The Spatial Re-Distribution of Soil Properties during Urbanization in North Central Florida.

Quantifying the spatial distribution of soil properties can greatly improve soil and natural resource management. While spatial soil analyses in forest and agricultural land uses are common place, these investigations are rare in urban soils. Given expanding urbanization on the north Central Florida landscape, quantifying how soil properties change with urbanization is necessary for future and optimal land management. The goal of this study is to compare the spatial variability of urban and forested soils in Ocala, Florida using semivariograms. The parameters of interest are pH, percent organic matter, percent silt and clay by volume, percent greater than 2mm by mass, bulk density, mean particle size, and median particle size. Samples were collected from the backyards of 9 houses where soil was filled and graded as well as collected from an undeveloped plot of forested land in the same area. For collection, a soil punch corer with a diameter of 1.8cm was used and samples were collected to 15cm in depth. Using the equation for the volume of a cylinder, bulk density was determined after samples were weighed. In the lab, pH was determined using both water and salt solution. Soils were sieved and percent greater than 2mm was measured by weight. Characteristics relating to soil texture (percent silt and clay by volume, mean particle size, median particle size) were determined using a Beckman-Coulter LS 13 320 Laser Diffraction Particle Size Analyzer and were not dispersed. Percent organic matter was determined using LOI (loss on ignition ). Our work indicates that shifting land use from forest to urban in North Central Florida results in a significant and property dependent reorganization of soil’s chemical and physical nature.