JORAI JACOB

Student #-1601820370

EL DORADO WEST SECONDARY SCHOOL

Center #-16018

FORM FIVE GROUP TWO

GEOGRAPHY

SOILS

MISS BAKSH

2021-2022

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

SUB-HEADINGS PAGE #
Introduction 3

Aim Of Study 4

Location of Study Area 5-7

Method Of Data Collection 8

Presentation and Analysis Of Data 9-11

Discussion 12-13

Conclusion 14

Bibliography 15

Appendix 16-18

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 INTRODUCTION

EL Dorado West Secondary School is located on Target Road, EL Dorado, in Trinidad's

east. The wind in El Dorado is in a westward direction.The northern range is formed by

metamorphic, igneous, colluvial, and alluvial rocks. According to a study conducted by

C.B.Brown and G.S Sally, the general soil type is deep alluvial soil, specifically micaceous loam.

This area is classified as an urban community, with a population density of 1.6 per cent,

according to the Annual Population Change [2000–2011]. This is a residential area with a variety

of small local businesses, supermarkets, a local doctor's office, health care services, educational

institutions, along with many other food stalls. Because of the number of schools in the area, the

major road, Eastern Main Road, is congested.In addition, the Tacarigua River, also known as the

Caura River, is a river on Trinidad's island. Its headwaters are in the Northern Range and flow

into the Caura Valley.It flows through Tacarigua in the East-West Corridor before connecting

with the Caroni River.

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 AIM OF STUDY
How and why can soil moisture change on a slope in a section of El Dorado West

Secondary School compound, Trinidad?

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 LOCATION OF STUDY AREA

Plate 1: Picture of the slope in a section of EL Dorado West Secondary School

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Plate 2: GENERAL MAP OF TRINIDAD (not drawn to scale)

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Plate 3: MAP OF STUDY AREA (not drawn to scale)

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 METHOD OF DATA COLLECTION
When: The samples of soil were collected on the 16th and 17th February 2022 between the

hours 12pm to 1pm.

Where: The field study was conducted on the compound of El Dorado West Secondary School,

located on Target Road, El Dorado, located in East Trinidad.

How: This information was obtained through testing as a primary source and secondary data.

Books, websites, and experiments were all included.

Limitations: Time was a limiting factor for this SBA.

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 PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS OF DATA

Figure 1: Column graph showing sample A,B,C constituency test results.

Figure 1 shows the results of the Constituency tests for three samples A, B and C taken

at three different areas of the slope. At the point, A 73% of the soil was sand, at point B 79% and

at point C 82% of the soil was sand. At point A 23% of the soil was silt, at point B 16% of the

soil was silt and at point C 11% of the soil was silt.At point A and B 5% of the soil was silt and

at point C 7% of the soil was silt.

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 SAMPLE A,B,C PERMEABILITY TEST RESULTS
SAMPLES SOIL SOIL FLOW WATER PERMEABILITY
MATERIALS COMPOSITION TIME RECOVERED (ml/s)
(seconds) (ml)

A Loamy Sand Sand 7.8 4.1 5.9

Clay
Silt

B Sand Sand 7 3.4 6.6

Clay
Silt

C Sand Sand 6 3 7
Clay
Silt

Figure 2: Table showing sample A,B,C permeability test results.

The table, Figure 2 shows how fast water is able to flow through each sample of soil -

known as permeability. Sample C had the greatest permeability as water flowed through this

sample the fastest at 6 seconds, with a permeability of 7ml/s; however the smallest amount of

water was recovered in this sample, 3ml. In sample B,the flow time was 7 seconds with a

permeability of 6.6mls. This sample had the slowest filtration rate while sample A had the

second slowest flow time at 7.8 seconds with a permeability of 5.9mls.

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 Figure 3: Bar graph showing Sample A,B,C moisture content test results.

In figure 3, this table shows the soil samples before and after the moisture test. This test

will determine how much of the weight is water. Sample A,B and C were all weighed at 200

grams. After the water evaporated, Sample A weighed 40 grams less which means 20 percent

was water weight. Sample B weighed 90 grams less which means 45 percent was water weight,

sample C weighed 66 grams less, which means 33 percent was water weight.

