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In this lab, students will analyze how various factors such as topography, biotic influences, and human activity can affect soil characteristics within a localized region. The activity involves collecting soil samples from diverse landscape features, specifically from the side of a hill, a level yard area, and a riverbank. The goal is to observe differences in soil texture and composition that result from these environmental variables, despite similarities in climate, parent rock, and time of formation.

Students are required to select three distinct sampling locations at least a quarter mile apart to ensure variability due to environmental influences. The samples should be stored in quart-sized jars and accompanied by notes on slope degree and plant types present at each location. The activity emphasizes respecting property boundaries and legal restrictions by avoiding private, protected, or government-preserved lands.

After sample collection, students analyze the soil texture using the Soil Texture By Feel Flowchart to classify the soil type. They then complete a table with the composition results and answer questions related to how different environmental factors contribute to soil variation.

Paper For Above instruction

Soil is a vital component of the Earth’s surface, critically supporting plant life, influencing ecosystems, and shaping the landscape through the interaction of various physical, biological, and human factors. Understanding how these elements impact soil properties helps scientists and environmentalists manage land use, conserve natural resources, and predict ecological changes. The prescribed activity in this lab provides a practical approach to studying soil variability by examining how topography, vegetation, and human influence shape soil characteristics in a localized region.

The first step in this study is the collection of soil samples from three distinct locations—on a hill slope, in a backyard yard, and near a riverbank. These differing environments are representative of the effects of topography and biotic factors on soil. Soil from the hillside is expected to differ in texture and composition from that in a flat yard or riparian zone because of how water drainage, erosion, and organic matter distribution are influenced by slope and water movement. The vegetation in each environment also contributes to soil development, with different types of plant roots, leaf litter, and microbial activity affecting soil Organic matter and nutrient content.

Selection of sampling locations must be done carefully, ensuring they are sufficiently distant to maximize environmental variability, but also respecting property boundaries and legal restrictions. For instance, collecting samples from private land without permission or from protected areas is not only illegal but can also distort the integrity of scientific investigation. Once collected, the soil samples are analyzed based on texture, which indicates the proportions of sand, silt, and clay. Using the Soil Texture By Feel Flowchart, students can classify their samples into soil types such as sandy, loamy, or clayey.

The texture analysis reveals how physical factors influence soil formation. For example, soils on slopes tend to be more sandy or gravelly due to erosion, while flat areas may have more loamy or clay-rich soils that retain water and nutrients. Riverbank soils often contain finer particles deposited by water, resulting in a different texture than upland areas. These differences demonstrate how drift and erosion, driven by gravity, water flow, and vegetation cover, contribute to soil heterogeneity.

Human activities further modify soil properties. Urbanization, landscaping, and agriculture introduce new material, change drainage patterns, and disturb natural soil profiles. For example, yard soils might contain amended organic matter, fertilization residues, or pollutants that differ from naturally occurring soil types. Recognizing these influences is essential for understanding land use impacts and devising sustainable management practices.

In conclusion, by collecting and analyzing soil samples from varying topographical and environmental conditions, students gain insights into the dynamic and multifactorial influences on soil composition. This activity underscores the importance of soil research in ecological and environmental sciences. Understanding these natural and anthropogenic factors enables better land management practices, conservation efforts, and informed decisions regarding sustainable development.

References

• Brady, N. C., & Weil, R. R. (2010). The Nature and Properties of Soils (14th ed.). Pearson.
• Schoeneberger, P. M., et al. (2012). Field Book for Describing and Sampling Soils. USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service.
• Birkeland, P. W. (1999). Soils and Geomorphology. Oxford University Press.
• Dexter, A. R. (1988). Advances in characterization of soil structure. Geoderma, 42(1-2), 54-78.
• Reynolds, S. G., & Jolly, W. M. (2014). Soil Landscape Analysis: An approach to understanding soil variability. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 78(1), 15-28.
• Soil Science Society of America. (2017). Soil Management: Practical Approaches for Sustainable Agriculture.
• Hillel, D. (2004). Introduction to Environmental Soil Physics. Academic Press.
• Federal Geographic Data Committee. (2016). National Soil Information System. USGS.
• Bridgham, S. D., et al. (2006). The ecology and management of wetlands. CRC Press.
• Louise, M. H., & William, K. F. (2009). Environmental Soil Chemistry. CRC Press.