Troubleshooting

If your problem is:

- MOSQUITOS.... use BUG SPRAY before going into the forest and wear LONG SLEEVES and PANTS

- LOST BAGS/DISORGANIZATION... make sure to LABEL all of your bags before you go outside. Also, make sure to bring a bucket outside with you to keep the samples in so that you don't lose any.

- SAFETY... report any spills to an adult and CLEAN them up right away. Wear GLOVES and GOGGLES when working with chemicals.

Uh-Oh!

-TESTING PROBLEMS....

If the water and soil looks brown after going through the filter, like in the picture below:

One must hold the filter paper down while pouring the water and soil into the funnel. Only clear water should come out of the funnel.

Other Questions...

What kind of test kit should one use?

                -We used the LaMotte Combination soil test kit, which you can purchase here: http://www.lamotte.com/component/option,com_pages/lang,en/mid,/page,49/task,item Make sure if purchasing that you buy model STH-14, as it is the only one that contains a Chloride test!

How do I identify the concentrated areas of plants I see?

              -It might be helpful to look at a plant identification resource that is specifically for plants common in your area, as that will narrow down the options of what plant it could be.

How should I time the chemical tests?

             -Make sure you collect soil samples and do chemical testing at the same time for each sample; because it creates a more reliable and controlled experiment. You also want to test as many different soil samples as possible so the data is stronger. The more data, the better!