Background information:
Dispersion of fine soil particles is controlled by a similar mechanism, dispersion is directly influenced by ions adsorbed on particle surfaces, particularly clay minerals. The presence of high sodium, especially at the low salt concentration in the soil water, causes dispersion and movement of fine particles within the pores. The particles may then become lodged in smaller pores, blocking water or air.
The effect of soil pH is great on the solubility of minerals or nutrients. Fourteen of the seventeen essential plant nutrients are obtained from the soil. Before a nutrient can be used by plants it must be dissolved in the soil solution
If the level of salt in the soil water is too high, water may flow from the plant roots back into the soil. This results in dehydration of the plant cause yield decline or even death of the plant.
Each type of soil has its characteristics in terms of water holding capacity. The first type is sand. Sand has the largest particles, with huge spaces between them, this is why sand doesn’t have the ability to hold water. Clay has the smallest particles compared to the other type, so it has good water storage qualities. It’s sticky to the touch when wet, but smooth when dry. () Clay has many fine pores, which gives it a higher capacity to hold water, than other types of soil. Eventually, it holds a higher amount of water than sand does.
Research question: How does pH and salinity affect soil types in terms of water holding capacity ?
Hypothesis :
I assume that if the water poured in the soils is not fully absorbed in the soils, then the salinity and the pH have had an
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Eventually, the salinity will be affecting both soils, as sand will lose its capacity to hold water, in contrast with Clay that will absorb more
The largest of the primary types of soil particles is sand, which ranges between 0.05 and 2 millimeters in diameter. Silt particles are smaller than sand particles, ranging between 0.002 and 0.05 millimeters in diameter. Clay particles are the smallest of all, at less than 0.002 millimeters in diameter. Soils that are more than 50 percent sand particles are considered to be "sandy soils."Soils made up of more than 80 percent sand are simply referred to as "sand." Sandy soils tend to be easier to work than clay soils, and sandy soils are well-aerated, which helps to keep plants' roots
Morphological characteristics such as color, texture, composition, etc. are uniform throughout the solum. There is no movement of soluble soil components. A concentration of soft powdery lime may be existing in or under the vertic horizon. Gypsum can occur either uniformly distributed over the matrix or in layers of gypsum crystals. Vertisols have a uniform particle size distribution throughout the solum, but texture may change abruptly where the substratum is reached. Dry Vertisols are very hard while wet Vertisols are plastic and sticky (Jewitt et al. 1979). It is generally true that Vertisols are crumbly over a narrow moisture range but their physical properties are greatly influenced by soluble salts or adsorbed sodium (Fao.org, 2014).
Figure 1: Water droplets that are resisting infiltration into a highly porous hydrophobic soil (Doerr, 2007).
The goal of this experiment was to determine the pH and salinity of the soil and to understand how the different levels of pH and salinity can affect the bacteria living within it. The ecosystem is affected by the pH of the soil.The more basic the pH level is the more bacteria that grow in the soil (Rousk et al 2009). In addition to pH, electrical conductivity also affects the nutrients and gases in the soil by calculating its salinity. Greenhouse gases, like nitrogen oxides, methane, and carbon dioxide, and nutrient availability are regulated by conductivity of the soil. When the salinity of the soil is changed, the plants need to be maintained differently because there would be more or less of the nutrients and greenhouse gases. The less saline in the soil is the less it affects the plant's growth and microbial processes (USDA -NRCS nd). The increase of salinity in the soil affects the number of fungal and bacterial species present in the soil and soil enzymes. As the salinity of the soil increases the number bacterial and fungal species decrease. The soil enzymes also experience a reduction as the soil salinity is increased (Omar et al 1993).This probably affected the microbes within the soil, which provides another explanation for the decrease in microbial species.
