Name Anthony Medeiros

Dig It! Exhibition

Follow the directions to navigate your way through the online exhibition o
Dig It! !ut together by the "mithsonian# The bold text mean you need
to answer a question or write something down.
$o to this web site% htt!%&&orces#si#edu&soils&'()'')''#html
*ead the introduction titled "i+ing ,! "oils
-lic. on /he 0ig 1icture and ta.e the 2ui+3 i you miss a 4uestion clic. on
the 5earn More and learn about the to!ic#
What is one interesting fact about soil that you learned from the
quiz? Phosphorus is an important nutrient that soils provide to
plants and animals.
-lic. on "tate "oil Monoliths clic. on /exas then choose ( other states and
read about their soil# What is a Fun Fact about Texas soil? tudents at
Texas !"# learn about soil in many programs that explore
agriculture$ forestry$ ecology$ recreation$ and crop science.
What is in the soil of one other state? Tell me the name of the state.
The soil in %awaii is formed on many layers of volcanic ash$ which
appear dar& brown and reddish brown.
What is so special about the soil of one other state? Tell me the
name of the state$ it needs to be di'erent from Texas$ and the state
in the question above. (n )ew *ersey$ the soil is special because
+owner soil supports forest of oa&s$ hic&ories$ and scattered pines.
-lic. on 6hat is "oil read through all 7 !ages and answer these 4uestions#
! teaspoon of good farm soil contains up to , billion bacteria in
more than -... species.
oil is the s&in of the earth. oils are alive$ they are born$ they age$
and they breathe.
What are the ingredients of soil?
8n !age 9 watch the -he:s -hallenge video#
What is the today/s secret ingredient? Today/s secret ingredient is
sand.
Who are the 0udges? ! reptile named 1uincy 2arapace$ a methane
name 3assy 3allagher and 4nally a hermit thrush from ylvania.
8n !age ; clic. on the *eci!e 0oo. read some o the di<erent soil reci!es#
/hen clic. on the "oil ingredients ta.e the 4ui+ to see i you can determine
the ma.eu! o di<erent ty!es o soils#
What 5 of ingredients ma&e up +esert oil? 675 of desert soil are
minerals$ 85 is water$ ,5 is organic matter$ and --5 is air.
9oamy oil? -65 of loamy soil is minerals$ 865 is water$ 865 is air$
and 65 is organic matter.
Peaty :og? 6.5 of the peaty bog is water$ -.5 is organic matter$
and ,.5 is minerals.
*ead !age 7# What does 29;<PT stand for? 29;<PT stands for
2limate =29>$ ;rganisms =;>$ <elief =<>$ Parent #aterial =P>$ and
Time =T>.
-lic. on -hi! o< the 8ld 0loc. read through all = !ages#
?65 of the earth/s crust is made of 0ust eight elements. What are
they? The elements that ma&e up ?@5 of the earth/s crust are
oxygen$ silicon$ aluminum$ iron$ calcium$ sodium$ potassium$ and
magnesium.
Texture inAuences a soil/s capacity to hold water and nutrients.
8n !age = !lay the -olor Matching game#
3ray.:lue.3reen B Wetland mineral soils
<ed.Cellow.;range B Dpland soils
-lic. on "oil Forming Factors read through all = !ages# 8n !age ( !lay the
>idden >ori+ons game#
+escribe the ! horizon. The ! horizon is a mineral layer at or near
the surface$ with more soil organic matter than lower layers$ also
called topsoil.
What is a monolith? ! monolith is a vertical slice from topsoil down
to subsoil. ! monolith preserves a soil/s colors and layered horizons
in position
8n !age ; clic. on the Earth ".in /y!es# +escribe Dltisols. Dltisols are
weathered tropical and subtropical soils. ;ver thousands of years of
subtropical climates$ water carries nutrients downward and deposits
a layer of clay below the surface. avannahs and forest are
supported by this soil but Dltisols are not naturally fertile.
What type of soil is in our area? (n our area$ the type of soil we have
is Dltisol.
8n !age = clic. !lay the 6here in the "oil 6orld are ?ou#
The Aip Aop is in the outh Paci4c Eolcanic soil type.
The spur is in the outh !merican 3rassland soil type.
The mammoth tus& is in the iberian permafrost soil type.
-lic. on Matters o 5ie and Death3 read through all = !ages#
)ot all forms of life need oxygen to breathe. What other things can
microorganisms use? #icroorganisms can use forms of iron$ sulfur$
nitrogen$ or carbon instead.
+escribe some of the characteristics of 9ichens. 9ichens are a
mutual bene4cial marriage between fungi and algae. 9ichens build
soil in some of the world/s most extreme environments. 9ichens can
tolerate heat$ cold$ and drought and they pioneer soilFless
environments li&e roc&y mountain pea&s or desert borders. ;ver
time the organic acid that lichens release on the roc& form thin soil
layers that allow the growth of mosses$ grasses$ and eventually
trees can colonize from this.
-lic. on ,nderneath it All3 read through all 7 !ages# 8n !age @ clic. on the
,nderneath it All lin. to dig dee! and examine the e<ects our choices have
on soil#
What are some of the things that you may 4nd in the Washington$
+.2. soil sample? (n the soil in Washington$ +.2 you may 4nd a built
up of dredged river sediments$ root balls$ and lighter soil to improve
drainage of water.
What are some of the things that you may 4nd in the Terra Preta
oil of the !mazon? (n Terra Preta soil you may 4nd bro&en pottery$
dar& fertile soil$ and unaltered infertile tropical soil.
8n !age 9# What is an increasing problem caused by global
warming? !n increasing problem caused by global warming is
lowering the yearFround freeze line in !rtic soils.
8n !age ;# What was wrong with the soil in Frederic&sburg$ Eirginia?
The soil in Frederic&sburg$ E! was highly acidic and would not grow
grass.
-lic. on 6ise -hoices read through all A !ages#
oils are renewable butG is ta&es a lot of time and money.
+escribe some of the new technology that helps manage soil
fertility. ensors that are put on tractors or that are connected to
satellites read the plants and the soil to determine how much
fertilizer is needed to maintain soil fertility.
%ow is the #illennium Eillages Pro0ect restoring soil fertility? (n @.
areas across ,. countries farmers receive mineral fertilizers highF
yield hybrid crops.
-lic. on A 6orld o "oils3 read through all = !ages# 8n !age @ watch the
"oil% /he secret Ingredient video#
8n !age 9# +e4ne loessH ! loosely compacted yellowishFgray deposit
of windblown sediment of which extensive deposits occur.
/he secrets o soils are the secrets o our lives#