Soil Temperatureas applied to growing seasons

What can you grow where and why???

Denise Warren

What happens to the temperature of the soil during the day?

What happens to the temperature of the soil at night?

Inquiry based lab experiment with GO Temp Data Probe to gather temperature data

Simulate Day and Night and collect data at different depths of the soil and use this Information to understand what grows in different parts of the United States andwhy it can grow there.

Factors that influence soil temperature

Type of Soil

Rainfall/Moisture

Depth of Soil

What does soil temperature influence??

Germination of SeedsExample: Cotton needs soil

60 degrees

http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/HomePage.htm

Ground Temperatures in the US

Isotherms : Lines of equal temperature as shown on this soil map at the surface

Excel Spreadsheet for students to input data into for analysis

Materials needed for experimentComputer, Temperature probe, plastic milk jug containing soil, Lamp, ruler, tape and ice

ProcedurePrepare the computer for the data collection. Prepare the milk jug with soilAnd three small holes, at 1 cm, 3 cm and 5 cm below the soil surface

Insert the probe into hole 1 (1cm) and record data for 20 minutes (40 for two days)Insert the probe into hole 2 (3cm) and record data for 20 minutesInsert the probe into hole 3 (5 cm) and record data for 20 minutesMake sure probe is in far enough and that it is parallel to table. Position the lamp so that the bulb is between 5 an 10 cm from soilFill bowl with iceChange setup every 5 minutes. These changes will simulate the temperatureChanges over a two day period. Watch the time carefully.

Data Collection in experiment

Simulated Daytime, probe at 1 cm depth lamp on soil in milk carton, data collected With GO Temp probe and recorded on laptop computer

Soil Temperature DataSimulated Day/Night 40minutes total

Soil Depth 1 cm

Data collection in experiment:Simulated Night time

Simulated Night time, probe at 5 cm depth ice on soil in milk carton, data probe in soil, computer collecting data.

Soil temperature data at 5 cm depth

Morning Day evening night

Soil temperature data at 3 cm depth

Morning Day Evening Night

Conclusions drawn from data

Soil temperature varies the most in the first centimeter (close to the surface)

Soil temperature remains relatively constant in the 3 and 5 cm layers (at depth)

How does this relate to growing crops? What does this information tell us?

We can conclude that seeds that need higher temperatures to germinate canNot survive in some areas because the soil at the surface does not get warm enough for a long enough time (the growing season or number of daysIt would take for the crop to grow)