AGRI2006 Soil Systems
AGRI2006 Soil Systems
ASSESSMENT TASK 1 Australian Soil Classification (ASC) Oral Report (PowerPoint Presentation with Narration)
Marks: 10% of your final grade.
Due: Sunday 9th April 2023, 9pm
Task: Soil classification serves as a framework for organising our knowledge of soils and for communicating that information to scientists and those who use the land. The Australian Soil Classification (ASC) system takes into account such factors as pedalogical organisation, chemical and physical properties to classify soil profiles into a number of different Orders or Groups.
This assessment task gives you the opportunity to research and communicate information relating to soil classification to a wider audience. Your ability to communicate effectively is an important graduate attribute within any job in the workforce.
For this assessment, you be allocated (in pairs) one site of the 10 sites from a paddock in Wongan Hills that has been extensively mapped (Smolinski 2007). Each site has two soil samples taken at two depths, 0-10 cm and 10-30 cm. In Practicals 3,4 and 5 you will assess the physical and chemical characteristics of the soil and use this data to complete a soil profile description card. You will also draw a soil profile for your allocated site using this information, and the pictures of the soil cores provided to you.
Each student will then individually prepare a 5 minute, narrated PowerPoint presentation to explain the key features of soil they are allocated and assign the soil to an ASC Soil Order. Include your soil description card and soil profile to help describe the key features of the soil you were assigned and use diagrams and photographs as necessary. Pitch the scientific content of your slides to a university level audience and effectively communicate that knowledge. Submit your presentation on-line for marking.
As an example, for a 5 minute presentation, you would have no more than 7 content slides (not including the title slide and the reference slide). These content slides would include:
An introduction slide
Brief methods slide
Results slide(s)
Discussion slide (s)
Conclusion slide
Remember! You must use at least 5 quality references. This includes journal articles, texts and edited works but does not include websites both as in-text citations in your slides and in your reference list.
Upload your slides to Turnitin including a link to your presentation from One Drive or other document sharing application.
Resources: Isbell, R.E. and NCST. 2021. The Australian Soil Classification. 3rd ed. National Committee on Soil and Terrain. Victoria: CSIRO Publishing. ISBN: 9781486314799. https://www.publish.csiro.au/book/8016
Schoknect, N. and Pathan, S. 2013 Soil Groups of Western Australia: 4th ed. Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia, Perth. Report 380.
Presentation tips
(Courtesy of Jacob Hawkins)
Slide Design
If using text, use short, concise sentences (you want your audience to concentrate on what you are saying rather than reading your slide
KIS (Keep it simple) - no more than 5 items (text and figures) per slide
Use at least 18-point font so your audience can read your text
If using graphics, make sure the audience can read the titles, axis, legends, numbers, etc
Recording in Powerpoint
Setting up your recording
Record at top of screen
Click From Beginning (does not immediately start recording)
Can choose to add notes or a script for each slide
Choose to have camera ON recording you presenting - keep in mind placement of camera display in bottom right corner when designing slides
Recording your presentation
When fully prepared, click red circular record button (3-second countdown, begin recording)
Use arrow keys or space bar to change slides
When done click red square
right5133975Click Export
IMPORTANT Click Customize Export
IMPORTANT Under Create a Video select Standard (480p)
Click Create Video and choose file destination
Other tips
Speaking
Speak slowly and clearly
Take a breath before you move to your next slide
Try not to say ummm or other time fillers too much (we all do, but it takes practice)
Practice to get your timing right
Personal Presentation
Remember to dress as if you were presenting to a professional audience.
Resources for recording in PowerPoint
Record a Presentation - Microsoft Support: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/record-a-presentation-2570dff5-f81c-40bc-b404-e04e95ffab33Record a slide show with narration and slide timings: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/record-a-slide-show-with-narration-and-slide-timings-0b9502c6-5f6c-40ae-b1e7-e47d8741161cHow to Easily Make a Video in PowerPoint: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hisnhKK94nIHow to Make a Video in PowerPoint: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8JV3w4TOVwTASK 1: MARKING RUBRIC - PRESENTATION (Total = 100) 10% of FINAL GRADE
CRITERIA EXCELLENT-VERY GOOD
(70-100%) SATISFACTORY-GOOD
(50-70%) NEEDS IMPROVEMENT
(40-50%) UNSATISFACTORY
(<40%)
INTRODUCTION
Max - 10 Clearly identifies the purpose (aim) of the topic (soil classification) at the start. The purpose and significance of the topic is mostly clear
The purpose and significance of the topic is not clear No introduction given
VISUAL
Max - 30 Presentation is extremely engaging for a university level audience
Excellent and novel visual presentation (e.g. graphics, diagrams and/or photographs, font size and type)
Student is in professional attire.
