key things that differentiates soil from the geological

One of the key things that differentiates soil from the geological (parent) material from which it is formed is life. Soil is a very complex biological system. The organisms in soil are critical to many things and decomposition is one of the most easily seen examples.

A soil sample (collected from your yard or another area of interest)
Black and white newspaper, binder paper, or printer paper
Water
Paper towels
A warm dark place to store your soil.

Biological processes in soils involve flora and fauna that may or may not be visible to the human eye. In this activity, we are exploring what will “grow” in your soil and how it affects a piece of paper. Using a sandwich sized zip sealing plastic bag, place enough soil in the bag to fill it 1/2 – 3/4 full. If the soil is dry, add a little water to moisten the soil. If the soil is dripping wet, use the paper towels to soak up the excess moisture. Take your paper and cut it into a 2” by 2” square. Flatten the bag and place the paper in the center. Place the bag in a dark, warm location. After 1 week, open the bag and look at the paper. Make notes on its condition. Repeat each week for another month and make notes on the state of your paper plus any flora or fauna that you see. Remember, decomposition of the paper is due to organisms that are not visible to us. You are highly encouraged to go beyond the minimum requirements – try comparing two soils that you expect to have very different levels of biological activity or include a more resistant material in your bag as well (e.g., cardboard). Note that burying a cotton t-shirt or briefs in a field soil is a good way to gauge biological activity as a component of soil health! Post your summary and comments in this forum space. Compare with your peers – who had the most degradation? Who’s soil therefore is the most biologically active? Why?

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