds in a colander to be planted in a larger container. The goal of this project is to restore the salt marsh and learn about the ecosystems that rely on the salt-marsh. After planting our seeds we watched a video to introduce our next unit. The next unit revolves around the hydrosphere a part of Earth we have not fully gone over as a class yet.