Presentation holds good audience engagement
The font size and type is clearly visible
Any diagrams or photographs included on the slides are relevant
There are adequate slides to enable the audience to engage in the topic The topic is not presented in a very engaging manner
The visual presentation is difficult to read (i.e. font size and type are not clearly visible)
Diagrams and/or photographs are lacking and or are not relevant or clear
Non-professional attire
Student does not provide a powerpoint presentation
AUDIO
Max 10 Audio is excellent with clear enunciation and voice projection
Audio is good and matches the visual presentation
Difficultly in communicating the topic in a clear manner
No audio is given
CONTENT
Max 30 The content flows logically throughout the presentation
Science content is extremely accurate and up-to-date
Demonstrates an outstanding understanding of the topic
Key concepts are explained extremely well
Soil analysis methods described (and referenced) and research conducted is very thorough
The key messages are clear and apparent
The content mostly flows well
Science content is mostly accurate and demonstrates a good understanding of the topic
Information is included on the slides is relevant
Key concepts are given
Research conducted is sound
The key messages are clear Content difficult to follow
The main scientific facts given are not clear, lack credibility or are inaccurate
The overall presentation is either too much or too limited in detail for a university level audience
Further research is required
Key concepts and messages are limited
The level of science is below that of a university student audience
The content demonstrates little understanding or relevance of the topic
REFERENCES
Max - 10 Information from a wide range of suitable sources
References are presented in consistent format in text (citations) and in the reference slide
The minimum number of 5 quality references is exceeded Information from suitable sources
References are presented in consistent format in text (citations) and in the reference slide
The minimum number of 5 quality references is met Reference list is limited or incomplete
Errors in the formatting in text (citations) and/or in the reference slide
The minimum number of 5 quality references is not met
Reference list and/or citations are missing or incomplete
TIMING
Max - 10 Timing within 4.5 to 5 minutes Timing 1 minute over or under Timing 2 minutes over or under
Timing 3 minutes either way
Contents
Introduction3
Materials and methods..3
Results3
Soil physical properties.3
Soil chemical properties4
Discussion.4
Soil physical properties..4
Soil chemical properties.5
Conclusion5
References5
Appendix6
Introduction
The growth quality of crops depends on the physical and chemical properties of the soil (Lemaire, van Oosterom, Jeuffroy, Gastal, & Massignam, 2008), and this is particularly relevant in Western Australia where different types of soil are found (Isbell, 2002). Soil differentiation in the wheat belt region of Western Australia poses challenges for wheat growers. Therefore, it is important to identify and assess soil health, including its location and type, to develop soil improvement plans based on field reports (Carter & Gregorich, 2007). Sampling allows for analysis of the soil condition in specific regions without extensive research efforts (Carter & Gregorich, 2007). The information collected from soil reports provides insights for determining optimal land management practices and cropping systems. Assessing the soil health of Wongan Hills in terms of its physical and chemical characteristics was the objective of the report. By identifying soil problems, appropriate recommendations can be made to improve soil health in that specific area. The goal is to implement steps to reduce soil problems through site-specific management practices.
Methods
In this study (Anonymous, 2023), soil samples were collected from a paddock located in the north-eastern Wheatbelt of Wongan Hills. Two samples were taken from depths of 0-10 cm and 10-30 cm to provide information on changes in the soil profile. Wongan Hills is situated to the northeast of Perth and has a Mediterranean climate with an annual precipitation of approximately 375 mm. The experiment was conducted on site-3 at Wongan Hills, which has the geographical coordinates of 468222 (UTM 50 J E) and 6588677 (UTM 50 J N). The Soil Assessment Kit (SAK) (Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, 2021) was used to analyse the soil health status, and various laboratory methods were employed to measure soil physical characteristics (Wen et al., 2017), soil water repellence (Gupta & Abrol, 2017), soil pH (Kumar et al., 2016), and electrical conductivity (Bod et al., 2012). These analyses were used to complete the soil assessment card.
