Dirt Milkshakes

One dirt milkshake please, hold the milk

We analyze soil texture by measuring the density of a soil slurry over 24 hours- larger particles (sand and silt) will slowly settle to the bottom of the cylinder, while small particles (clay) will stay suspended. Soil texture is a big driver of microbial activity, so if we want to understand how soil microbes indicate changing soil health, we also need to know the soil’s texture!