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Soil
In testing soil, we dug 1m3
pits in three different locations in the forest where we quantified the
different layers of soil by texture, structure, color, and pH.
From our data, we determined that the soil from all layers had a consistently low pH (acidic) and deep layers of sand. This is consistent with the large amount of pines in the forest (pines grow well in sandy conditions and are able to tolerate the pH level). It is interesting to note that the pit dug in a former orchard contained the most fertile soil, and the pit dug in a bunker contained many shards of glass. This again displays the large impact humans have on the environment.
From our data, we determined that the soil from all layers had a consistently low pH (acidic) and deep layers of sand. This is consistent with the large amount of pines in the forest (pines grow well in sandy conditions and are able to tolerate the pH level). It is interesting to note that the pit dug in a former orchard contained the most fertile soil, and the pit dug in a bunker contained many shards of glass. This again displays the large impact humans have on the environment.
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| Matching soil color | Testing pH levels | Measuring layer depth |
For testing the soil, our procedure was to dig a 1m3 hole, and once we did this we were able to note differences in the soil color, test the pH, and feel the texture. This was to test the quality of the soil in different plots in the forest. After we did this we were able to make inferences into the past and what our data could possibly mean. Basically we were being scientists. The three places we dug were under the power lines which were on the outside of forest, near a stream but about 30 feet higher, then in a mixed forest on a plateau far from any rivers. In the differences between the soils in the sites, were such: on the outside of the forest, the soil was very fertile; referencing the aerial photographs we were able to see that this used to be an orchard; in the middle, which happened to be under a pine forest was acidic due to this fact; and the third one on the plateau.
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The pH levels were
generally consistent at the various sites and layers. This graph
compares the corresponding layers of the soil pits and shows the
consistency throughout the data. |