An excellent example of the role plants play in keeping our soil intact and even clean of impurities. This simple experiment shows the importance of trees as a part of our environment. The water that runs through soil with vegetation, comes out clear, while the other two without vegetation is muddy. So, why do we keep cutting the trees in our forests ? Share this with your friends to know as many people the negative effects of deforestation.
Genius presentation! This will come in handy someday. Thanks for sharing.
have to do this with my son one summer, first ask him what he thinks is going to happen
Okay, I agree with your first sentence, and that’s about it. This shows the importance of plants for what exactly? While you are saying soil erosion, and saying that we should stop deforestation, there’s a lot more plants out there than just trees. The left most bin probably more accurately reflects the value or a prairie or rain garden, while the middle shows what a forest floor looks like, but that’s not a bad thing. In fact, most forest floors have inches of leaf litter, and other plant debris, that that is much needed by a forest because that leaf litter will decay and provide nutrients for the trees and underbrush, as well as help prevent water loss in the soil due to evaporation, and it will prevent light from getting to weeds, preventing competition for nutrients in the soil.
So, while I hardily agree we need more plants in the world, I don’t see how you’ve come to the conclusion that this experiment means that deforestation is bad. To me, it simply shows that plants help prevent soil erosion (and possibly help filter water that does flow throw the soil their roots are in, which would suggest that we need more rain gardens, but does not conclude anything).
I’m certainly no expert, but I think this experiment simply demonstrates how top soil avoids erosion when it’s covered in just about any type of plant life because of the root systems. Top soil erosion primarily occurs when water runs over it, carrying it bit by bit. In a natural environment, this water is mostly absorbed by the plants and trees. The first example uses grass, but on a natural scale, the large roots of trees would be better suited to play that part. The last two examples show a barren soil with no plant life to cushion the blow of flowing water. It’s a very simple point, which I think is why this experiment can be so effective, especially when explaining soil erosion to children.
Everything I wish to pin from your site…is blocked. HIGHLY frustrating as there are so many wonderful things to pin. This would have went to a homeschooling page. When I attempted, it stated goes to an inappropriate site…
=(
I’ve been telling them the same thing for ages. I don’t think anyone monitors there site!!!