PURPOSE
What is the effect of distance from a water source (due to change in moisture content), on energy in the surrounding environment – looking at the heat capacities, pH and soil organic matter?
OUR CONCLUSIONS
• Increase Moisture Content towards Waterfall
• Both pH and Soil Organic Matter increased, whereas Heat Capacity decreased
• Inverse Relationship• Direct relationship between pH and Soil
Organic Matter
DISTANCE: 0 METERS
• Mosses
• Roots
• Very moist
• 2 small ferns
• Dark soil
• Pine needles
• Angiosperm seeds
• More sunlight
DISTANCE: 1 METER
• Less moss
• Very moist
• Rocks
• More tree branches
• Deciduous (3) and coniferous leaves
DISTANCE: 2 METERS
• Pine cones (7)
• Tree roots
• 7 deciduous leaves
• Pine needles
• Less direct sunlight
DISTANCE: 3 METERS
• More direct sunlight
• Drier soil
• Soil was loose and less compact
• More debris
• Tree branches
• Pine cones
• Some moss
DISTANCE: 4 METERS
• Grass is present
• Moss
• Pine needles
• Pine cone bits
• Possible angiosperm seedlings
• Rocks
• ~15% direct sunlight
• 11 pinecones
• Less organic soil matter – trail route (more compact)
• Temperature probe was not fully in drier soil
SAMPLE CALCULATION: HEAT CAPACITY𝑄= 𝑚𝑐∆𝑇
𝑄= 𝐻𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝐸𝑛𝑒𝑟𝑔𝑦 ሺ𝐽𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑒𝑠ሻ,𝑚 = 𝑀𝑎𝑠𝑠,𝑐= 𝑆𝑝𝑒𝑐𝑖𝑓𝑖𝑐 ℎ𝑒𝑎𝑡 𝑐𝑎𝑝𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑡𝑦,∆𝑇= 𝐶ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 𝑖𝑛 𝑡𝑒𝑚𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 300𝑠 × 150𝐽𝑠−1 = 0.02585𝑘𝑔 × 𝑐 × 3.5𝐾
𝑐= 4.97 × 105𝐽𝑘𝑔−1𝐾−1
LIMITATIONS, IMPACTS, AND IMPROVEMENTS
Limitation Impact on Data
How To Improve
Assumption of Constant Light Intensity
• Temperature• Impact on biodiversity• Evaporation
• Constant light conditions
• Measure light intensity as a factor
Assumptions of Constant Energy Loss and Even Energy Distribution (150 Watts to each soil sample)
• Processed data will be less precise (systematic error)
• Increase in number of trials
• Controlled environment
Soil Compaction was not taken into account in data analysis
• More compact soil will have greater heat retention
• Collect samples from more isolated areas with no human interference
Sample Size • Did not get a full, accurate idea of soil in the environment
• Take more samples of soil to reduce random errors
FURTHER EXPERIMENTATION
• Simpsons Diversity Index
• Testing multiple locations
• Testing samples of matter other than soil (ex. Leaves)
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSFraser Christian: Measurement and Calculation of heat
capacity, SOM & Moisture Data collection
Michael Ji: Measurement of Heat Capacity, Ideas for further investigation, SOM experimentation, Theorizing and hypothesizing
Mehar Kang: Measurement of pH, SOM, and Moisture Content; Presentation Preparation
Ryan Matsuda: Soil sample collection, moisture content experimentation, SOM experimentation, Evaluating limitations
Hayley McIntyre: Soil sample collection, Calculation of SOM & moisture content, Powerpoint & pictures
Jaspal Sanghera :Soil sample collection, SOM and Moisture content experimentation