Laboratory Analysis: Muttama Catchment - Case Study Example

LABORATORY REPORT: MUTTAMA CATCHMENT Student Institution Course Tutor Date Abstract Different soil and water properties were analysed. By examining the effect of land management on the soil as well as the effect these activities have on the potential of eutrophication, conclusions were drawn about the state of the soil and the physiological effects of salt on a plants and animal life . Based on all data we have tested and the nature of the land of Muttama catchment, we hypothesize that increased flooding will lead to increased eutrophication which will have an effect of increasing the plant growth. The assessment of both water and soil eutrophication has been concluded by taking into account simple individual parameters like total nitrogen, total phosphorus etc. Different soil samples from different sites will be analysed for different qualities so as to determine how the varying salt concentrations, so too will the water. For all variables, increased salinity was found to have a negative effect on plant growth which served to negate the potential of eutrophication. This suggests that either the contents of the soil or the properties of the water negatively affect growth in plant cells. Laboratory Report: Muttama Catchment Introduction The objective of this lab report is to discuss the problems of salinity and the potential for eutrophication in the Muttama catchment. The specific categories selected to test the water samples were total nitrogen, total phosphorus, dissolved oxygen, dissolved organic carbon, alkalinity, and PH. The soil samples were also tested and the categories included: total soil carbon and nitrogen, total soil phosphorus, PH and EC, soil available P and N, e-CEC and ESP, and soil texture. The importance of analysing the relationship between several of the categories cannot be understated as they hold the key into answering conclusively, whether the potential of the eutrophication is undermined or otherwise. While eutrophication results in the nutrient enrichment of waterways, poor land management can result in catastrophic effects for the practice of agriculture where control of catchment processes needs to be stabilized, as the deterioration of water quality leads to poor water use. The major influence on the water eutrophication is a combined complex function involving these very same factors. Eutrophication can be accelerated by human activities and hence further waste (Gerritse et al. 1990; Skogen et al. 2004). The use of chemical fertilizers and detergents lead to increased nitrates which will result to accelerated eutrophication. The rivers and the ponds are filled with not only these nitrates but also the phosphates that are washed up to these bodies of water in sufficient quantity. This will have the effect of making water bodies shallow as the plants will increase and start choking the water bodies and the increased nutrients as the effect of animals in these bodies of water suffocating as the oxygen is limited and most of the fish and molluscs will eventually die. Other human activities that have the effect of accelerating the eutrophication process include: the clearing of forests, human settlement, building of cities and industries. These activities have led to increased nutrients in the catchment and the eutrophication process has had both economic and social problems (Huisman & Hulot 2005). High percentages of catchment clearing have been responsible of the catchment areas losing nutrients to waterways. The loss of these nutrients is also affected by the natural characteristics of the soil in the catchment areas. Some of the characteristics affecting the soil include the soil texture, the presence and amount of calcium compounds as well as iron. The data also points to the fact that the catchment area as shallow water table level meaning that the area will run the risk of flooding as the increased soil salinity have a quite limited capacity to absorb rainfall. In highly saline soil chloride and Sodium are the most dominant ions by quite the margin. While these soils may still contain magnesium and calcium that are in quantities sufficient enough to provide the nutrients needed by the crops, they may contain appreciable quantities of gypsum. The Soluble carbonates are never present in these soils while the value of the saturated soil will always be less than 8.2, which is actually pretty close to neutrality. Hence the lack of soluble carbonates these results to a small change in the pH which has an effect of leading the water bodies to become eutrophic due to the lack of dissolved oxygen. In the assessment of water eutrophication the concentrations of total phosphorus and total nitrogen are usually taken as the basic ones, however other chemical and physical evaluation parameters may also be taken into account and they might include: pH, and Dissolved Oxygen among others. Soil salinity can be measured in several different ways. You can first use electrical conductivity (EC) which measures the conductivity of the soil solution or rather its ability to conduct electricity which is measured in (ds/m). Another method of measuring soil salinity is Total Soluble Salts (TSS) which refers to the total amount of soluble salts in the solution that is a soil –saturated paste and is expressed in milligrams per litre or parts per million (mg/L or ppm). Other less used but still relevant methods includes Sodium Adsorption Ration (SAR) and Exchange Sodium Percentage (ESP). Methods and Equipment Necessary materials: Plastic jars with screw-on lids, Portable handheld EC meter, 3 soil samples from each site, recording sheet and pen. The process of conducting tests and determining the issues with salinity and eutrophication entailed using in situ testing equipment, which focused on measuring the components for determining salinity of the subject catchment area. For this exercise, field tests as well as laboratory tests were conducted to water, plant and soil samples from the area. Therefore, the equipment used in the field during sampling and testing included calibrated gauges for measuring salinity, conductivity, total dissolved solids, and temperatures of soil and water samples. For the alkalinity measurement of samples, different ion sensors were used with help from pH-Indicator paper to determine what values the concentrations of the ions imply. The map below shows the area of focus form which the samples were obtained. Upon collection of the samples from the sites, they were checked with accompanying information list, which included records of dates, number, depths and samples obtained. To avoid any potential changes with the samples, soil samples that were collected for the purpose of salinity analysis and determination of potentials for eutrophication were analysed directly. Therefore, activities such as drying and preparation of the soil samples for analysis were conducted successively. In this instance at the laboratory, electronic oven with thermostat was used. The table below shows the soil samples and the sites from which they were obtained, as have been also demonstrated on the previous map. The EC meters electrodes, which are some of the equipment used during this exercise, are rinsed in distilled water and dried gently with a piece of tissue. The electrodes should be also moved around to eliminate bubbles which would have reduced contact with the water being measured and electrodes. The temperature of the electrodes should also be put in check at temperatures of 25 degree Celsius as they can offset the readings you take. The reading is then taken by immersing the electrode in the 10ml of water you collected or if you allowed it to settle without filtration, on the settle soil. In such a situation you should avoid electrode contact with the soil or at least minimize it. The other soil and water properties are measured by using the collected soil samples where the nutrients are concentration of nitrate and phosphorus which are determined by the colour comparator. In the case of pH, accurate measurements are only taken by a pH meter that has a glass rode. Results and Analysis Physical properties The landscape of the catchment area has formed on recent quaternary alluvium. Parent materials of the catchment area consist of gravel, sand, silt, and clay deposits. The topography of the area generally depicts narrow alluvial plains, terraces and current floodplains with gradients of Read More