soil temp (denise)
TRANSCRIPT
Soil Temperatureas applied to growing seasons
What can you grow where and why???
Denise Warren
What happens to the temperature of the soil during the day?
What happens to the temperature of the soil at night?
Inquiry based lab experiment with GO Temp Data Probe to gather temperature data
Simulate Day and Night and collect data at different depths of the soil and use this Information to understand what grows in different parts of the United States andwhy it can grow there.
Factors that influence soil temperature
Type of Soil
Rainfall/Moisture
Depth of Soil
What does soil temperature influence??
Germination of SeedsExample: Cotton needs soil
60 degrees
http://websoilsurvey.nrcs.usda.gov/app/HomePage.htm
Ground Temperatures in the US
Isotherms : Lines of equal temperature as shown on this soil map at the surface
Excel Spreadsheet for students to input data into for analysis
Materials needed for experimentComputer, Temperature probe, plastic milk jug containing soil, Lamp, ruler, tape and ice
ProcedurePrepare the computer for the data collection. Prepare the milk jug with soilAnd three small holes, at 1 cm, 3 cm and 5 cm below the soil surface
Insert the probe into hole 1 (1cm) and record data for 20 minutes (40 for two days)Insert the probe into hole 2 (3cm) and record data for 20 minutesInsert the probe into hole 3 (5 cm) and record data for 20 minutesMake sure probe is in far enough and that it is parallel to table. Position the lamp so that the bulb is between 5 an 10 cm from soilFill bowl with iceChange setup every 5 minutes. These changes will simulate the temperatureChanges over a two day period. Watch the time carefully.
Data Collection in experiment
Simulated Daytime, probe at 1 cm depth lamp on soil in milk carton, data collected With GO Temp probe and recorded on laptop computer
Soil Temperature DataSimulated Day/Night 40minutes total
Soil Depth 1 cm
Data collection in experiment:Simulated Night time
Simulated Night time, probe at 5 cm depth ice on soil in milk carton, data probe in soil, computer collecting data.
Soil temperature data at 5 cm depth
Morning Day evening night
Soil temperature data at 3 cm depth
Morning Day Evening Night
Conclusions drawn from data
Soil temperature varies the most in the first centimeter (close to the surface)
Soil temperature remains relatively constant in the 3 and 5 cm layers (at depth)
How does this relate to growing crops? What does this information tell us?
We can conclude that seeds that need higher temperatures to germinate canNot survive in some areas because the soil at the surface does not get warm enough for a long enough time (the growing season or number of daysIt would take for the crop to grow)