Monitoring Soil Science

MONITORING SOIL SCIENCE PROJECT

This global soil science education project seeks to establish innovative student-scientist partnerships through ongoing soil-based research.

Students will be trained in scientific methodologies, including sampling strategies, which they will use to collect a series of biological, chemical and physical soil science data. They will then upload their results onto a shared online database. The project will introduce students to the concept of soil science, the importance of soils in the environment, and the relevance of soil to the climate change debate.

The project has the support of Professor Lyn Abbott from The University of Western Australia’s School of Earth and Environment in the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences. Professor Abbott has expertise in the role of soil organisms in important soil processes, particularly in relation to soil fertility and soil management. Soil organisms are important to soil health, and the soil is both their living environment and their food source. Monitoring their populations may help to gauge the influence of a changing climate on soil, particularly the fate of the carbon reservoir within the soil.

In summary, participation in this Monitoring Soil Science project commences with the linking of a soil science mentor and a science teacher to explore science initiatives with students that start with soil. The project is intended to be on-going from year to year, building on expertise and developing into specific areas of local interest.

In the first year, schools commence by collecting a minimum of two data sets each (annually). With the help of a local soil science expert as mentor, two accessible areas of land will be identified at or near each school. These 4 m x 4 m plots will become the school’s permanent study site. The soil science mentor will help characterise the site, which will include an explanation of the soil type and collection of soil samples for analysis at a soil laboratory. The sites will be identifiable by GPS reference.

EACH SCHOOL WILL MONITOR THEIR SOIL RESEARCH PLOTS FOR:

• The abundance and ratio of mites and springtails.
• Soil pH and electrical conductivity (soil salinity).
• Soil bulk density, soil moisture content and organic matter content.

There will be an initial discussion among the students about how and where the soil samples are taken. This is an important part of the research project and enables students to investigate the sampling strategies to be used. Local conditions need to be considered and the research done will depend on the characteristics of the site, as well as the interests of the students. Therefore, the students’ investigation of these issues is a necessary first step in the process.

Students can upload their results onto the Monitoring Soil Science project website, which will be available to students and scientists across the world, helping to raise the awareness of soil science. Students will be encouraged to pursue their own investigations alongside the project.

DESIRED PROJECT OUTCOMES: STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO:

• Participate in ‘real’, meaningful science activities.
• Follow scientific protocols to collect valid and reliable data.
• Distinguish between the physical, chemical and biological aspects of the soil ecosystem.
• Interpret patterns and trends in these data, and compare their results with students at other schools who will have different soil types and land management practices.
• Develop their own soil science project.

We have sections of the website written for students, teachers, mentors as well as curious parents or friends. Please follow the appropriate links on the side bar to learn more about the project.

Please contact Professor Lyn Abbott (email Lynette.Abbott@uwa.edu.au) for further information and participation.