Pennsylvania Envirothon

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Aquatics | Forestry | Soils | Wildlife
Current Issue

Pennsylvania Envirothon 2010
Soils and Land use
Essential Topics

Basic Soils Knowledge

Formation

Drainage

Soil horizons

Hands-on investigation

Soil quality

Soil biology and diversity

II.

Understanding Maps, Surveys and Landforms

Soil survey maps and data tables: Websoilsurvey

Topographic maps

Landforms and geologic terms

III.

Land Use

Agriculture and conservation practices

Current environmental concerns and land use issues

Soils and history

Pollution remediation

Identification and benefits of wetlands

Carbon sequestration

IV.

Decision-Making and Protection of Soils

Scenarios

Actions at home and at school

Learning Objectives

*Correlated with the Academic Standards and Assessment Anchors for Environment and Ecology After completing study on this issue, students will:

Describe the relationship between soil formation and the movement of water both within the soil and across the landscape.

*4.1 Watersheds and Wetlands - 4.1.10.A, B, C

Describe how soil characteristics are affected by water, and how to control water movement to prevent erosion and pollution. Understand how topography, stream movement, and drainage are related.

*4.1 Watersheds and Wetlands - 4.1.10.B

Explain the importance of wetlands and how to recognize potential wetland areas and hydric soils.

*4.1 Watersheds and Wetlands - 4.1.10.D, E

Explain the importance of soils as a natural resource which must be managed properly in order to sustain a healthy society. Understand that soils are in some ways nonrenewable, and what effect gross mismanagement of soils has had historically.

*4.2 Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources - 4.1.10.A, B, C

Describe the effects of human activity on soils and how soils can be used to clean up pollutants or can become a major pollutant.

*4.2 Renewable and Nonrenewable Resources - 4.1.10.C, D

Describe basic soil chemical and physical properties and how they interact with other variables to determine soil fertility or the ability of a soil to remediate pollution and improve envionmental health.

*4.3 Environmental Health - 4.3.10.A, B

Explain how soil is alive, and how biological diversity is important for soil health and hence human, plant, and environmental health.

*4.3 Environmental Health - 4.3.10.C

*4.7 Threatened, Endangered, and Extinct Species - 4.7.10.A

Explain the soil food web and the different roles and survival strategies that various soil microbial organisms develop within the soil environment.

*4.7 Threatened, Endangered, and Extinct Species - 4.7.10.B, C

Understand and be able to describe the importance of soils to agriculture and soil quality properties. Describe current research findings on best management practices to maximize agriculture production, maintain and build soil health, and prevent soil loss and pollution.

*4.4 Agriculture and Society - 4.4.10.A, B, C, D

10.

Use the soil survey to evaluate the best crops to grow in a given area and what limitations certain soils have to agricultural productivity. Also identify areas of prime farmland that should be preserved.

*4.4 Agriculture and Society - 4.4.10.C

11.

Describe the hydrologic, carbon, and nutrient cycles and how soil management relates to those processes.

*4.6 Ecosystems and their Interactions - 4.6.10.A, B

12.

Explain how societal needs, economic forces, and natural forces affect soil resources and how we can ensure long term sustainability of soil health.

*4.8 Humans and the Environment - 4.8.10.A, B, C, D

13.

Explain historical events that led to the creation of the soil conservation service.

*4.9 Environmental Laws and Regulations - 4.9.10.A

14.

Explain in detail the role that geology plays in soil formation, the kinds of soils that are formed, and their basic characteristics including texture, pH, color, and structure.

*3.5 Earth Sciences - 3.5.10.A

15.

Describe the basic geologic features and rocks of the state of Pennsylvania and how they were formed.

*3.5 Earth Sciences - 3.5.10.A

16.

Understand and interpret geographical and geological information from topographic maps. Be able to make some basic assumptions about appropriate land use from topographic and geologic maps and information.

*3.5 Earth Sciences - 3.5.10.A

17.

Use a soil survey or web-soil survey data to evaluate land use in Pennsylvania. Show how information in soil surveys can help the land user predict or avoid problems like sinkholes, or regions prone to landslides, flooding, drought, or soil instability.

*3.5 Earth Sciences - 3.5.10.B

18.

Compare different kinds of land uses and conservation practices on erosion and sedimentation.

*3.5 Earth Sciences - 3.5.10.B

19.

Explain how climate is a major soil forming factor through it's affect on vegetation, organisms, water, and weathering.

*3.5 Earth Sciences - 3.5.10.C

20.

Explain how soils and soil management are integral to maintaining clean water and a healthy aquatic environment.

*3.5 Earth Sciences - 3.5.10.D

Reference Materials

The following references can be found on the Envirothon Soil / Land Use CD.