Wetland Preserve Soil Analysis Procedures

8/14/2019 Wetland Preserve Soil Analysis Procedures

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Wetland Preserve Soil

Analysis

Part 2
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Quickly copy the procedures into your labnotebooks

They will be posted on the bloghttp://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 equipmentand return equipment

Take your time and follow directions, you onlyget to do the test once for each sample

Record ALL results, take pictures if necessary

Clean up all material and dispose of soil whencomplete
http://hghshonorsbiology.blogspot.com/http://hghshonorsbiology.blogspot.com/


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Materials

Paper cups Pipette/dropper Graduated cylinder (or

cups with 30 mL

and 5 mL measuredout) Timer Distilled water Plastic spoon

Paper Soil samples Soil testing tubes Nutrient testing tablets

and pH tablet

pH meter


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Procedures for SMALL TubesSoil Preparation

1. Spread out soil sample on paper

2. Pick out leaves, stones, or sticks

3. Use the back of the spoon to crush anylarge lumps of soil

pH Test (Green)

1. Remove cap from greencapped tube

2. Fill tube with soil to the firstline

3. Carefully open the green

capsule and pour thepowder into the tube

4. Add distilled water up until thefourth line

5. Cap the tube and shakevigorously

6. Allow the soil to settle and thecolor to develop for aminute

7. Compare the color to thecolor on the pH chartand record data

8. Verify the pH using the pHmeter

9. Repeat with sample 2

Making soil nutrient testing solution

1. Add 5 mL of soil to a papercup

2. Fill up with 25 mL of distilledwater

3. Vi orousl stir the mixture for

Nitrogen Test (purple)1. Remove the purple cap from the tube

2. Remove the capsule carefully

3. 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)4. Carefully separate the two halves of the purple capsule

5. Pour the powder into the clear solution in the tube

6. Cap the tube and shake thoroughly

7. Allow the color to develop for 10 minutes

8. Use daylight to illuminate the solution and match the color to the Ncolor chart

Phosphorus Test (blue)1. Remove the blue cap from the tube


3. 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)

4. Carefully separate the two halves of the blue capsule




8. Use daylight to illuminate the solution and match the color to the Pcolor chart

9.

Potassium Test (orange)1. Remove the orange cap from the tube


3. 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)

4. Carefully separate the two halves of the orange capsule




8. Use daylight to illuminate the solution and match the color to the Kcolor chart

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2.


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Procedures for Large Tubes1. Spread out soil sample on paper2. Pick out leaves, stones, or sticks3. Use the back of the spoon to crush any large lumps

of soil4. Test pH

1. Remove green cap from green tube2. Fill to the TOP line with distilled water3. Add one SOIL pH TesTab4. Use green cap to add one capful of soil sample5. Cap tube with green cap and invert 10 times6. Let soil settle for one minute or until a clear,

colored solution is visible above thesoil layer

7. Match color to the pH color chart and recorddata

8. Confirm pH with pH meter/probe9. Repeat with sample 2

5. Make nutrient test solution1. Measure 30 mL of distilled water into a paper

cup2. Add 2 FLOC EX TesTabs3. Stir with spoon until tablets break apart and

disintegrate4. Add 5 mL (one teaspoon) of soil sample 1 to

the cup5. Stir for one minute6. Allow cup to sit for one minute or until soil

settles at the bottom of the cup7. Pinch the top of the cup and now you are ready

to use for your nutrient tests

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7.

8.

1. Test Nitrogen (Red)1. Remove red cap from tube2. Fill to BOTTOM line with CLEAR soil solution

(do NOT get soil from bottom into thetube!)

3. Add one NITRATE WR CTA TesTab4. Cap tube with red cap and shake vigorously for

2 minutes5. Wait five minutes for color to develop6. Match the pink color to the Nitrogen color chart

and record your data

2. Test Phosphorus (Blue)1. Remove blue cap from tube2. Add TEN drops of the clear soil solution in the

paper cup to the tube3. Fill to TOP line with distilled water4. Add one PHOS TesTab5. Cap tube with blue cap and shake vigorously

until tablet completely disintegrates6. Wait five minutes for color to develop7. Match the blue color to the phosphorus color

chart and record your data

3. Test Potassium (yellow)1. Remove yellow cap from tube2. Fill to TOP line with CLEAR soil solution (do

NOT get soil from bottom into the tube!)3. Add one POTAS TesTab4. Cap tube with yellow cap and shake vigorously

until tablet disintegrates5. Hold tube over black squares on the potassium

color chart6. Match the cloudiness f the solution in the tube

to a gray square on the Potassium colorchart.

7. Record your data

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Documents

Wetland Preserve Soil Analysis Procedures