Florida Land Judging

An exciting contest where middle and high school students observe and interpret soil in order to make wise land use desicions:

[USDA NRCS Soil & Plant Science @USDA_NRCS_SPSD]

Soil Color Posters for each state in the continental U.S. are available at: https://t.co/pk1iVYphXd. Both Powerpoint (for customization) and PDF files are included.

[Soil Science Society of America @SSSA_soils]

“The study of subaqueous soils is a vitally important part of the new Coastal Zone Soil Survey.” Read more in our #Soils Matter blog: https://t.co/T9gQKkHrVb

[Rex Ellis @Pedologist]

Macro algae "rooted" (attached) to the soil surface in this area.

[Rex Ellis @Pedologist]

Rob entering the pedon description into the digital form

[Rex Ellis @Pedologist]

Halophila johnsonii (Johnson's seagrass) is a threatened species that does not sexually reproduce. Vegetative fragments break off when rays or other disturbances occur. Fragments settle elsewhere and grow.

[UF/IFAS Dept of Soil, Water & Ecosystem Sciences @SoilWaterSci]

Dr. Bacon's Environmental Pedology class took a trip to the @ufifasnfrec. @SoilWaterSci doctoral student Victor Guerra led a Geoprobe exercise to observe how deep soil hydrology influences regional carbon cycling.
@GeoprobeSystems

[Rex Ellis @Pedologist]

Discussing the hemic above mineral and why depth measurement for most hydric soil indicators starts at the bottom of the hemic. Fire suppression at the first site provided contrast to the soils at the second site (more frequent fire). S5, S7, and A11 observed.

[Rex Ellis @Pedologist]

Next up, @_FAESS Hydric Soil Workshop on 4/3/2019.

[UF SNRE @UFSNRE]

Congratulations to our director Dr. Tom Frazer, who was appointed to be #Florida's first chief science officer by @GovRonDeSantis! #water #environment #science https://t.co/CigXLmOvdD

[Florida Land Judging @LandJudging]

@ellyabillion @wills_skye Yep. And, to my surprise one of the undergrads in class this semester was on a top @floridaffa Land Judging team in 2015. A privilege to teach him twice.

[Florida Land Judging @LandJudging]

Back to Sandy, wet soils today

[UF/IFAS Dept of Soil, Water & Ecosystem Sciences @SoilWaterSci]

Photo of 1959 #LandJudging competition in Gainesville. (Credit: John H Herbert, Jr.)

[Florida Land Judging @LandJudging]

S8 Poly Value Below the Surface: showing students how to find "a layer" that is at least 70% masked. Often right below the hemic. Have to slice it like a loaf of bread.

[Florida Land Judging @LandJudging]

When you were in the sun all day, drove all night, and have a weekend Hydric soils class, it's ok to buy fudge, jerkey, and a pecan log roll at the busy bee

[Florida Land Judging @LandJudging]

@vaughan_soil Natural color. Soils are beautiful aren't they?

[Florida Land Judging @LandJudging]

Homesite had 2:1 layer (shrink swell) Clay's near the surface. These situations will crack foundations and ruin buildings.

[Florida Land Judging @LandJudging]

@UFIFASWFREC Dr Wood gets us started today.

[UF IFAS WFREC @UFIFASWFREC]

Ready to get the day going.