Gardeners use dried peat moss usually as a soil conditioner or as an ingredient in potting the soil. It is slightly acidic with a pH Level of 4.0, thus, acid loving plants benefit greatly from it, such as blueberries and camellias. Dried peat moss (Sphagnum) is the partially decomposed remains of plants, most commonly sphagnum moss. It forms over many millennia in bogs, marshes, and swamps also known as peat lands or peat bogs and it often gains less than a millimeter in depth every year. However, unlike compost, peat moss forms in the absence of air. Thus, this slows the decomposition process and creates a homogeneous material that is highly absorbent of water, which makes it very useful in the garden as a soil builder and a seed starter. …show more content…
First is its absorbency to store water better than other soils, thus increases the absorbency of any potting mixes and garden soils that use peat moss. Second, not only is peat moss absorbent, it also does not compact, unlike other organic materials. Soil compaction is damaging to gardens and reduces water absorption and plant growth. Peat moss remains springy when it is wet and rehydrates easily, plus one application of peat moss can last for years. Lastly, the pH Level of peat moss is slightly acidic. Acid loving plants like tomatoes benefit greatly from peat moss, however plants that require neutral or basic pHs may not benefit from too much peat moss in the soil without additional, more alkaline amendments. However, there are some defects and disadvantages. The first defect is that not all kinds of plants can benefit from this organic fertilizer specially the plants that prefer alkaline soils. Using this as an organic fertilizer to non-acid loving plants could just stress or kill the plants. The second defect is fertility. Peat moss has a low nutrient content profile and does not contain beneficial microorganisms, which means that it will not act as a fertilizer in your garden. However, beneficial microorganisms can live in peat moss if you introduce them; therefore harmful ones have a harder time surviving, which means that the lack of nutrients is not a problem as long as you remember to add nutrient rich compost or fertilizers to your soil in addition to peat moss. The third defect is that peat moss is a non-renewable resource. Therefore, some gardeners have environmental concerns about peat moss that make it a poor choice for their
within the soil. In this experiment, the liberation of ammonia is being employed as an indicator. Other components being utilized play a vital role in controlling the conditions of the experiment, as the THAM buffer, and the limitation of microbial activity, through toluene. The control experiment is crucial as it eliminates the addition of ammonia content being released by other sources within the soil into the final reading, providing accurate data.
Mississippi has a variety of different soils .The three general soils are 1) the river flood plain, known as the Delta, 2) a loess region, or bands of soils formed in windblown material that adjoins the Delta, and 3) Coastal Plain. The Mississippi Delta is better for growing row crop, while the loess and Coastal Plain region are better for animal production and forestry. The loess and Coastal Plain regions are divided based on similar soils, geology, climate, water resources, and land use called Major Land Resource Areas. The Mississippi Delta’s soil comes from sediments left by flooding various rivers in the region, rather than being a typical Delta formed by the mouth of a river. In the Delta most of the land is farmed, with three-fourths of the cropland to the north. Controlling surface water and drainage are major soil management issues. In the Delta soils are naturally diverse because of their alluvial origin. Particle sizes within the sediment decrease as distance from the originating stream increase. Another factor in Delta soil formation us surface water movement over time, because soils that formed under standing water have different properties than soils formed under moving water. Soils with large amounts of clay particles have unique features. When the soil is dry, small round aggregates form at the surface that look like shotgun buckshot, which is where the popular name for Delta clay soils “buckshot” came from. Soils with large clay content have very slow water filtration rates; this has led to significant aquaculture and rice production in the region. When floodwaters receded in the Delta, strong winds blew some of the dry sediment left by flooded river to the adjacent uplands to form the loess areas. Because of eas...
This soil is geographically associated with Atsion, Berryland, and Downer soils that were discussed above. Galloway series soils have a taxonomy class of mesic which is the lower level of soil taxonomy temperature scale. The distribution of the soil is through New Jersey, Maryland, and Delaware, Maryland, and Delaware. The vegetation developed with the galloway soils are wooded areas that are heavily dominated by mixed oaks, sweetgum, red maple, pond pine, and loblolly pine. Major uses of the Galloway soils are cultivated crops that consist of corn, soybeans, hay, and truck crops. Loamy soil loses the quality of nutrients when it is strictly compacted because it depletes the organic matter, dispersing clay throughout the now compacted soil. Usually loamy soil can be found useful in farms and is used for its crumbly and soft conditions. Another way loamy soil can be used is for the construction of building homes. The development using this soil would be post and beam construction layering the soil within the walls to control humidity and air
So why is it important to look at nitrogen in soils? First of all, it is a key element in organic molecules, so it is key to plant growth (Singer and Munns). Nitrogen is useful to plants in the form of nitrate because plants can take in nitrate and form organic molecules (Singer and Munns, 193). However, in soils, nitrogen in the form of nitrate (NO3) is considered a "mobile nutrient" which means that it can move easily through the soil to supply the needs of a plant (Singer and Munns, 221). That means it is accessible to the roots of plants, however, it also means that nitrate can be transported through a soil by moving with the water. This means that in sandy, or well-drained soils, nitrogen could be easily leached from the soil because nitrate is an anion that "moves freely with percolating water" and "water moves rapidly through sandy soils" (Hubbard, et. al., 802) So, when farmers add nitrogen to their soils, the nitrogen often stays in the soil for a limited amount of time before it is carried away by the water in the soil.
Acid rain affects many different things and is very harmful to the environment. One aspect of the environment that is greatly affected by acid rain is soil. Acidic rain makes its way into the soil by rain falling off the branches and leaves to the soil below. Water runs through the soil on its way to different bodies of water. A process called buffering is used to neutralize acids using the base nutrients (including calcium and magnesium) found in soil (Tyson, 1992). This process helps soil resist the effects of acid rain.
