The questions below refer to Soil Surveys and topographic maps from our field trip.

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "The questions below refer to Soil Surveys and topographic maps from our field trip."

Darlene Butler
5 years ago
Views:

1 SOIL SURVEY EXERCISE, PART II The questions below refer to Soil Surveys and topographic maps from our field trip. Put these pages in your lab book and answer the questions in your book. SOIL SURVEY LAB,PART II. Application of Soil Surveys to Field Trip Sites (Source materials that are required for each question are highlighted in bold). 1.Using the Map of physiographic areas in Minnesota from field trip guide, list the physiographic regions that we observed on the field trip. 2. What characteristics of glacial deposits determine the characteristics of parent material (e.g., coarse texture, calcareous, etc.) for a soil in Minnesota? Aitkin County Soil Survey 1. At the Mississippi River cutbank, on the glaciolacustrine deposits of Glacial Lakes Aitkin and Upham, we file:///c /WEB/Soils/Soil%20Lab%20Files/Soil%20Survey%20Labs/SOIL%20SURVEY%20II.htm (1 of 7)10/13/ :32:39 PM

2 examined a soil mapped as the Cowhorn Series. The Soils field trip guide includes a description of the Cowhorn. On the same page, there is a description for the Wawina series. These soils are very similar, but have slightly different parent materials. What characteristics do you observe in the two profiles that reflect this difference in parent materials and why? The following questions refer to practical considerations of using the Cowhorn and Wawina soils for various applications. The slight differences in their profiles are reflected in very important differences in the appropriate use of these soils. (When looking up information in the Soil Survey tables, it may be helpful to use the soil series numbers because they are listed in numerical rather than alphabetical order. Cowhorn is #615 and Wawina is #629. Before each table, there is a verbal explanation in the survey about the table categories and descriptors). 2. What is the water table depth in these two series (See Water Features Table in Aitkin County Soil Survey)? 3. Look in Building Site Development tables for Buildings with Basements. Which soil would pose less wet basement threat? 4. What do the words slight and severe refer to in this table? file:///c /WEB/Soils/Soil%20Lab%20Files/Soil%20Survey%20Labs/SOIL%20SURVEY%20II.htm (2 of 7)10/13/ :32:39 PM

3 5. What is the potential frost action for both and why? When would they be a concern? 6. Find the Climate table and note the yearly total average precipitation. Todd County Soil Survey 1.The soils we saw in the Wadena drumlin field (the brownies and ice cream site) are in the Todd County Soil Survey. The color General Soil Map towards the back of the book maps the soil we looked at as Association #1: Rockwood-Blowers-Paddock Association. Figure 1 on page 6 shows the soil landscape diagram of this association. Study the diagram and read the description of this association on pages 5 and 6 and determine the probable soil series names of the soils we examined at the four slope positions at the site. 2.How closely do our observations (from your field notes) match the descriptions of those series on pages 5 and 6? file:///c /WEB/Soils/Soil%20Lab%20Files/Soil%20Survey%20Labs/SOIL%20SURVEY%20II.htm (3 of 7)10/13/ :32:39 PM

4 3. List the taxonomic classes of the soil series that you identified (page 245) and indicate the name of the great soil order for each. 4. Find the Climate table and note the yearly total average precipitation. Norman County Soil Survey 1.Find the Climate table and note the yearly total average precipitation. 2. Look at the color General Soil Map. From what you learned on the field trip about the glacial geomorphology of this portion of the state, relate the associations to the geomorphology (e.g., Glacial Lake Agassiz, beach ridges, Des Moines lobe moraine, etc.). 3. The Fargo Series and Sioux series descriptions are included in the field trip handout. The Sioux is the beach ridge soil and the Fargo series describes the typical soil of the glacial lake plain. Although this soil is vertic due to the high shrink-swell clay content, it is still classified as a Mollisol. What are the family and Subgroup names of the Fargo soil (page 107)? Of the Sioux soil? file:///c /WEB/Soils/Soil%20Lab%20Files/Soil%20Survey%20Labs/SOIL%20SURVEY%20II.htm (4 of 7)10/13/ :32:39 PM

5 4. Using any six engineering properties and two crop yields per acre (from tables in the Norman County Survey), compare these two soil series. Mahnomen County Soil Survey 1. Find the Climate table and note the yearly total average precipitation. 2. Typically, the depth on the drumlins to the compact, dense core is the same as the depth to the frost line. Can you suggest possible reasons for this? 3. Compare the precipitation data that you have recorded and observe the east-west change across Minnesota. How is this reflected generally in the soils that we observed? 5. Look at the Staples topographic quadrangle (below). What is the trend of the drumlin axes here? file:///c /WEB/Soils/Soil%20Lab%20Files/Soil%20Survey%20Labs/SOIL%20SURVEY%20II.htm (5 of 7)10/13/ :32:39 PM

6 6. Find the location of our sampling transect on the drumlin (black arrow drawn on map). What is the approximate slope gradient of the drumlin in the area of our transect? (Slope gradient is a ratio of vertical change over horizontal change, making the top of the fraction equal to 1, for example, 1:538. Be sure to use the same units for elevation and distance in your calculations). The scale of the map is 1: Look at the Mahnomen County soil survey (provided). Compare the geomorphic map of the county (p. 4) with the Soil Association Map (color map). Which soil associations are associated with which geomorphic areas? 8. Looking at your field trip notes, describe the major differences you saw in the forest soil (by the electrical switching station) and the prairie soil. To what do you attribute these differences.? file:///c /WEB/Soils/Soil%20Lab%20Files/Soil%20Survey%20Labs/SOIL%20SURVEY%20II.htm (6 of 7)10/13/ :32:39 PM

7 file:///c /WEB/Soils/Soil%20Lab%20Files/Soil%20Survey%20Labs/SOIL%20SURVEY%20II.htm (7 of 7)10/13/ :32:39 PM

Name: Mid-Year Review #2 SAR

Name: Mid-Year Review #2 SAR Base your answers to questions 1 through 3 on on the diagram below, which shows laboratory materials used for an investigation of the effects of sediment size on permeability,