Results
The study's results (Anonymous, 2023) involved assessing soil health based on its physical appearance, chemical properties, and biological microorganisms to analyse soil characteristics and human activity in the Wongan Hills region. Different factors were examined through sampling in various groups, and data on different physical and chemical properties were collected from each group. Soil health was evaluated by analysing different properties, such as organic matter (Gao et al., 2019), available nutrients (Iqbal et al., 2019), pH (Bhatti et al., 2019), and microbial biomass (Zhang et al., 2018).
A) Soil physical properties
All group have different soil to examine from the same paddock but different area. In this experiment, site-3 surface soil was clay loam soil with dark reddish-brown color. Two different soil layers were examined to soil characteristics of surface and subsurface soil. soil pH in water from 0-10 cm layer was 5.99, and 10-30 was 6.46. moreover, EC (electric conductivity) in CaCl2 of 0-10cm soil was 155.6 and 10-30 cm was 111.1 (appendix, table-1). soil consistency is soft when dry, firm when soil is moist and sticky when soil is wet (appendix table 1). To maximize the productivity of the soil, farmers in the area may use a range of soil management techniques, such as crop rotation, fertilization, and irrigation. They may also take steps to minimize soil erosion and maintain soil structure through practices such as minimum tillage and the use of cover crops. According to a report by the Western Australian Department of Agriculture and Food, the ideal slope for paddocks on Wongan Hill's clay loam soil is 0-3%, as this allows for maximum water infiltration and reduces soil erosion. Paddocks with slopes of 3-5% are also suitable for agriculture but may require additional measures to prevent soil erosion and runoff, such as contour plowing, terracing, or the use of vegetative buffers (Department of Agriculture and Food, 2009).
B) Soil chemical properties
The soil was reddish brown clay loam, and the group was 405 according to the Australian soil classification (ASC) ADDIN EN.CITE <EndNote><Cite><Author>Isbell</Author><Year>2002</Year><RecNum>2340</RecNum><DisplayText>(Isbell, 2002)</DisplayText><record><rec-number>2340</rec-number><foreign-keys><key app="EN" db-id="50wxdpzd9vd5r7e9t5b595djrfpttrxw9avp" timestamp="1592453920">2340</key></foreign-keys><ref-type name="Journal Article">17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author>Isbell, RF</author></authors></contributors><titles><title>The Australian Soil Classification., Revised edn (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne)</title></titles><dates><year>2002</year></dates><urls></urls></record></Cite></EndNote>(Isbell, 2002) and Soil Group of Western Australia. This soil was slightly acidic with a surface pH of 5.99 and a subsurface pH of 6.46 (Appendix, table 3). This shows that region soil was very low acidic and used for cropping purpose. The soil water repellent was low on surface soil in water which takes <5 seconds for all 3 replicates (Appendix, table 2). So, no need used various concentration of ethanol. In soil from 10-30 cm, the water took < 5 seconds to infiltration in the soil (Appendix, table 2). The water repellence on soil surface depends on many reasons as it increases due to breakdown of organic matter releases some component. However, there was no direct relationship between the amount of organic matter present and soil water repellency.
-9717847538-9717847538Discussion
Plant growth depends on the various constraints of the soil. Soil physical and chemical properties affect most in plant qualitative growth.
A) Soil physical properties
The Wongan Hill clay loam soil is a productive and fertile soil type characterized by a balanced mixture of sand, silt, and clay (Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, 2019). It has a slightly acidic pH of 5.99(0-10 cm) to 6.46(10-30 cm) and is well-draining with good water-holding capacity. The surface layer is reddish brown and has a high organic matter content, while the subsoil layer is reddish-brown and has an increasing clay content with depth. The soil is suitable for growing wheat, canola, barley, lupins, and pasture, but it may require proper soil management techniques like liming, fertilization, and conservation tillage to maintain its productivity.
B) Soil chemical properties
The Wongan Hill clay loam soil has a texture consisting of 45 to 55 percent sand, 20 to 35 percent silt, and 20 to 40 percent clay, with good water-holding capacity due to the clay content (Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, 2019). The organic matter content in the topsoil layer is relatively high, contributing to the soil's fertility and moisture-holding capacity. A 10-30 cm water infiltration rate is <5 seconds, indicating less organic compound present in the soil. A low amount of organic matter affects microbial activity in plant results in an increase in plant-available nutrients (Hassan et al., 2019). Furthermore, the optimum amount of soil carbon increases plant growth and enhances soil physical properties (Munir et al., 2021). Good water holding capacity, high nutrient-rich soil, neutral pH, and good soil structure indicate the soil health and its characteristics (Kumar et al., 2020).
Conclusion
In summary, soil health is a crucial factor in enhancing crop productivity (Gomiero et al., 2019). Before deciding on a crop and land management plan, it is essential to analyze the soil condition to make informed decisions (Lal, 2016). After analyzing soil characteristics, different methods can be used to manage soil according to the identified problems. Many simple practices, such as crop rotation, cover crops, deep tillage in compact soil, no-tillage, and increasing organic matter, can help prevent future soil problems and maintain the physical and chemical properties of the soil (Lal, 2016; Stavi et al., 2020).
Appendix
Image:1 Jameson farm, site 3, Wongan Hills (source: unit material)
3532702-131880
Table 3.2 Soil description card for the Wongan Hills soil samples 0-10 cm and 10-30 cm depths (Source: Stuart Street et al. 2020)
Table- 1 results of soil physical characteristics for site-3, Wongan hills.
Soil Colour Texture Consistence Soil structure
Site-3 Munsell Colour description Hand texturing Dry Moist Wet Slaking Dispersion
(dry) Dispersion
(wet)
0-10 cm 2.5yr
Dark reddish brown Clay loam Soft Firm Sticky Severe obvious milkiness, more than 50%of the aggregate affected Total dispersion leaving only sand grains
10-30 cm 2.5yr
Dark reddish brown Clay Slightly
Hard Friable Sticky yes slightly obvious milkiness, less than 50%of the aggregate affected Slight milkiness
Table- 2 Water repellence test of site-3.
Soil sample depth Solution Solution absorption/ Second Average time/ second
0-10 cm Water < 5 < 5 < 5 < 5
10-30 cm Water < 5 385932100950< 5 < 5 < 5
3262702201500
Table- 3 pH of site-3 and EC with CaCl2
Soil (Site-9) H2O - pH EC with CaCl2
0-10 cm 5.99 35242312851155.6
10-30 cm 6.46 111.1
Site number: 3 Described by:
Location: GDA94 /GDA2020
Zone:
Easting:
Northing: Geology of parent material: Landform element: (circle one) crest; ridge, hillock; slopesimple, upper, mid orlower;flat; depression open orclosed,
Surface condition: usually hard setting surface Site/location notes:
Surface water repellence: No Soil classification ASC:
WA Soil Group: 405 Layer Layer name Layer Depth Texture(Texture group orgrade) Boundary
distinctness Soil waterstatus Coarse fragments Colour
(Munsell,moist) MottlesColour, abundance, size, contrast pHCa(1:5) EC (1:5) Calcareous Structure Layer notese.g. mottles, rock, saline,
major horizon depths
Upper
(cm) Lower
(cm) Abundance (%) Size Type 1 upper 0 10 Clay loam 10% Dark reddish brown
2.5 Y/R 2 lower 10 30 Clay loam
40% Dark reddish brown
2.5 Y/R 2985502101966345674230975234772612976632
Reference
Carter, M. R., & Gregorich, E. G. (2007). Soil sampling and methods of analysis. Canadian Society of Soil Science, 2, 48-67.
Isbell, R. F. (2002). The Australian soil classification. CSIRO Publishing.
Lemaire, G., van Oosterom, E. J., Jeuffroy, M. H., Gastal, F., & Massignam, A. (2008). Crop species present different qualitative types of response to N deficiency during their vegetative growth. Field Crops Research, 105(3), 253-265.
Carter, M. R., & Gregorich, E. G. (2007). Soil sampling and methods of analysis. Canadian Society of Soil Science, 2, 48-67.
Isbell, R. F. (2002). The Australian soil classification. CSIRO Publishing.
Lemaire, G., van Oosterom, E. J., Jeuffroy, M. H., Gastal, F., & Massignam, A. (2008). Crop species present different qualitative types of response to N deficiency during their vegetative growth. Field Crops Research, 105(3), 253-265.
Anonymous. (2023). Soil Health Assessment of Wongan Hills. Unpublished raw data.
Bod, M. B., Muoz, K. D., Martin, D. A., & Mataix-Solera, J. (2012). Soil electrical conductivity as a function of soil water content and implications for soil mapping. Geoderma, 189, 517-524.
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development. (2021). Soil Assessment Kit. Retrieved from https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/soil-plant-relationships/soil-assessment-kit
Gupta, S. K., & Abrol, V. (2017). Estimation of soil water repellency using different methods. Geoderma, 308, 231-238.
Kumar, A., Pandey, S. K., Singh, S. K., & Tiwari, S. P. (2016). Effect of different levels of phosphorus on growth and yield of rice (Oryza sativa L.) in acidic soil. Journal of Applied and Natural Science, 8(4), 1862-1865.
Wen, X., Chen, X., Wan, S., Zhang, W., & Huang, D. (2017). Effects of organic and inorganic fertilizers on soil organic carbon and soil physical and chemical properties in a long-term experiment. PloS One, 12(9), e0185010.
Anonymous. (2023). Soil Health Assessment of Wongan Hills. Unpublished raw data.
Bhatti, A. U., Ali, S., Shahzad, S. M., Shahid, M. A., Iqbal, N., & Rizwan, M. (2019). Soil pH and crop management: A review. Journal of the Saudi Society of Agricultural Sciences, 18(4), 356-362.
Gao, S., Li, Y., Wang, J., Li, H., & Zhang, J. (2019). Organic matter content dominates the variation of soil quality indicators in farmland soils under different long-term fertilization practices. Journal of Environmental Management, 232, 140-150.
Iqbal, M., Nawaz, A., Ahmad, I., Abbas, G., & Amin, N. (2019). Effect of different levels of nitrogen and phosphorus on growth, yield, and nutrient uptake of maize. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 42(3), 275-282.
Zhang, X., Wang, C., Xie, Z., Jiang, X., & Liu, G. (2018). Impacts of long-term fertilization practices on microbial biomass and functional diversity of a black soil. Soil and Tillage Research, 181, 53-60.
Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia. (2009). Soil conservation on the Wongan Hills. Retrieved from https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/soil-conservation/soil-conservation-wongan-hills
Isbell, R. F. (2002). The Australian Soil Classification. CSIRO Publishing
Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development. (2019). Wongan Hills soil and land system description.
Hassan, M., Hayat, Y., Akram, W., Shah, A. N., & Sher, M. A. (2019). Organic matter amendments to soil: A review. Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, 19(4), 811-829.
Kumar, A., Kumar, A., Singh, R. S., & Singh, M. (2020). Soil health assessment using different indices: A review. Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 192(11), 1-17.
Munir, M. A., Ullah, S., Ali, Q., Nadeem, M. A., & Akhtar, M. J. (2021). Soil organic carbon fractions and their effects on soil physical and chemical properties: A review. Journal of Plant Nutrition, 44(4), 479-497.
Gomiero, T., Pimentel, D., & Paoletti, M. G. (2019). Soil degradation, land scarcity and food security: Reviewing a complex challenge. Sustainability, 11(22), 6262.
Lal, R. (2016). Enhancing ecosystem services in sustainable agriculture: Biochemical cycle in soil organic matter evaluation. In Sustainable agriculture (pp. 1-13). Springer, Cham.
Stavi, I., Lal, R., Blumfield, T., & Levy, G. J. (2020). Soil management for sustainable agriculture. In Encyclopedia of sustainability science and technology (pp. 1-31). Springer, New York, NY.