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 DISCUSSION OF DATA
Figure 3 shows that even after drying out the soil, sample C had the highest moisture

content. This is due to the accumulation effect, which distinguishes between drier and slowly

varying moisture conditions upslope and wetter, more variable conditions downslope. A study

conducted by S.Unninayar and L.M.Olsen, as well as Crave and Gascuel-Odoux(1997),

demonstrated this. Other factors that influence soil moisture are vegetation cover, slope angle,

and soil composition.

Steeper slopes are likely to be drier than flat areas due to lower infiltration rates and

higher surface runoff. The slope in plate 3 has an angle of 18 degrees, which is known as a dang

slope. Although the slope is gentle, there is still little surface runoff due to gravity, so soil pulled

down the slope from rainfall will have a specific distribution at the base. When it generally rains

in this area, the water that isn't filtered through the soil gathers at the bottom of the slope.

Vegetation also increases infiltration rates because grass absorbs the majority of the water

for growth. The extra water that infiltrates will stay in the shallow soil layer and gradually move

vertically and horizontally through the soil. Because of the high density of grass in this area,

evapotranspiration is also high, and as a result, the soil can dry out.

In Figure 1,2,3, the soil is primarily composed of clay, silt, and sand. This can have an

impact on soil moisture content. Because clay is a finer material, it has a larger surface area and

can absorb a large amount of water. Clay is the best type of soil for retaining water while also

retaining mineral nutrients. Silt is a soil particle about the size of a rice grain as shown at all

three points. It has a high fertility rate and a high water-holding capacity. Because it has a large

surface area, like clay, it can absorb a large amount of water. Sand is the largest mineral particle.

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Sand particles create large pore spaces, which improves aeration. The large pore spaces allow

water to move quickly. Soils with a high sand content tend to be well-drained.

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 CONCLUSION
Finally, moisture is evident at all three points due to the dense vegetation cover, slope

angle, and soil composition, all of which contribute to soil moisture. However, the slope can also

be said to have an accumulation effect. The majority of the soil was made up of sand, with the

highest percentage at all three points. The following major component in the soil samples was

silt. Clay made up the smallest proportion of the soil components.

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 BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bleadsdell, S.G. and Cheong E., CSEC New Integrated Geography, Caribbean

Educational Publishers, Trinidad, 2008

Ottley, J. and Gentles M., Geography for CSEC, Pearson Education Limited,

England, 2006

Rahil, V.A.M., Complete Geography for CSEC, Caribbean Educational Publishers,

Trinidad, 2010

Wilson, M. The Caribbean Environment, Oxford University Press, United

Kingdom 5th Edition, 2016

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 APPENDIX

PROCEDURE FOR SOIL SAMPLE TESTS

Soil Test Apparatus and Procedure

Materials

Permeability Test 3 test tubes,10ml of The test tubes were labeled A.B,C.
water, 5ml of soil The first test tube contained sample A, in the
second test tube soil sample B and in the last
test tube soil sample C.
10mls of water were added in each test tube.
Observations on how much and how fast the
water was retained in each tube were made.
The extra water that did not filter through was
then measured.
The results were then recorded.

Constituency Test 3 Clear jars,water,soil The jars were labeled A,B,C.

The first jar contained soil sample A,in the
second jar soil sample B and in the last jar soil
sample C.
Water was added to cover the top of each jar,
then each jar was shaken vigorously.
The jars were left to settle over a time period of
1-2 hours.
Observations were then made on the soil
samples when they settled.

Moisture content Baking sheet,200 grams The first jar contained soil sample A,in the
of soil(without second jar soil sample B and in the last jar soil
stones/pebbles), sample C.Do this one more time.
convection Label one set of the three(3) jars set A,and the
oven,timer,scale, other set B.
3 jars for soil set A,3 Place set A of soil on a baking sheet and place
more jars for soil set B. in a preheated oven 450 degrees.Set a timer for
twenty(20)minutes.
Get a scale and weigh Set B.
After twenty(20) minutes take the baking sheet
out of the oven and immediately weigh it on
the scale.
Compare the two(2) soils and record
observations.

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PLATE 3:PICTURE OF CALCULATIONS FOR THE ANGLE OF THE SLOPE

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PLATE 4: Picture of Soil Textural Classes

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