“Dig It!” Exhibition
Follow the directions to navigate your way through the online exhibition of “Dig It!” put together by the Smithsonian. The bold text mean you need to answer a question or write something down.
Go to this web site: http://forces.si.edu/soils/02_00_00.html
Read the introduction titled “Sizing Up Soils”
Click on “The Big Picture” and take the Quiz, if you miss a question click on the “Learn More” and learn about the topic.
What is one interesting fact about soil that you learned from the quiz?
phytoplanketon get their nutrients from Asian dust.
Click on “State Soil Monoliths” click on Texas then choose 2 other states and read about their soil. What is a Fun Fact about Texas soil?
Deep soil surface is rich in decaying matter. Example of shrink-swell soil
What is in the soil of one other state? Tell me the name of the state.
Hawaii- there is volcanic ash in some of the layers
What is so special about the soil of one other state? Tell me the name of the state, it needs to be different from Texas, and the state in the question above.
North Carolina- Cecil soils support corn and cotton and are productive when managed carefully for erosion
Click on “What is Soil” read through all 5 pages and answer these questions.
A teaspoon of good farm soil contains up to 1 billion bacteria in more than 4000 species.
Soil is the skin of the earth. Soils are alive, they are born, they age, they breathe.
What are the ingredients of soil?
Air, water, minerals, and organic matter (living and non-living)
On page 3 watch the “Chef’s Challenge” video.
What is the today’s secret ingredient?
sand
Who are the judges?
Quincy Carapace, Gassy Gallagher, Sylvania
On page 4 click on the “Recipe Book” read some of the different soil recipes. Then click on the “Soil ingredients” take the quiz to see if you can determine the makeup of different types of soils.
What % of ingredients make up Desert Soil?
Water- 2%
Air- 44%
Organic Matter- 1%
Minerals-53%
Loamy Soil?
Water- 25%
Air- 25%
Organic Matter- 5%
Minerals-45%
Peaty Bog?
Water- 50%
Air- 0%
Organic Matter- 40%
Minerals- 10%
Read page 5. What does CLORPT stand for?
C- climate
O- organisms
R- relief
P- parent material
T- time
Click on “Chip off the Old Block” read through all 6 pages.
95% of the earth’s crust is made of just eight elements. What are they?
oxygen, silicon, aluminum, iron, calcium, sodium, potassium, and magnesium.
Texture influences a soil’s capacity to hold water and nutrients.
On page 6 play the Color Matching game
Gray.Blue.Green = wetland mineral soils
Red.Yellow.Orange =upland soils
Click on “Soil Forming Factors” read through all 6 pages. On page 2 play the Hidden Horizons game.
Describe the A horizon.
a mineral layer at or near the surface, with more soil organic matter than lower layers, also called topsail
What is a monolith?
a large single upright block of stone
On page 4 click on the “Earth Skin Types”. Describe Ultisols.
Ultisols is weathered tropical and subtropical soils
What type of soil is in our area?
Ultisols soils
On page 6 click play the “Where in the Soil World are You”.
The flip flop is in the volcanic ash soil type.
The spur is in the fertile soil type.
The mammoth tusk is in the frozen soil type.
Click on “Matters of Life and Death”, read through all 6 pages.
Not all forms of life need oxygen to breathe. What other things can microorganisms use?
use forms of iron, sulfur, nitrogen, or carbon instead.
Describe some of the characteristics of Lichens.
a mutually beneficial marriage of fungi and algae
Click on “Underneath it All”, read through all 5 pages. On page 1 click on the “Underneath it All” link to dig deep and examine the effects our choices have on soil.
What are some of the things that you may find in the Washington, D.C. soil sample?
Tidal basin Soil
What are some of the things that you may find in the Terra Preta Soil of the Amazon?
unaltered infertile tropical soil
On page 3. What is an increasing problem caused by global warming?
global warming is making building and maintenance more expensive, and leaving coastal settlements extremely vulnerable to shoreline erosion.
On page 4. What was wrong with the soil in Fredericksburg, Virginia?
The soil was filled with Acid sulfate.
Click on “Wise Choices” read through all 7 pages.
Soils are renewable but…
but it takes lots of time, money, and know-how. Its hard for humans to remake soil and use the same soil-farming techniques.
Describe some of the new technology that helps manage soil fertility.
Sensors mounted on tractors or linked to satellites “read” plants and soils to determine how much fertilizer is needed.
How is the Millennium Villages Project restoring soil fertility?
