Diploma in Nature Conservation

Practical Investigation of Soil

SOIL201

Activity 1: Practical investigation to examine soil types and

component materials

Introduction

Soil is composed of inorganic and organic components: minerals, air,

water and plant and animal material. About 50% of the volumes of soil are
mineral elements and organic particles. The rest of the volume is space.
These small spaces transfer and hold water in soil. Oxygen and other
gases also move through the spaces. The combination allows small
animals, such as insects and worms and plant roots to move through soil
to collect the water and nutrients. If you were to cut vertically through
soil, you could see it has three layers: bedrock, subsoil and topsoil. Each
layer has various depths and plays an important role in growing crops.

Activity 1.1 - Soil Profile Modelling (edible model)

Task A: Using the links below complete the following table to summarise
the five layers of soil.

1. Source: Soil Horizons, Help Teaching.com URL:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOWH83YF3Bc

2. Source: Queensland Government. How soils are formed. URL:

https://www.qld.gov.au/environment/land/soil/soil-explained/forms

TABLE 1: Soil Horizons

Horizon What is it Where is it on One

made of? the Horizon Interesting
scale? Fact
O
A
B
C
R
Task B: Label the picture below to show the location of the soil
horizons present in the photo.

Method:

1. Fill your cup (soil profile) with different ingredients representing soil
horizons.

2. You must have at least four horizons.

3. Draw and colour your cup on this page to show what ingredients you
used in each horizon (Table 2).

4. Label each horizon.

5. Use the table over the page to describe why you chose the ingredient
and what it represents (Table 3).

6. Answer the questions over the page.

 TABLE 2: Drawing of Soil Horizons in Cup

TABLE 3: Ingredients and why they were chosen

Horizon Ingredient Description of Horizon

Questions:

1. Describe in your own words what a soil horizon is:

…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………
2. What horizon typically has the most material?
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………
3. What is organic material?
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………

4. Describe the material found in the lowest layer of the soil profile:
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………

5. Explain what the parent material in a soil profile is

…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………..

Task: Visit the link below and create a rough sketch (with
key) of the distribution of soil pH types in South Africa:
 (PDF) Selenium concentration of maize grain in South Africa
and possible factors influencing the concentration

Map of the soil pH of South African soils (with permission of the

Institute for Soil, Water and Climate of the Agricultural Research
Council, South Africa).

Activity 1.3 – Texture

Introduction Soil texture refers to the size and percentage of sand, silt and
clay within a body of soil. Soil texture impacts on many important features
of soil including soil structure (size, shape and arrangement of particles),
the infiltration rate and movement of water through the soil, the amount
of nutrients that are available, the degree of biological activity and
penetration of roots.
 TABLE 4: Soil particle size classification.

Materials

 Soil samples

 Water

 Texture chart/ table

Method

1. Obtain a small soil sample in the palm of your hand.

2. Add a small amount of water and rub the sample with your fingers to
break down any larger aggregates.

3. Add enough water so that your sample is moist and pliable but not
runny

4. Use table 5 to help you assess your sample

5. Design a table of results for your findings

TABLE 5: Texture assessment
Questions

Task: Read through the following method and design a table of

results to record your data.
Materials

 6 equal size buckets

 6 equal size tin cans with both ends removed (or can use one
and repeat)

 Sand

 Bag of potting mix “A” (any variety)

 Marker

 6 plastic rulers

 Stopwatch

 500ml measuring jug/ beaker

 Water

Method:

1. Fill 6 equal sized buckets with the following materials:

2. Push a tin can into each of the buckets until it penetrates to a depth of
2-3cm into

the soil.

3. Quickly fill one of the cans with water to the top depending on the size
of your can.

4. With your stopwatch, time for 60 secs and then with a ruler measure
how far the

water level has fallen from the top of the can. Record the distance.

