Science Smarts: What’s in the soil?

By PATTY ROOKS on April 23, 2022.

I do not know about you, but I have been “itching” to get out in the garden and start digging. The weather is just not cooperating… well, if I cannot get outside, I guess I will have to bring some of the outdoors in. Let’s get started!

Remember to ask an adult before doing this experiment.

Materials

• Heavy rubber band (one of the really thick ones)

• Small piece of netting, cloth or flexible screen

• Small funnel

• Wide mouth jar or plastic container

• Soil

• Lamp

• Magnifying glass

• Container for your soil

• Shovel

Procedure

You need to make a “trap” so you can screen out the dirt from the large organisms in the soil sample you are going to take. You can do this by putting the netting over the small end of the funnel with the rubber band.

Rest the funnel on the mouth of the jar.

Have an adult help you as you go outside to a spot where you can dig up some dirt or soil.

Make sure you take the spare container for your soil sample. It is too hard to carry soil in your hands, not to mention, you do not want to get it all through the house!

Have an adult help you dig up a small sample of soil and place it in the container.

Slowly and carefully pour the soil sample into the funnel. Be careful not to get any into the jar.

Small organisms will be able to go through the netting into the jar where you will be able to view them.

In order to get more organisms into the jar, place the lamp near the jar. When you place the lamp near the jar, it is going to heat the soil. Many organisms will find it too hot and will “crawl” out of the soil into the jar where it will be cooler. Try placing the heat lamp there for several hours or even overnight.

Use the magnifying glass to observe and try to identify the different organisms from the soil.

Try taking different soil samples from different areas of your garden or yard.

Once you are done, return the soil to where you dug it up, the organisms will want to go back home!

Explanation

This experiment should have displayed that soil contains many organisms that we normally do not see. What you made in this experiment is called a Berelese Funnel. It safely allows you to examine the tiny organisms that live in the soil. This should help you determine where it may be best to put certain plants so certain insects do not destroy them.

Keep an eye on our social media as we have officially kicked off our 30th anniversary celebrations this week. We cannot wait to have you take part.

Patty Rooks, Senior Scientific Consultant PRAXIS, “Connecting Science To The Community”. Contact Praxis at praxis@praxismh.ca, http://www.praxismh.ca, Tweet or follow us @PraxisMedHat, or friend us on Facebook. Address: #12 826 11 Street S. E., Medicine Hat, Alberta, T1A 1T7 Phone: 403.527.5365, email: praxis@praxismh.ca.

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