Agroecology Lab
  • Home
  • AgroEcoLab Blog
  • People
  • Research
  • Publications
  • Teaching
  • Lab Methods
  • Lab Safety
  • Photos
  • Grad School Survival Guide
  • Fellowships and Scholarships
  • Other Links
  • Lab Calendar
  • Seeking PhD Student
  • Home
  • AgroEcoLab Blog
  • People
  • Research
  • Publications
  • Teaching
  • Lab Methods
  • Lab Safety
  • Photos
  • Grad School Survival Guide
  • Fellowships and Scholarships
  • Other Links
  • Lab Calendar
  • Seeking PhD Student

The long, hot, mosquito-filled days are starting to pay off!

7/5/2016

1 Comment

 
Dredging through the swamps and farms of a changing landscape, the UMD Agroecology lab has been off to an exciting start of the summer.  After finishing my first full year as a University of Maryland student, I couldn’t have asked for a better way to begin applying my knowledge of soils and the environment than working with this incredible team.  It’s incredible to be involved in active research and to get a “behind the scenes” view in agroecological science. 

Dr. Kate Tully, Dani Weisman, Ben Swartz, and I have been busy placing lysimeters (to extract soil solution samples), taking soil cores (to test for phosphorus, nitrogen, aluminum and other textural qualities), and mapping out our six key agricultural sites along the eastern shore of Maryland. The long, hot, mosquito-filled days are definitely starting to pay off! Last week we began KCl extractions (for plant-available N), and we excitingly retrieved our first batch of data from our initial soil samples. We’re already seeing interesting trends in phosphorus levels along some of the “transitional sites,” where saltwater intrusion is most prevalent. 

This will be another busy week at the shore. Over 100 lysimeters have been placed at key locations at each agricultural and control site and they’ve been given time to equilibrate over the past month, which means it’s time to prep them for sampling! On Wednesday we will meet with Dr. Jarrod Miller, a soil scientist with the University of Maryland Extension. Together, we will start to dig a little deeper—pun intended—into the complex soil dynamics at our transition sites. Using the soil auguring expertise from Dr. Ray Weil’s lab, we will start taking deeper core samples in order to better understand the movement of nutrients through the soil horizons as well as begin creating a more complete maps of those sites. 

In addition to creating a more complete understanding of these soil dynamics, we have garnered more intimate understanding of the unique ecosystems that make up the eastern shore.  Mud turtles, beavers, tree frogs, herons, and dozens of other unique plants and animals have already graced us with their presence!  Take a look at some of the photos from our past few weeks out on the shore.

Until next time!
- ​By W. Jesse Wyner
Picture
Picture
Picture
1 Comment
australian essay writing services link
5/30/2017 02:46:03 am

A farmer want to make his earth is best and beneficial for his work. This post is very helpful for farmers and it is giving the good tips for them. Now tis profession is very easy through technology.

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Archives

    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    February 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015

    RSS Feed

Proudly powered by Weebly