Student Research Reports
Synergistic garden ecosystems as climate stabilizers A temperature analysis using the soil temperature Globe protocol
Organization(s):IC Assisi 3
Country:Italy
Student(s):Alisia Mirti, Giorgia Davide, Giorgia Binucci, Gianmarco Caponi, Tommaso Passeri, Damiano Piccardi, Noemi Pompili
Grade Level:Middle School (grades 6-8, ages 11-14)
GLOBE Educator(s):Angela Bolis
Contributors:
Report Type(s):International Virtual Science Symposium Report
Protocols:Soil Temperature
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Language(s):English
Date Submitted:03/05/2024
This research aims to assess the temperature dynamics within a synergistic
garden (syntropic garden) to investigate its role as a temperature stabilizer and
enhancer of soil biodiversity in the face of climate change. Employing the Globe Soil
temperature Protocol, we measured and analyzed temperature variations at different
locations within the garden, seeking to understand how this agroecological approach
influences microclimate regulation.
Objectives of our research are:
- evaluate the synergistic garden's effectiveness in regulating temperature compared to
surrounding school grounds.
- identify potential correlations between specific land uses and microclimate variations.
- investigate how the garden's design and composition contribute to temperature
stability.
- examine the broader implications of temperature regulation for the overall biodiversity
and ecological health of the synergistic garden.
By examining the synergistic garden's ability to resist temperature fluctuations, we
aim to provide insights into its potential as a sustainable solution against climate
change. Furthermore, we explored the correlation between the garden's temperature
regulation and the enhancement of soil biodiversity, contributing valuable information
for the development of resilient agricultural practices in the context of a changing
climate.
To achieve this, temperature measurements was conducted at multiple points
within the synergistic garden using the Globe Protocol. Simultaneously, corresponding
measurements was taken in different sections of the school grounds with varying
degrees of exploitation, such as paved areas, lawns, and natural vegetation.
We identified sites where water was accumulating, and we addressed the issue by
seeking locations with less water and less susceptible to atmospheric currents that
could potentially affect our measurements.
This approach allows for a comprehensive analysis of temperature variations in
relation to the specific characteristics of each land-use type.
We observed that in the synergistic garden, there is less variability at a depth of 5
cm and 10 cm compared to other soils, confirming its buffering function under the
conditions we examined. In the future, we should analyze the results during the summer
season.