Soil

In this blog I will attempt to educate you about soil with text and pictures. However I will not be able to provide you with a delicious taco to eat as you read, so I am sorry. Soil is the dirt, rocks, minerals, and other  organic materials that make up the thing we call ground. It has three main components such as clay, sand, and silt. Soil got its name based on how it was composed. Below is a colorful chart that shows the naming process based on the percentage of clay, silt, and sand in the soil.

Let's now talk about biomes. Biomes are defined by climate and geography. Below you see a common chart that is used to determine what type of biome a certain area is based on the amount of precipitation it receives annually and the average temperature. 

Below is a map of the world and all of the major biomes. You will notice that the biomes are not the same based on the latitude lines because of the air cells ushce as the Hadley Cells, Ferrel Cells, and Polar Cells. For instance you will notice that the eastern part of the United States has the same biome as western Europe because of the Ferrel Cells or Westerly winds. 

Now lets look at the different types of soils. There are twelve different soil types: Alfisols, Andisols, Aridisols, Entisols, Gelisols, Histosols, Inceptisols, Mollisols, Oxisols, Spodosols, Ultisols, Vertisols. Each one can be found in a different place on earth. Click HERE to learn more.

Georgia's official soil is the Tifton soil series. This type of soil is what makes up most of the Southern Coastal Plain. Click HERE to read more about the official state soil. Ultisol (genus) is what you will find in Georgia. 

Below is the Munsell Color System that helps scientist to identify soil based on three criteria: hue, value, and chroma. Professor Albert H. Munsell is the brilliant man who came up with this system for classifying soil, which was later recognized and used by the USDA as the official soil. If you would like to learn more then you should click HERE.

Different Rocks and Minerals

Introduction

     There are three main different types of rocks: igneous, metamorphic, and sedimentary. Igneous rocks is formed when magma or lava cool and harden. Metamorphic rocks are formed when the original rock undergoes a tremendous amount of heat and pressure. Sedimentary rocks are formed when material is deposited in a certain area and then over time accumulate and form a solution. Each rock type is fascinating and will be discussed later in this blog.
     Each rock is made up of different minerals. A mineral is a substance that occurs naturally and is solid at room temperature. Each mineral has its own unique shape, which is a result of the chemical structure. There will be more minerals discussed later in this blog.

Igneous Rocks

This is a Diorite rock. It is a coarse-grained, intrusive igneous rock that contains a mixture of feldspar, pyroxene, hornblende and sometimes quartz. It is a very pretty rock in the fact that it is sort of shiney and black and white. Diorite is a very rare rock and can only be found in a few places around the world, one of them being in Minnesota.

For more information about igneous rocks click HERE

Metamorphic Rocks

This is a Gneiss rock. It is a foliated metamorphic rock that has this distinct banded appearance. It typically contains mostly quartz or feldspar minerals which give it those distinct stripes. People tend to confuse this with granite. You are able to tell that it is a metamorphic rock because of the clearly defined lines that are formed when the rock was squeezed together. 

For more information about metamorphic rocks click HERE

Sedimentary Rocks

This is a limestone rock. It is composed of mostly the minerals calcium carbonate (CaCO3). A lot of limestone is formed from dead sea organisms' skeletons and other material build up in the water. Other limestone forms as water evaporates and forms stalactites and stalagmites. It is very soluble when in contact with water or other weak acids. Limestone is commonly used in building materials and even in toothpaste.

For more information about sedimentary rocks click HERE

Quartz

This mineral is known as quartz. It is a commonly found mineral in the Earth's crust and nearly every type of rock has some quartz in it. Quartz is made up of a continuous framework of SiO2. Its crystals have a hexagonal shape and colors range from colorless (without imperfections) to black (many imperfections) and nearly every color inbetween. Quartz scores a 7 on the Mohs hardness scale out of 10. Because of its hardness it is used in jewelry.

To learn more about quartz click HERE

Outside Lab

Overview

     The lab on September 25, 2012 took place around Mercer University's campus. We walked from the Science and Engineering Building to Tatnall Square Park and observed many different types of trees, bushes, and flowers. We learned how to identify the different plants based on their leaves, scents, and texture. We also took a couple of measurements to figure out the height of a couple of trees. It was a very interesting and informative session.

3 Types of Trees

Pecan Tree (Carya illinoinensis):
     One of the first trees that we came across was a Pecan Tree. It is native to south part of the United States. It is famous for its nut, the pecan, and whether or not it is pronounced "pea-can" or "pah-con." The word "pecan" originates from an Algonquian word that means a nut that requires a stone to crack, according to Wikipedia.
     I also calculated the height of the tree using a simple formula. I stood a distance back from the base of the tree and used a used a clinometer to find the top of the tree. I then measured the distance from the base of the tree to where we were standing and that measurement was my 'B.' Then I measured the height from the ground to my eye and that measurement was my 'A.' I then added A + B to get the height of the tree. In this instance the numbers in the formula were 69 cm + 1920 cm = 1989 cm.

Douglas Fir (Pinaceae pseudotsuga):
     The last tree that we measured on our adventure was the Douglas Fir. After using the same A + B = height of the tree formula, we found out that it was 2064 cm. The Douglas Fir's wood is used in construction because of it's ability to withstand high weight loads. They are native to the west and east coasts of the United States.

Bradford Pear (Pyrus calleryana):
     This tree is native to China and Vietnam, but has taken root here in America. The Bradford Pear tree is notorious for its white five-petal flower and atrocious odor in early spring. The trees are very resistant to sickness and are destroyed more often than not by storms.

3 Types of Bushes

Loraetalum (Loropetalum chinensis):
     This bush has the burgundy color leaves in the spring and the long narrow pink flowers. It can grow to be up to 10 feet tall and 10 feet wide.

Virginia sweetspire (Itea virginica):
     This bush is commonly referred to as Virginia sweetspire. It is an easy plant to care for because it is a very adaptable plant. It can either be grown in the presence of full sunlight or partial sunlight. When it blooms, it has a sweet aroma and tiny white flowers.

Sago palm (Cycas revoluta):
     This plant is not a palm at all, but a cycad according to Wikipedia. It has the appearance of a palm tree that has stopped growing because it is low to the ground. It is a very poisonous plant to both animals and humans if it is ingested.

3 Types of Flowers

Snapdragons (Plantaginaceae antirrhinum):
     This flower received its name because the flowers resemble a dragon's mouth. You are able to open and close the flowers when you squeeze them. When their flowers bloom, they are either a red, white, or pink. A snapdragons grow to either be 6-8 inches tall (dwarf), 15-30 inches tall (medium), or 30-48 inches (tall). They are perennial plants and usually grow best in full or partial sun.

Angel Trumpets (Datureae brugmansia):
     These flowers received its name because they look like angels are playing trumpets from heaven. They produce a fragrance in the evenings during mating season to attract the pollinating moths. The plant grows to be between 2.6-4.9 feet tall. They now mostly planted to be ornamental plants.

Monkey Grass (Ophiopogon japonicus):
     This type of flower is a low growing flower. Its leaves are 20-40 centimeters long, its flowers are white, and its fruit is a little blue berry. It is mostly grown as an ornamental ground-cover. It was used in traditional Chinese medicine for yin deficiency.