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Procedure
Location:
This experiment should be done in an area with a high percentage of clay in the
soil and fairly homogenous plant life.

Materials:

36 microscope slides

permanent marker

12 jars (130 mL, 7 cm tall and 5.5 cm in diameter) 

light microscope

ruler

distilled water      

Figure 1 ^
tap water

soil core sampler

flags

trowel

pH test kit

plastic bags

rubber bands                                                         

500 mL glass

Figure 2 ^
            

1.     When planting algae slides in the ground, collect soil core samples at the same time so that the timing is controlled.

2.     Use microscope slides and measure 1.5 cm from end of slide. Use a marker to indicate measurement (See Figure 3).  

3.     Label flags to the corresponding site and quadrant and choose a place with few plants and little to no polution.

 

4.     Look for an area surrounded by the same plant type to plant your slides.

5.     Use trowel to dig a hole in the ground with controlled plant type and insert microscope slide until 1.5 cm is above ground (See Figure 4).  

 

6.     Do this two more times in the same area.

7.     Place labeled white flags next to algae samples and let the slides sit for 48 hours.

8.     To begin collecting soil core samples, label plastic bags with the corresponding site, quadrant number, and trial (See Figure 5).

9.     Use the soil core sampling tool by sticking it in the ground nearby the algae slides until the first mark is fully in the ground (15 cm tall and 2 cm in diameter). 

 

 

10.     Complete each soil core sample next to each slide in the ground.  

11.     Twist clockwise to collect soil and pull out of the ground and collect the soil in the corresponding bag.

12.     Follow the pH test procedures included in the soil test kit for each sample collected.

13.     Place the remaining soil in each your plastic bags into half of a jar.

 

14.     Fill up the jar with tap water until it is 3/4 full.

15.     With a pipette take 1 mL of soil texture chemical and put it in the jar.

 

16.     Shake for one minute, then let the soil sit for 24 hours (See Figure 6).

17.     When the 24 hours have passed, use a ruler to measure the height of clay (the lightest layer) in centimeters (See Figure 7).

 

18.     Use the ruler to measure the total height of sand, silt, and clay in centimeters (excluding the water at the top of the jar) (See Figure 7).

19.     To calculate the percentage of clay in the jars of soil, divide the height of clay by the total height of sand, silt, and clay and multiply that number by 100.

20.     After 48 hours, collect the algae slides from the ground and gently rinse the dirt off with distilled water.

21.     Use two clean microscope slides and sandwich the algae slide in between them (See Figure 8).

22.     Bind them together with rubber bands (See Figure 9).

22.      Fill a 500 ml glass with distilled water. Separate algae slides held together and swirl the top slide and the middle slide in the water.

23.      Reassemble the slides and view under the microscope at 40x magnification power.

24.      Count the number of dots with a golden/greenish tint (these are the algae) (See Figure 10).


Figure 3 ^


Figure 4 ^


Figure 5 ^


Figure 6 ^


Figure 7 ^


Figure 8 ^


Figure 9 ^

Figure 10 ^