This project is restoring the fertility of soil because the farmers first receive mineral firtilizers and hybrid crops. They learned to add manure and compost to make the soil have more nitrogen.
Click on “A World of Soils”, read through all 6 pages. On page 1 watch the “Soil: The secret Ingredient” video.
On page 3. Define loess:
a loosely compacted yellowish-gray deposit of windblown sediment of which extensive deposits occur
“The secrets of soils are the secrets of our lives.”
Go to this web site: http://forces.si.edu/soils/02_00_00.html
Read the introduction titled “Sizing Up Soils”
Click on “The Big Picture” and take the Quiz, if you miss a question click on the “Learn More” and learn about the topic.
What is one interesting fact about soil that you learned from the quiz?
phytoplanketon get their nutrients from Asian dust.
Click on “State Soil Monoliths” click on Texas then choose 2 other states and read about their soil. What is a Fun Fact about Texas soil?
Deep soil surface is rich in decaying matter. Example of shrink-swell soil
What is in the soil of one other state? Tell me the name of the state.
Hawaii- there is volcanic ash in some of the layers
What is so special about the soil of one other state? Tell me the name of the state, it needs to be different from Texas, and the state in the question above.
North Carolina- Cecil soils support corn and cotton and are productive when managed carefully for erosion
Click on “What is Soil” read through all 5 pages and answer these questions.
A teaspoon of good farm soil contains up to 1 billion bacteria in more than 4000 species.
Soil is the skin of the earth. Soils are alive, they are born, they age, they breathe.
What are the ingredients of soil?
Air, water, minerals, and organic matter (living and non-living)
On page 3 watch the “Chef’s Challenge” video.
What is the today’s secret ingredient?
sand
Who are the judges?
Quincy Carapace, Gassy Gallagher, Sylvania
On page 4 click on the “Recipe Book” read some of the different soil recipes. Then click on the “Soil ingredients” take the quiz to see if you can determine the makeup of different types of soils.
What % of ingredients make up Desert Soil?
Water- 2%
Air- 44%
Organic Matter- 1%
Minerals-53%
Loamy Soil?
Water- 25%
Air- 25%
Organic Matter- 5%
Minerals-45%
Peaty Bog?
Water- 50%
Air- 0%
Organic Matter- 40%
Minerals- 10%
Read page 5. What does CLORPT stand for?
C- climate
O- organisms
R- relief
P- parent material
T- time
Click on “Chip off the Old Block” read through all 6 pages.
95% of the earth’s crust is made of just eight elements. What are they?
oxygen, silicon, aluminum, iron, calcium, sodium, potassium, and magnesium.
Texture influences a soil’s capacity to hold water and nutrients.
On page 6 play the Color Matching game
Gray.Blue.Green = wetland mineral soils
Red.Yellow.Orange =upland soils
Click on “Soil Forming Factors” read through all 6 pages. On page 2 play the Hidden Horizons game.
Describe the A horizon.
a mineral layer at or near the surface, with more soil organic matter than lower layers, also called topsail
What is a monolith?
a large single upright block of stone
On page 4 click on the “Earth Skin Types”. Describe Ultisols.
Ultisols is weathered tropical and subtropical soils
What type of soil is in our area?
Ultisols soils
On page 6 click play the “Where in the Soil World are You”.
The flip flop is in the volcanic ash soil type.
The spur is in the fertile soil type.
The mammoth tusk is in the frozen soil type.
Click on “Matters of Life and Death”, read through all 6 pages.
Not all forms of life need oxygen to breathe. What other things can microorganisms use?
use forms of iron, sulfur, nitrogen, or carbon instead.
Describe some of the characteristics of Lichens.
a mutually beneficial marriage of fungi and algae
Click on “Underneath it All”, read through all 5 pages. On page 1 click on the “Underneath it All” link to dig deep and examine the effects our choices have on soil.
What are some of the things that you may find in the Washington, D.C. soil sample?
Tidal basin Soil
What are some of the things that you may find in the Terra Preta Soil of the Amazon?
unaltered infertile tropical soil
On page 3. What is an increasing problem caused by global warming?
global warming is making building and maintenance more expensive, and leaving coastal settlements extremely vulnerable to shoreline erosion.
On page 4. What was wrong with the soil in Fredericksburg, Virginia?
The soil was filled with Acid sulfate.
Click on “Wise Choices” read through all 7 pages.
