Soil Magazine OliviaM SarahBi Vivienne

Featuring this Year’s organism of the year speech!

In This Issue: -Some Insightful Poems Talking About the Natural World.

-Also Some Artwork displaying some of the natural wonders of the world.

The Soil Organism of the Year is the… Amoeba!!

We amoebas believe that soil is very important because it provides organisms with food, architectural support, and it is the base of our ecosystem. Soil helps plants grow, which supplies humans, animals, and other creatures with food so that they can survive. Soil also functions as a platform for buildings, and even for the concrete grounds that many people walk on. It also is a preserver of history. A large number of artifacts are discovered in soil, and those things help historians uncover the mysteries of our world. Many things are supported by soil, and without it, organisms would not be able to perform vital functions that are necessary for our survival.

Soil loss/ degradation is a serious problem that continues to grow everyday, and soon, the earth’s population will decline because food will not be as plentiful as it was before. The two main causes of soil erosion are wind and water. Wind blows the topsoil off of the ground, and all of the humus disappears.

Heavy rains can cause soil run-off, and the fields begin to form gullies, and when the erosion continues, it is very difficult to recover from it. But these aren’t the only causes of soil erosion, some other factors include overgrazing, the decreasing amount of organic matter in topsoil, excessive cultivation, and deforestation. Because of this, the soil will no longer be fertile, and plants won’t grow. Food will become scarce and the earth’s population will gradually die out.

Franklin Delano Roosevelt once said, “The nation that destroys its soil, destroys itself.”

This is a really good point to make because it recognizes the importance of soil and that we should try to deal with this situation before its too late. The whole amoeba population depends on soil for shelter, and without it, we will go extinct. And incase you didn’t notice, that’s not a good thing. :( Us amoebas are responsible for mineralizing the nutrients in the soil. We also regulate the bacterial content in the soil.

We belong to a group of one-celled organisms called protozoa, and we roam in the thin film of water that surrounds each particle of soil. Since the film of water is so thin, we can also live in drier soils, and we still get the job done!

We greatly populate the soil, and if we were not present, many things would go wrong in the soil. We make sure that the soil is fertile so that the plants can grow.

The bacteria we eat(more like engulf!) contains more nitrogen than what we need, so to get rid of the extra nitrogen, we poop it out. Our poop contains ammonium, and the plant absorbs as much of it as it can through its roots. Those nutrients are great for the plant’s growth. Without us, humans, animals, and many other organisms would not survive because the food would not be able to grow. We believe that we are extremely beneficial to the earth, and that we deserve recognition for our hard work.

Some Artwork!

An abstract piece of art using various mediums such as soil and neutral tones of paint. By Vivienne Li.

A picture of a tree that focuses on negative/ positive space. By Vivienne Li.

Another piece of abstract art with neutral paint and soil, it is mostly composed of simple shapes. By Sarah Binns

Another picture of a tree that also focuses on negative/positive space, and shading. By Sarah Binns

Poetry Surroundings Above me there are branches That cover me like an eclipse Warming me up And shielding me forever Their long boney bodies follow me They keep going Sprouting out of the long grass These grasses are different than the ones I’m used to The muddy stubby short grasses These make me feel Pleasant As I look into the distance I see my little world Stops I see the end through the thick extensions of the trees Where the mechanical world of industry Meets the dense shrubs of my grotto I take deep breathes The smell of clean air surrounds my lungs And cleans them out like a strainer Thick black smog of the city Is a snake Attaching Writhing through your lungs This is the air I am used to The rustling of the trees is twinkling In my ears Whispering to me

Calling my In their old language I sit still and listen closer I hear the chimes of humans I remember that I am not alone They are not a memory They are in the present I search for something familiar A sharp pain springs form the tip Of my finger And I pull back from the point of the branch I step to my right And notice and crawling spider Forming a silk line straight in front of my face I snap my attention to my right There on the ground Is a single dandelion Flowing with the grass As if it is using camouflage to hide its grace From its predators I let it stay And stare at it fondly for some times As I step out The wind takes me And places me in to a world of oil And sweat In my world I was safe Cuddled Cushioned There are cars And people who are mindlessly drowning their brains Sarah Binns

Beauty Above me, I see an umbrella.

I see sun beaming through it.

In the distance, I can see a dumpster.

It smells as if someone was pouring sour milk on top of rotten fish.

The smell is not too pleasant.

I can hear Ashley’s laugh from the other side of the garden.

Her laugh is roaring but very soothing.

Its as if someone is lightly ringing a bell next to my ear.

I can smell a “minty” green scent, Almost as if it is a perfume.

I feel birds chirping right on my shoulder.

On my right, I can see a squirrel statue staring at me.

Here is a picture from our trip to DesIt is standing stiffly and suspiciously. canso Gardens.

After moving my position, I realized that there is a charming fountain next to me.

It is clogged with plants and insects, But that’s what makes it beautiful.

Olivia Matthiessen A Sense of Observance

By Vivienne Li Above me, thimble branches shield my eyes from the blinding sky, Grey skies loom ahead, The rapid chirps fill my ears with an evanescent melody.

The muffled voices in the background grasp my attention.

Flowers fill the air with a sweet and simple scent; The wooden boards are smooth with occasional bumps and unpolished blemishes.

To my right, Rows of soft green plants coat the soil.

Along the pathway, A single wood chip wanders the sea of pebbles and rocks Like an outcast.

A big, blue pot caked with dust holds a feeble sprout in its thick barriers, As I look around me, A feeling of loneliness surrounds me, And a sense of observance clouds my mind encircling me with deep thought.

I have been blind to my community, My surroundings, And most important of all, Myself.