Blue+Herrings



Welcome to

The Blue Herrings

Wiki Page

Authored by Felicia, Hamid, Jimmy and Paolo


 * Our Question:** “What differences are there between an unhealthy and a healthy tree’s surroundings with regard to soil and water characteristics?”

**Materials:** **For soil:** A small shovel, Soil collection bags, soil testing kits for phospherous,pH.


 * For water:** Water testing kits for dissolved oxygen,phosphate,pH;collection buckets for water;temperature probe;tree guides 2 small soil collection jars, temperature probe.

**Procedure:** We checked the pH level, of soil and water, for a healthy willow tree (Genus //Salix//) and a unhealthy willow tree.When we found out that the results were the same we did other tests to find out the differences between the unhealthy and heathy trees.The alternate tests we did to find out more data was DO(Dissolved Oxygen), and Phosphate.We also found out the temperature of both the soil and the water.To help us determinate the problem we found two more additional sites that were healthy and unhealthy then did the same tests with those.Later we recorded the data on a chart.

How did we know we had a healthy pl willow tree? This tree had no shoots nor moss.

How did we know we had a sick pl willow tree? This tree had shoots growing out of the base, mold on the bark, branches were bending and looked like it was going to snap, and the leaves looked frail.We also checked the healthy willow's soil and water.We tested the Dissolved Oxygen and Phosphate,Temperature.

** Jimmy: ** tested the pH of the soils **Paul:** assisted Jimmy and Felicia in the soil and water testing; he collected soil samples **Hamid:** researched of the tree type and pH; collected soil samples;sedimentation **Felicia:** tested the pH of the water; collected water sample from both trees
 * Job List:**


 * Results:**



Healthy Willow 7 7
 * Tree Type | pH of Soil| |pH of Water|
 * Sick Willow| 7 7

Narrative of Results:

We did both experiments on the water and soil for a "unhealthy" willow, and a "healthy" willow. The results ended up being 7.0 for the both the water and the soil, sick and healthy, which is neutral on pH scale. The results are inconclusive because they are all the same. There has to be something else that made the "unhealthy" tree "unhealthy". That is why we have decided to do testing on Dissolved Oxygen(DO).

This is our study site at Chandler Pond!

Click on the picture below to see Hamid, Paolo, Felicia and Jimmy completing their field work and testing...

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Notes from Felicia on the last day.... Last prompt:
 * My interest in the environment changed a lot in the past two weeks because before I didn't care much for what was happening to the environment, but ever since I did the program I learned how much that the environment helped us, including the trees and how we are destroying all that.

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 * Our Presentation!