Objective:

• Collect a soil sample from a White Oak on campus to answer the question asked on Wednesday (9/5)

Procedure:

1. A plastic bag, a 15 mL tube, tape measure, and shovel were obtained to collect soil.
2. After walking around campus, a Bur Oak (White Oak) tree was chosen to be the site of soil collection.
3. The circumference of the tree was measured to be 73.5 cm, the circumference of the tree canopy was found to be 957.6 cm, and the height of the tree was about 959.6 cm. The circumference of the tree was calculated after finding the radius of the canopy (152.4 cm) and using the equation for the circumference of a circle. The height of the tree was found after taking a picture of the tree with the tape measure (152.4 cm) held vertically and comparing it to the height of the tree in the picture.
   1. Canopy Calculation:

      C = 2πr

      C = 2π(152.4 cm)

      C = 957.6 cm

4. Once data collection was complete and pictures were taken, a leaf was picked from the tree and stored in the plastic bag.
5. The soil sample was collected about 60 cm from the trunk of the tree using the shovel. The 15 mL tube was filled with 8 mL of dirt.
6. Both the plastic bag and tube were labeled “Soil B” and stored in the fridge until (9/10)

Observations:

• While collecting the soil is was noted that the soil was very moist, almost clay consistency, from the rain that was received the night before.
• The ground around the tree was mostly soil with very little grass or weeds.
• The tree was in a shady spot among other trees of similar age and size.
• Visually the tree was healthy. No roots were exposed on the ground, no markings on the bark, and the leaves were green (a few brown ones).

Next Steps:

• During the next lab the soil sample “Soil B” will be washed to obtain enriched and direct lysate. The lysates will then be tested for Arthrobacter phages using spot tests and plaque assays. Once the bacteria and lysates are plated, results will occur and there may be answers for the question being researched.