Procedure

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Procedure for collecting soil and sifting for earthworms:

1. To start this process, choose at least two different areas outside where there are different type of soil that would have different quantities of protozoa (example: a moist area and a dry area). It would be better if one could find an area that had a high, medium, and low number of protozoa in the soil. It would also be better if one could find more then two different sites, so that there will be a .  Make sure to take at least six soil core samples, 3 from each plots chosen.

      

2. Each of the soil core samples must be fifteen centimeters deep and two and a half centimeters in diameter.

 

3.   Once finished with collecting the samples, make sure to place each sample in the designated plastic bag that is labeled with the date of  collection, site number, quadrate number, and the sample number .

 

4. After getting all soil core samples together, one can start sifting the soil for earth worms (make sure to tally the number of earthworms in a lab notebook or similar). To do this  process one will need a 1/2mx1/2m square. One needs to dig a 15cm deep hole with in the square.

 
  
 

use a square and a bucket  like the one above to sift for worms

 
5.    Once one is finished collecting the soil and sifting for earthworms, place each of the soil core samples into labeled petri dishes.  
 
   6.   Once all the petri dishes are filled put into  a refrigerator to dry for 24 hours. The reason the petri dishes need to be placed into the refrigerator  is because this will not allow the protozoa to continue reproducing. The petri dishes must be placed in the refrigerator for 24 hours.  
this is what your dry soil should look like after 24 hours  

Procedure for pH testing

8. Once the petri dishes have been in the refrigerator for 24 hours one can then start the pH test. (If one is not sure about what type of test kit to use see our troubling shooting page)

 
 

Procedure for protozoa extraction

9. After the pH testing one can then start  the protozoa extraction. *If you have your own protozoa extraction, that's fine, but if you want to use our protozoa extraction process, click here

 
   

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