5. Repeat test for each bucket and record your results

6. Select 2 different soil sites (around your school, or on excursion etc).

7. Repeat steps 2-5.

Results

Questions
Activity 1.5 – Organic Matter

Introduction

Organic matter is made up of dead animal and plant material that is

decomposed by microorganisms to release nutrients and energy. Organic
matter recycling is very important to soil fertility and impacts its structure,
water holding capacity etc. Many factors in the environment affect the
level of organic matter including pH, management, texture and climate.

Materials

 Evaporating basin

 Soil sample

 Bunsen and matches

 Tripod and gauze mat

 Tongs

 Stirring rod

 Electronic beam balance

 Safety goggles,

 Fume cupboard

Method:

1. Record the mass of the evaporating basin or tare the scales to zero

2. Add the soil sample to the basin and record its mass

3. Carefully heat the soil sample in a fume cupboard (or very well-
ventilated room) whilst occasionally stirring the sample for a period of 20
minutes or more

4. Allow the sample to cool and reweigh the basin to calculate the mass of
the burnt soil 5. Calculate the percentage of organic content of the soil by
using the formula
Question 1.

Explain why a soil that contains low organic matter will also have a low
microorganism count and discuss why this is undesirable for a productive
ecosystem.

Activity 1.6 – Bulk Density

Introduction

Access the following

Bulk Density - Measurement | Fact Sheets | soilquality.org.au

Task A:

Read the information under the heading background and complete the
passage below.

Background
Watch the video Measuring Bulk Density

Source: Measuring Bulk Density Published on 14 Dec 2016 UWSP Soil

Physics Final Project URL https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=Rt1qD7Ldhng

Task B:
As you watch the video create an equipment list and a flow chart that
could be

used to complete an activity to determine the bulk density of a soil

sample

Access the Soil Quality site:

http://soilquality.org/indicators/bulk_density.html

Task C:
In the space below outline the problems that can occur when soil bulk
density is

too high
Activity 1.7 – Porosity

Introduction

Soils are made of particles that are different shapes and sizes. The space
between the particles is called pore space. The amount of pore, or open
space between soil particles is referred to as soil porosity. Pore spaces
may be formed due to the movement of roots, worms, and insects;
expanding gases trapped within these spaces by groundwater; and/or the
dissolution of the soil parent material. Soil texture can also affect soil
porosity. Soil porosity is important for many reasons. A primary reason is
that soil pores contain the groundwater that many of us drink. Another
important aspect of soil porosity concerns the oxygen found within these
pore spaces. All plants need oxygen for respiration, so a wellaerated soil is
important for growing crops. Compaction by construction equipment or
our feet can decrease soil porosity and negatively impact the ability of soil
to provide oxygen and water.

Task A:

The diagram below shows the pore spaces in three soils: sand, silt and
clay. In the space below, make a hypothesis about which of the three soils
will have the greatest porosity include a reason for the answer given.
Task B:
Before starting the activity, watch the following clip and answer the
questions.

Porosity and Permeability

Task C:

Soil Porosity

Materials

 3 metric measuring cups

 100 ml graduated measuring cylinder

 Water

 Marking pen

 Soil samples: sand, clay and small pebbles (can be obtained from various
field locations such as a rock quarry, road cuts, stream beds, etc.)

Method

1. Fill one measuring cup to 200ml with sand, the second cup with 200ml
of clay and the third with 200 ml with small pebbles.

2. Fill a graduated cylinder to 100ml with water.

3. Slowly and carefully pour the water into the first cup until the water just
reaches the top of the sand. Pour slowly so no water spills out of the
measuring cup.

4. Record exactly how much water was used.

5. Use the formula below to calculate the percent porosity for the sand:

Porosity = (Amount of water added to sample ÷ Total sample

volume) x 100

6. Repeat the same procedure with the clay and the pebbles. 7. Record
the results in the table below

Results
Conclusion

Write a summary using the results to compare the porosity of the three
samples: sand, clay and pebbles