Soils are renewable but…
but it takes lots of time, money, and know-how. Its hard for humans to remake soil and use the same soil-farming techniques.
Describe some of the new technology that helps manage soil fertility.
Sensors mounted on tractors or linked to satellites “read” plants and soils to determine how much fertilizer is needed.
How is the Millennium Villages Project restoring soil fertility?
This project is restoring the fertility of soil because the farmers first receive mineral firtilizers and hybrid crops. They learned to add manure and compost to make the soil have more nitrogen.
Click on “A World of Soils”, read through all 6 pages. On page 1 watch the “Soil: The secret Ingredient” video.
On page 3. Define loess:
a loosely compacted yellowish-gray deposit of windblown sediment of which extensive deposits occur
“The secrets of soils are the secrets of our lives.”
mASS wASTING
WHAT IS MASS WASTING?
•refers to the several processes that have the following in common:
1. Down slope movement of rock or weather material
2. Movemnet is due to the pull of gravity
3. There is no flowing medium (water, ice, or air)
•Generally mast wasting occurs when gravitational forces EXCEED frictional or shear forces (strength) of material
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
1.Processes represent a significant hazard to property and people
2. Need to identify where and under what conditions these processes occur
3. Avoid construction in areas prone to mass wasting or attempt to prevent mass wasting
4. Saturation (water holds particles together, but to much water acts as a lubricant)
5. Biological factors such as vegetation
6. Triggers (weakened planes)
Possibly weakened by:
1. Type of material that moves
2. Nature of movement (slide, flow, or fall)
3. How fast the material moves
•refers to the several processes that have the following in common:
1. Down slope movement of rock or weather material
2. Movemnet is due to the pull of gravity
3. There is no flowing medium (water, ice, or air)
•Generally mast wasting occurs when gravitational forces EXCEED frictional or shear forces (strength) of material
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT?
1.Processes represent a significant hazard to property and people
2. Need to identify where and under what conditions these processes occur
3. Avoid construction in areas prone to mass wasting or attempt to prevent mass wasting
4. Saturation (water holds particles together, but to much water acts as a lubricant)
5. Biological factors such as vegetation
6. Triggers (weakened planes)
Possibly weakened by:
- Earthquake
- Construction work (blasting)
- Flooding
1. Type of material that moves
2. Nature of movement (slide, flow, or fall)
3. How fast the material moves
- Creep: slow and steady movement of small particles
- Flows(mud flows): materials move as through they are thick liquid
- Slides: rapid movement of a block of rock, soil, and debris; also called debris avalanches
- Slumps: rapid-slide of materials along a curved surface
- Avalanches: landslides that occurs in mountainous areas with thick amounts of snow
- Rock fall: sporadic, rapid movement of large, loose materials
- mass wasting produces sediment deposits
- These deposits commonly contain a widely range of sizes of particles (they are "unsorted")
- The deposits do not show layering ("unstratified")
The dirt on soil
HOW DOES SOIL FORM
- soil- is a loose mixture of rock fragment, organic matter, water, and air that can support the growth of vegetation
- Humans are directly and indirectly dependent on the soil for plants and their products
- Soils begins with bedrock AKA parent material is weathered
- Over time, organisms such as bacteria, fungi, and insects begin to live among the weathered pieces
- Organic waste from these organisms add nutrients to the weakened material, forming soil
- soil is both abiotic and biotic
- some living things break down or decompose, the remains of dead organisms. The process forms HUMUS, a substance that contains nutrients that plants need to grow
- larger animals, such as earthworms and moles live in the soil. They loosen and mix the soil as the burrow, increasing the air and drainage of the soil.
- Some soils have greater organic content than others
- Typically, the top layer contains the most developed soil. lower levels contain less weathered material
- Soil that developed from the bedrock below is residual soil, soil that has undergone erosion and deposition is called transported soil
- Bedrock and soil may contain the same minerals, but in different ratios due to chemical weathering
- A vertical section of soil layers from the top layer down is a soil profile
- Each layer is a soil horizon
- The layer O= organic layer
- The layer A= is where the organic and nutrient and biological activity levels are the highest and contains most humus and lower fertility
- The layer B= weathering rock material from which soil forms and least developed layer and largest rock
- The Layer E= bedrock
- type, climate, topography, and abundance and variety of living things
- Soil texture describes soil bases on the relative amounts of soil particles. Soil particles can be classified as sand (the largest), silt, or clay (the smallest)
- Soil color depends on the minerals and organic matter that make up the soil