Conclusion

Melissa
Throughout this lab, I learned that soil is not only a nuisance. Soil is the basic component of which all life originates. Food chains and ecosystems all start with a base of soil. The bottom and backbone of the food chain, plants, are only able to exist through soil. The different components of soil determine what kind of life can survive there. Soils with little nutrients, such as phosphorus or nitrogen depletion, do not have as high a productivity as soil with high levels of organic matter. Certain plants that can withstand high levels of salt exist in soils with high salinity. In this experience, I learned how to evaluate a soil's composition and use that information to remediate it to create a highly productive sample. If I were to plant a garden, I now know how to test for nutrient levels and which fertilizers (organic, inorganic) would create a desired effect. The lettuce plants grown in the controlled experiment are still young but we are continuing this experiment.


Hannah
This lab has taught me a lot about soil, and that there is a lot more to it than many people, including myself, may have thought. Soil is very different depending on where it's from and has many specific components that make it the way it is. It is the basis of life in any ecosystem. For example, things like soil erosion from invasive species can be very damaging. Also, even minor changes in soil such as the addition of salt, can also be very damaging and people should be aware that their actions have consequences to the soil and life around them. I learned how to evaluate many different aspects of soil such as its composition. I also learned that different kinds of soil hold water differently. Knowing what I do now, I feel as though I could successfully grow plants now that I am aware of what fertilizers and chemicals can do to them. I also learned from our remediation lab that natural soil may be just as good as fertilized soil for some plants. Some plants also require specific levels of pH and nutrients and it is important to retain those levels. Soil is vital to our environment and needs to be protected as much as any animal or plant species.