Located between the Southern Atlantic Coastal Strip subprovince to the east and the Big Cypress Swamp subprovince to the west lies the Everglades(NPS). The common terrain of the Everglades produces from the erosion of carbonate rocks like limestone and dolomite. This terrain is known as Karst(NPS). These carbonate rocks are known to be extremely porous and exposed to weathering. Solution holes, or pits in the Karst, formed along the basin when the sea level rose. Aquatic animals use these solution holes as a home during the dry season. To continue with the geology of Everglades National Park, two kinds of soil occur here: marl and peat. Marl soil is a product of periphyton, a complex assemblage of algae, cyanobacteria, microbes, and detritus(NPS). This type of soil is common where bedrock lies close to the surface. Furthermore, peat soil is composed of organic remains of dead plants. These soils are like opposites that cannot exist together in the same environment. The Everglades also creates fires often. Hot fires burn during the winter dry season and affect many of the plants and animals that live
For years farmers have been adding natural fertilizers to their crops. It is a big risk though. Over fertilizing is very dangerous. It puts high concentrations of salt into the soil. It can also affect the water resources nearby. Nitrogen, Phosphate, and Potassium are the basics of fertilizer. If a certain nutrient is short in supply the fertilizer might not work as well. Calcium, iron, manganese are also nutrients that might be needed. So don’t just trust the fertilizer bag that says it has all the nutrients, test it out. (Miller and Levine 717)
...at over planting can do to the land, the majority of the United States just moved on and continued to treat the land just as poorly as before. John Pursell views chemical fertilizer as a thing that turns soil into “chemical wasteland” and mentions that today’s soil is often not good enough to resist heavy rainfalls.
Peat-moss is seen as a non-renewable resource since it takes extremely long for peat to produce. The Canadian Sphagnum Peat Moss association is working to ensure that peat moss is a renewable resource through practical management [6]. The restoration of post-harvest sites is vital for the return of functional peatland ecosystems. “The key is responsible management that sets aside areas for protection and conservation and puts in place management practices that ensure the retention of ecosystem goods and services following development” [6]. Management practices such as maintaining original water sources, the reintroduction of Sphagnum plants taken from adjacent sites, spreading of manure and straw to prevent the site from drying out, and finally doing these steps of reintroduction in Autumn [2]. The restoration of peatlands is vital because they help with storing carbon, reducing flooding, providing a rich habitat for wildlife, and improving water quality [8]. Based on the moss transfer technique developed through the research program, a sphagnum dominated plant cover is re-established within 3-5 years following restoration. The biodiversity and hydrology re-establishment should take approximately 15 to 20 years to reach pre-harvest conditions and carbon sequestration [6]. Another important aspect of properly managing harvested sites in an environmentally, ecological, and sustainable way is the carbon accumulation associated with peatlands. Wetlands store large amounts of carbon, which is highly important in climate change, by reducing the levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and therefore lessening the impact of global
Being a part of past wetland restorations has helped me learn how essential a wetland really is. The wetland does not just help humans; it helps all types of animals at the same time. While it helps purify water for humans and reduces flooding, it also is a home to a wide array of birds, fish, mammals, and amphibians. Though numerous communities believe that a wetland is not important, it is a crucial part of our daily life.
Formaldehyde is a compound with various properties that are both valuable and dangerous. Formaldehyde is made of made of one carbon, two hydrogen, and one oxygen atom. Formaldehyde is a colorless liquid, with a strong odor. The compound also is highly flammable and toxic. Safety precautions should be taking when working with the chemical. (ScienceLab.com, 2013) When exposed to formaldehyde there are several irritating factors, such as sore throats, cough, scratchy eyes, and nose bleeds. The most common places of finding formaldehyde are in “clothes, paints, paper, leathers, deodorants, dyes and cosmetics” (Coleman, Davis, 1987) as well as various building materials. Formaldehyde is used in everyday life in various products, but is also considered harmful and a cause of death. The benefits and disadvantages of formaldehyde need to be debated before using or continuing use.
Global warming has been an ongoing battle in the world that has been used in excuses of people who love nature. It has been proven to the world that trees are a renewable resource that will not hurt the environment. Wood is a strong and dependable material that can decompose and become nature again. The bad is how destructive it is to nature by taking all the lumber away, but in a short amount of time the damage can be healed. Even though global warming and logging are said to be depleting our wood supply, using wood for construction is important because wood is the best material to use for construction since it is readily available.
As a college student, drugs and alcohol are constantly creating temptations for individuals. In the United States, the problem with marijuana use is increasing. It is “the most used illegal drug in the world, with almost 160 million people, aged fifteen to sixty four, reporting having used marijuana in the last year” (Smith 429). Friends of users and users are constantly surrounded by the drug, but have no idea of the effects. As the years pass, marijuana is being viewed as a “normal” drug and although some disagree, they find no reason to discourage users. Marijuana has serious side effects and with a little knowledge could change the choices of individuals. In order to protect friend, family, and the community, it is necessary to recognize the disadvantages it has on individuals. By the enlarged number of marijuana users in the United States, the negative effects it has on the body, lives of individuals, and legal consequences should cause a realization that marijuana should continue to be illegal and avoided.
Soil is the most important non-renewable resource on any farm. Healthy soil is key to a good
Saline soil is also vulnerable to erosion due to the death of vegetation that held the soil together. Soil that is eroded can ‘pollute’ water too.