Effects of Erosion Lab

We have discussed the effects of deforestation and development on erosion, but now were going to test it! Using a model of different environments, we will test the effects of hydrologic erosion on different landforms. Problem: How does grass effect the movement of water in an ecosystem? Materials: 2 liter bottles, cut in half Potting soil Grass seed Water Pebbles, gravel or leaf litter

Procedure: Sowing the seeds 1. Place soil in an empty 2L bottle that has been cut in half (see picture above). Spread grass seed evenly throughout the soil. 2. Water grass seed every 3-4 days and allow it to sit near a source of sunlight or under a plant grow lamp. Testing the effects 1. When the grass has grown 2-4 inches in height, you are ready to test the effects. 2. Fill two more empty 2L bottles with soil. Cover one with a top cover of your choice (gravel, pebbles, or leaf litter) and leave the other one alone as a control. 3. Line the three bottles up on top of an elevated surface. Place an empty beaker underneath the mouth of each bottle. 4. Prepare 4 graduated cylinders with 100 mL of water in each. 5. Have a student start a timer and say GO. When the timer says go, all 3 graduated cylinders should be poured onto the soil bottles. 6. Record the time, amount, and color of the water discharge in the table below. Then, answer the questions. Bottle Water collected (mL) Time for water to stop flowing (sec) 480 32 Qualitative Observations (color, density, etc). Clear water little dirt Semi clean water little dirt

With Grass With Groundcover (Pebbles)

20 132

With soil only

175

73

Very dirty and a lot of dirt

Conclusion questions 1. Describe the difference in the water collected from each of the 3 bottles. 2. Using your data to support your answer, after deforestation, what would be most effective: planting grass seed, leaving rotting material behind, or leaving bare soil? Support your answer. 3. Which setting would allow the greatest chance of water filtration (for cleaning pollutants, etc)? Explain your answer. 4. Describe how this lab could be done on a larger scale to test the effects over a longer period of time. Give a complete description.