Worms and Soils in an Urban Environment
Field:
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2L bottles (2 per location)
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4 one foot rulers
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1 spray bottle
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Mustard powder
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Water
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2 bins or trays
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Data recording device
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Tweezers
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Funnel
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Trowel
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Distilled water
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225 mL Glass jar
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400 mL Beaker
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Taylor Precision Products Compact Waterproof Digital Thermometer
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Sharpie or pen
Lab:
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Soil chemistry testing kit and pills
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Timer
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Procedure
Worm procedure
Step 1: Choose a random location using a random selection method
Step 2: Take temperature of soil
Step 3: Take a sample of the soil in the jar by digging up soil and filling a glass jar with one part soil and five parts distilled water
Step 4: Place the four rulers in a square shape(with rulers being on the perimeter) on the ground.
Step 5: Clear sticks and debris from the square using your hands
Step 6: Pour mustard powder and water mix in the square waiting for the mustard solution to seep into the soil before continuing to pour.
Step 7: Have your tweezers out, wait for worms to come out the ground and put them in a bin.
Step 8: Spray the worms with water, and identify each worm.(epigeic, endogeic, anecic)
Step 9: Test the soil type using the “Key to Soil Texture by Feel”
Step 10: Copy your data to epicollect.
Macro procedure
Step 1: take your soil sifter out.
Step 2 put dirt at the top of your soil sifter.
Step 3: Sift Soil using soil sifter.
Step 4: look for any macroinvertebrates.
Step 5: if found document them, if not pour out dirt, look for more.
Soil test Procedure:
Refer to rapitest digital soil test kit. For instructions on soil testing.
http://www.lusterleaf.com/img/catalog_2016/2015%20LL%20Catalog.pdf
Data Collection Sheet:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1E3N0i_A01IMKSRs3bOG9GDFw7CPbPhH_kbSAHInEWUk/edit?usp=sharing
Epicollect project:
