Introduction
Soil salinity is a measure of the saltiness of the soil. Many plants have trouble growing in soil that contains too much salt. High soil salinity makes it more difficult for plants to get water from the soil and can interfere with their obtaining the proper nutrients.
Soil can become saline by the natural weathering of minerals, irrigation, or run-off from salted roads. Poor drainage and hot, dry weather also contribute to the build-up of salt in the soil. Sodium chloride, NaCl, is the most common salt, but others such as calcium chloride, CaCl2, and magnesium sulfate, MgSO4, are often present as well.
Soil salinity is determined by measuring the electrical conductivity of a soil-water mixture. The higher the salinity of the soil, the higher the conductivity of this mixture will be.
In this experiment, you will use a conductivity probe to measure the salinity of several soils. The unique units of soil salinity require a special note. Soil salinity is commonly reported in units of dS/m, decisiemens per meter.
Objectives
- Use a conductivity probe to measure the salinity of soil samples.
- Predict plant response to the salinity of the soil.
Sensors and Equipment
This experiment features the following sensors and equipment. Additional equipment may be required.
Option 1
Option 2
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This experiment is #9 of Agricultural Science with Vernier. The experiment in the book includes student instructions as well as instructor information for set up, helpful hints, and sample graphs and data.
