Wetland Preserve Soil Analysis Procedures

Wetland Preserve Soil Analysis Part 2

• Quickly copy the procedures into your lab notebooks • They will be posted on the blog http://hghshonorsbiology.blogspot.com • You will rewrite them later in your lab report • The designated material person will be the only one leaving the lab bench to gather equipment and return equipment • Take your time and follow directions, you only get to do the test once for each sample • Record ALL results, take pictures if necessary • Clean up all material and dispose of soil when complete •

Materials • Paper cups • Pipette/dropper • Graduated cylinder (or cups with 30 mL and 5 mL measured out) • Timer • Distilled water • Plastic spoon • Paper • Soil samples • Soil testing tubes • Nutrient testing tablets and pH tablet • pH meter

Procedures for SMALL Tubes Soil 1. 2. 3. 

Preparation Spread out soil sample on paper Pick out leaves, stones, or sticks Use the back of the spoon to crush any large lumps of soil

Nitrogen Test (purple)

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

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pH Test (Green) 1. Remove cap from green capped tube 2. Fill tube with soil to the first line 3. Carefully open the green capsule and pour the powder into the tube 4. Add distilled water up until the fourth line 5. Cap the tube and shake vigorously 6. Allow the soil to settle and the color to develop for a minute 7. Compare the color to the color on the pH chart and record data 8. Verify the pH using the pH meter 9. Repeat with sample 2

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Phosphorus Test (blue)

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Remove the blue cap from the tube Remove the capsule carefully Fill the tube to the fourth line with the clear soil solution from the cup (be careful not to get any of the soil into the tube) Carefully separate the two halves of the blue capsule Pour the powder into the clear solution in the tube Cap the tube and shake thoroughly Allow the color to develop for 10 minutes Use daylight to illuminate the solution and match the color to the P color chart

9.

Potassium Test (orange)

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1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

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Making soil nutrient testing solution 1. Add 5 mL of soil to a paper cup 2. Fill up with 25 mL of distilled water 3. Vigorously stir the mixture for

Remove the purple cap from the tube Remove the capsule carefully Fill the tube to the fourth line with the clear soil solution from the cup (be careful not to get any of the soil into the tube) Carefully separate the two halves of the purple capsule Pour the powder into the clear solution in the tube Cap the tube and shake thoroughly Allow the color to develop for 10 minutes Use daylight to illuminate the solution and match the color to the N color chart

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1. 2.

Remove the orange cap from the tube Remove the capsule carefully Fill the tube to the fourth line with the clear soil solution from the cup (be careful not to get any of the soil into the tube) Carefully separate the two halves of the orange capsule Pour the powder into the clear solution in the tube Cap the tube and shake thoroughly Allow the color to develop for 10 minutes Use daylight to illuminate the solution and match the color to the K color chart

Procedures for Large Tubes 1. 2. 3. 4.

Spread out soil sample on paper Pick out leaves, stones, or sticks Use the back of the spoon to crush any large lumps of soil Test pH 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.

5.

Remove green cap from green tube Fill to the TOP line with distilled water Add one SOIL pH TesTab Use green cap to add one capful of soil sample Cap tube with green cap and invert 10 times Let soil settle for one minute or until a clear, colored solution is visible above the soil layer Match color to the pH color chart and record data Confirm pH with pH meter/probe Repeat with sample 2

1.

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

2.

2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Measure 30 mL of distilled water into a paper cup Add 2 FLOC EX TesTabs Stir with spoon until tablets break apart and disintegrate Add 5 mL (one teaspoon) of soil sample 1 to the cup Stir for one minute Allow cup to sit for one minute or until soil settles at the bottom of the cup Pinch the top of the cup and now you are ready to use for your nutrient tests

3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

3.

Remove blue cap from tube Add TEN drops of the clear soil solution in the paper cup to the tube Fill to TOP line with distilled water Add one PHOS TesTab Cap tube with blue cap and shake vigorously until tablet completely disintegrates Wait five minutes for color to develop Match the blue color to the phosphorus color chart and record your data

Test Potassium (yellow) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.

6. 7.

6.

8.

7. 8.

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Remove red cap from tube Fill to BOTTOM line with CLEAR soil solution (do NOT get soil from bottom into the tube!) Add one NITRATE WR CTA TesTab Cap tube with red cap and shake vigorously for 2 minutes Wait five minutes for color to develop Match the pink color to the Nitrogen color chart and record your data

Test Phosphorus (Blue) 1. 2.

Make nutrient test solution 1.

Test Nitrogen (Red)

Remove yellow cap from tube Fill to TOP line with CLEAR soil solution (do NOT get soil from bottom into the tube!) Add one POTAS TesTab Cap tube with yellow cap and shake vigorously until tablet disintegrates Hold tube over black squares on the potassium color chart Match the cloudiness f the solution in the tube to a gray square on the Potassium color chart. Record your data