Project Team
Students
Lex Gardner
Geoscience
Penn State Berks
Faculty Mentors
Jill Felker
Penn State Berks
Biology
Tami Mysliwiec
Penn State Berks
Biology
Project
Project Video
Project Abstract
This research project is a pilot study to determine the phosphate concentrations along the Blue Marsh Watershed. The Blue Marsh Watershed currently suffers from a multitude of issues and has become unhealthy over time. Some of these problems include the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, microplastics entering the water, sediment runoff, and algae blooms. If left unchecked, these problems will continue to worsen. Water from this watershed is used downstream as drinking water and in recreational areas such as the beach area around Blue Marsh Lake. In this project, we developed a protocol and began recording the Blue Marsh Watershed soil phosphate concentrations. Soil samples were taken at upstream, downstream, and Blue Marsh Lake locations. Sampling was done using trowels and measuring tape, taking ten 3-in-deep samples from 0 to 1 meter from the shore and ten 3-in-deep samples from 1 to 2 meters. Each sampling group was mixed thoroughly in a bucket and placed in a marked sealed bag, following the Penn State Agricultural Analytical Services Laboratory sampling recommendations. Samples were sent to the Penn State Agricultural Analytical Services Laboratory for soil fertility analysis. Results from the fertility tests were used to compare differences in chemical compositions between locations. The findings from this project can also be applied to other current Blue Marsh Watershed projects, such as antibiotic-resistant bacteria concentrations, water pH levels, and toxic algae blooms. The soil sampling process could be done annually or biannually to determine if phosphate concentrations are increasing or decreasing over time. Changes in phosphate concentrations, possibly from climate change and emerging containments, can now be monitored in the Blue Marsh Watershed.
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