ravel but because a soil pit could not be dug, further exploration was prohibited. An extensive root system close to the surface also prevented a good approximation of soil depth. The root system lies close to the surface possibly because the drumlin allows water to percolate so quickly that the roots must remain near the surface where water remains longer.The stop at the drumlin on the county crossroads yielded some brief soil notes. The soil was less than 50% silty loam and horizon development was smooth. The stop at the Rice Lake drumlin did not provide much more information on soils since there was only a thin layer of humus on top of continuous sand.Part III: Warsaw CavesThe soil at the Warsaw Caves is quite limited and does not vary over great distances. Generally, soil was 6cm to 12cm deep on top of the bedrock. There were no soil horizons because the material was mainly humus with some silt and clay. Coarse sand dominates the beach area and is noticeable on the riverbed. The thin layer of soil made digging soil pits useless. Part IV: Comparison of Sites and Previous ResearchThe local geology of each site has an influence on the characteristics of soil composition. Eroded Precambrian Shield rock is generally sandy (Easton, 1992, p.1030), which is concurrent with field findings at the Bedrock Knob. Carbonate rocks, such as limestone, that are subjected to erosion produce silty and sometimes clayey tills (Easton, 1992, p. 1030), which were present intermittently throughout the area on day two. The Warsaw Caves also showed evidence of this type of eroded material. Soils of the Dummer Moraine area are “stony and shallow” (Otonabee Region Conservation Authority, 1983, p. 3-6) and are therefore not ideal for agriculture. Soils of the Oak Ridges Moraine are characterized by infertile, sandy, and excessively drained soils. (Otonabee Region Conservation Authority, 1983, p. 3-6)Section 6: MicroclimatePart I: The...
