Renee; UR: Live from the Quarantine Zone

Lesson of the week: There is such a thing as too much sharing. Germs, for instance, should be kept to ones self.

Now, moving on to what science my fever ridden brain can manage. Luckily I wrote a lot of this over the weekend so it shouldn't be too terribly disjointed ;)....

Good news everyone! We (Dr. Woodall, Dr. Emmett and I) have finally ironed out getting my soil samples tested by UF/IFAS Analytical Services! (ANSERV Labs)

Thanks to ANSERV Labs all 10 of my soil samples will be tested for NO3-N (nitrate) and NO2-N (nitrite), as well as P (phospherous), K (potassium), Ca (calcium), Mg (magnesium), Zn (zinc), Mn (manganese), Cu (copper), and pH! 

The nitrogen cycle! Yay!

We have discussed the importance of nitrogen to plants previously in class and that nitrite (NO₂) must be 'fixed' to be used by plants. 

This 'fixing' can be done by a variety of bacteria in soil and while all of this 'fixing' is going on electrons are being moved around between various component chemicals in the soil. This movement of electrons is what the Redox meter from my previous post measures. 

When soil conditions are anaerobic (lacking oxygen) the bacteria living there will use alternative sources of oxygen such as the oxygen associated with nitrogen molecules which is common in swamps and other molecules such as manganese depending on availability. Based on the redox measurements what alternative source of oxygen is being used can be determined. This knowledge will hopefully help me draw some informed conclusions about how nutrient levels that ANSERV Labs will provide me might be effecting S. minor's(Sarracenia minor) successful sprouting in one place but not another despite the soil conditions appearing to be the same.

The trick here I think will be carefully determining what deficiency is most likely responsible for the lack of pitcher plants. Poor soul nutrition can already be inferred thanks to S. minor's carnivorous nature and that this adaptation likely occurred because of the naturally poor soil nutrition but how little is too little of what minerals cannot be substituted by an insectivorous diet? 

These poor raspberries are actually exhibiting a poor reaction to
herbicides; however, the effect is nearly identical to nutrient burn
with the one on the left a severe case and the yellowing one on
the right exhibiting early symptoms.

Or yet more exciting is the possibility that there is an over abundance of one mineral or another preventing seedlings from surviving! This over availability can result in "nutrient burn" called such because when this happens to adult plants they often exhibit yellowing, curling and then browning leaves that give a burnt appearance to the plant. In seeds this over abundance can prevent sprouting of any kind or quickly overwhelm any roots which try to take hold in the soil.

Q&A

Q: Deb n' Paul (Dr. Woodall)

Wow--that Dr. Woodall looks so mean! ;-)
Question about your method--should you take the Redox measurement before you disturb the soil?

A: You are NOT mean! I love that picture of you because it makes me smile when I remember you gave me that awful look and then told me to get the box for the turbidity doo-hicky away from the edge of the boat. I think you said something about it being our luck that day it would fall over into the water. Or maybe I said that? Either way I love that picture!

Anyway, you are totally right!! I went and corrected my procedure in my lab journal the moment I saw your comment. I don't know what I was thinking tacking the redox measurements on at the end, silly me! 

Q (or rather C for Comment): Several sources

Your blog is too long!!

A: I'm sorry!! I realize I get carried away, last blog particularly, and could have put some of that procedure mess in this blog or only skimmed the more repetitive stuff. My bad y'all, I'll be more careful and just so you know I still love you(and because I have a need to include one fun picture per a blog) here is a sciency cat meme: