Correlation Between Kudzu and Soil Salinity

School Name

Chapin High School

Grade Level

12th Grade

Presentation Topic

Environmental Science

Presentation Type

Non-Mentored

Abstract

Today, kudzu is estimated to span over three million hectares, or 30 billion square meters. Kudzu continues to spread at a rate of 50 thousand hectares, or 500 million square meters per year. Kudzu has been shown to increase nitric oxide and ozone pollution in the atmosphere, so this research looks into how kudzu affects the soil below. Soil salinity is the amount of dissolved salts (such as sodium chloride, calcium chloride, and magnesium chloride) in a particular sample of soil. Having plants at an unnatural soil salinity to them can lead to limited plant growth, or possibly its death, although plants can temporarily adapt to soil salinity by shrinking their root cells. This leads to the research question: To what extent is the correlation between a kudzu infestation and the salinity of soil within 3 feet of a kudzu infestation in South Carolina prevalent? It is hypothesized that if kudzu is present within three feet of sampled soil, then the soil will have a higher salinity than soil farther than three feet away from kudzu. After analyzing using a Two-Sample T-Test, it was found that there was a strong correlation, with the hypothesis being proven correct. There is a definite correlation between a kudzu infestation and the soil salinity within 3 feet of the kudzu infestation.

Location

RITA 154

Start Date

3-23-2024 9:15 AM

Presentation Format

Oral and Written

Group Project

No

COinS
 
Mar 23rd, 9:15 AM

Correlation Between Kudzu and Soil Salinity

RITA 154

Today, kudzu is estimated to span over three million hectares, or 30 billion square meters. Kudzu continues to spread at a rate of 50 thousand hectares, or 500 million square meters per year. Kudzu has been shown to increase nitric oxide and ozone pollution in the atmosphere, so this research looks into how kudzu affects the soil below. Soil salinity is the amount of dissolved salts (such as sodium chloride, calcium chloride, and magnesium chloride) in a particular sample of soil. Having plants at an unnatural soil salinity to them can lead to limited plant growth, or possibly its death, although plants can temporarily adapt to soil salinity by shrinking their root cells. This leads to the research question: To what extent is the correlation between a kudzu infestation and the salinity of soil within 3 feet of a kudzu infestation in South Carolina prevalent? It is hypothesized that if kudzu is present within three feet of sampled soil, then the soil will have a higher salinity than soil farther than three feet away from kudzu. After analyzing using a Two-Sample T-Test, it was found that there was a strong correlation, with the hypothesis being proven correct. There is a definite correlation between a kudzu infestation and the soil salinity within 3 feet of the kudzu infestation.