Conclusion

This set of experiments has shown me that soil is the life-force behind everything needed to allow for life to exist. Without the sun, plants could not live or survive, but they also could not if it weren't for the soil they grow in either. We have completed experiments that show everything from how soil is filled with microscopic organisms, to how well it can be used to grow the food we eat. Soil is a necessity for life as we know it and who knows where we would be without it. Prior to this experiment, I saw the importance of soil, but I did not realize just how much of an impact it really has. Soil erosion is literally a life or death issue, and the protection of the slim amount of soil we do have is needed for our continued survival. We cannot allow it to blow away, become polluted or overly salty, or drained of nutrients too quickly for it to re-energize. It must be handled with care as we go into the future and we need it more than ever to be sure we can successfully feed the 7 billion people and counting that our planet holds, as well as protect all the other species that require its continued health. With this knowledge, it makes me question why this information isn't included in a core class. Environmental Science is an elective, but this information is important enough to our futures that I feel it should be taught to everyone, not just those who take this class. Regardless though, I will be walking away with a wider worldview thanks to these experiments and this unit as a whole.

- Andrew

During this experiment on soil, I have come to the conclusion that soil is an indispensible recourse that our planet needs to stay stabilized with the ecosystem. Without soil our world would look completely different. Without soil the types of flora and fauna on earth would change drastically. No animals can produce their own food source, and ultimately rely on vegetable matter as food. During some of the specific experiments for soil we have done, we determined what type of components our soil had. The soil could be the form of three different components: silt, clay or sand. Our soil was mostly silt because it contained no form of hard rocks or grainy rocks; instead it was slippery and wet. Another test that was made with our soil was determining the accurate amount of organic matter it contained. The soil was first heated overnight in the oven. We calculated the weight to compare it to the one being burned over the Bunsen burner. After the calculations were done and measured properly, we determined that we have a lot of organic matter because the soil was found in a very natural and undisturbed place where it was surrounded by humid and temperate conditions. I have learned how to calculate the amount of organic matter in our soil and determine what type of soil we had. Each and every experiment we did with soil have contributed to a better understanding of the importance of soil to the world.

- Kasia