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RESCHEDULED: Soil Health in the Field: Earthworm Sampling and Earthworm Indicators

Event date/time: 
Tuesday, September 13, 2022 - 9:30am to 1:00pm
Event Type: 
In-person
Event location: 
UMass Crop Animal Research and Education Center
89 River Road, South Deerfield, MA, 01373
Price: 
Free

THIS EVENT WAS ORIGINALLY SCHEDULED FOR 8/30/22 and HAS BEEN RESCHEDULED TO 9/13/22.

Earthworms are a favorite field-indicator of soil health. While you might think all earthworms are created equal, earthworms are categorized based on behavior and location in the soil. Learning to identify the earthworms that we sample can enhance our interpretation of this soil health indicator and give us a better understanding of soil processes.

This workshop is lead by entomologist Dr. Olga Kostromytska with UMass Extension and earthworm expert Dr. Annise Dobson of Yale University. This workshop is appropriate for complete beginners and experienced samplers alike. We will take samples in row crop, hayfield, and forest soils and practice identification using a key, hand lens, and dissecting microscopes. Earthworm types collected from each of the three fields will be compared, and we will discuss how we can use these findings to interpret the soil health. This is a translatable skillset valuable for agricultural service providers, farmers, and scientists.

If you would like to stay for a BYOL picnic (bring your own lunch) please feel welcome to do so. Bring a lawn chair or picnic blanket to sit outside, enjoy the scenery, and chat with soil health minded friends and colleagues.

Coffee and donuts provided in the morning.

 

 

Speaker(s) / Instructor(s): 
Dr. Olga Kostromytska, UMass Extension
Dr. Annise Dobson, Yale University
How to Participate: 

This event is free, but please pre-register so we can plan accordingly. 

Contact's name: 
Sam Corcoran
Contact's email: 
This event will be recorded: 
No
89 River Road South Deerfield MA