Soil is composed of minerals, soil organic material (SOM), water, and air, according to the Montana State University’s soil scientists, Ann McCauley. The actual composition of these various components within soil has a big influence on the porosity; i.e., the composition affects the movement of water into and through the soil (McCauley, 2005), and the movement of water into and through soil is absolutely necessary for productive crops, and healthy ecosystems. The binding together of soil particles is called “aggregation” and when water passed into the soil aggregation, if it is healthy, will keep the porosity and water movement slow and productive, which “improves fertility and carbon sequestration in the soil” (avoiding erosion at the same time) (McCauley).
Hypothesis: Plants exposed to a higher percentage of salt will not grow as well as plants that are not exposed to salt.
The soil types are diverse with the majority being of granite (53%), basalt (22%) and soils formed from an eroded material (for example shale and slate – 25%). Most are naturally acidic and not very phosphorous. The granite and
Soil is a general term referring to earth material that is particulate. If an individual piece of soil is too large to lift by a singular hand it is considered a boulder. It it takes the whole hand to lift a particle, however, it is a cobble. If a particle can be lifted without difficulty with thumb and forefinger, the soil is classified as gravel. If the individual particles can be viewed but are too small to be picked up individually, the soil is known as sand. Both sand and gravel are coarse grained soils, meaning at least half the material is retained on a Number 200 sieve.
Saline soil is also vulnerable to erosion due to the death of vegetation that held the soil together. Soil that is eroded can ‘pollute’ water too.
According to Moh and Mazhar (1969), the increase in the thickness of free iron oxide coating of the soil particles is due to an increase in the degree of laterization.
The first type of soil is Histosols. Histosols are formed in Topical Wetland climate with a weathered and thick organic soils (more than 20% organic materials by mass) or peat soils (Bouwman, 1990). According to Histosol (n.d.), organic soils are formed by the accumulation of partially decomposed organic matter under waterlogged conditions of peat bogs, moors, and swamps. Thus the accumulated of plants residues and animals and their decomposition products are preserved, resulting in high organic content in soils. They are light in weight, with extremely high water holding capacities (WHC) and have high cation exchange capacity (CEC), it also appeared dark in color (University of Hawai‘i, 2014). Based on Grozav & Rogobete (2010) who studied soil on Romania said that histosols have high compressibility, low bulk density, and high rate of decay upon drainage. According to Kim (2000), in a water-saturated environment, where conditions are good, thick and much deposit are usually formed. There are problem of dropping in the level of soils surface causes by the natural drainage, where “continuous decomposition of the organic matter brought about by the better aeration” (Kim, 2000, pp. 23-24). Since Histosols exhibit very low bulk density values, it may need to be compacted in o...
Soil is the prime and valuable property obtained through nature. It is a major contribution to the life of humans and animals for whom it’s a source of water, energy and food attainment. It is the source of the food for all the people living on Earth, the creatures as well as the vegetation.
The soil of an area depends on climate, plant life, animal life, and human interference. For example, the soil of a city, buried under all the concrete, is different from the soil in the Scottish Highlands. While in the city there are only small animals and humans, the Scottish Highlands are populated by wolves, Highland cattle, and humans. In the city, plant life is scarce. This can affect the soil type as well. A plant is a living thing, made up of nutrients
Soil is a combination of minerals, organic matter, gases, liquids, and various organisms that come together to support life on Earth (Gupta, 2015). Buol et al., (2011) described it as a tiny layer of material on the surface of the earth, which are made up a lot of things, such as weathered rock and decomposed plant and animal matter. Doran and Parkin, (1994) referred to it as the unconsolidated mineral or organic material on the direct surface of the earth that serves as a natural medium for the growth of land plants. Wild (1993), described as loose material composed of weathered mineral and other materials alongside partially decayed organic matter that covers large part of the land surface of the earth. While Gilluly et al., (1975) documented it to be an outcome of the influence of climate, relief, organisms, and its parent materials (original minerals) combining over time. It serves as a home for soil organisms, helps to recycle nutrients and organic wastes, it regulates water quality, modifies the atmospheric composition, and act as a medium
Structure is the arrangement of soil particles. Structure is classified into various classes. Structureless, including single grain and massive, with structure including granular, platy, wedge, blocky, prismatic, and columnar. The last class is structure destroyed which includes puddled.