Wickham Hollow EarthCache

This earthcache is located in Wickham Park with permission. Being that this is an earthcache, there is no physical container to find. To get your smiley for the cache, e-mail your answers for the questions below to the cache owner.

Florida's soils are not like any of its surrounding states. There are twelve soil types in the United States: Alfisols, Andisols, Aridisols, Entisols, Gelisols, Histosols, Inceptisols, Mollisols, Oxisols, Spodosols, Ultisols, and Vertisols.

The composition of soil changes in the state of Florida as you travel south through the state. This is due to the lower land elevation and higher water levels in the south. Soils in higher elevations will be well drained and more prone to erosion. Soils in formed low lying areas will have poor drainage and an increased amount or organic matter. As a general rule, the lighter the coloration of sandy soil the less fertile it tends to be.

Standing near the coordinates you will be able to see two main types of Florida sandy soil: Myakka and Pomello. Both of these types of soil are ordered as Spodosols. Spodosols are ashy grey acidic soils usually made from iron, aluminum, and organic matter.

*Myakka sand has been Florida's State Soil since 1989. The word Myakka is an Indian word meaning "Big Waters". Myakka sand is poorly drained and found in lowlands and flatwoods. Its top layer is about 3-6 inches thick and is black or a dark grey color. It has a crushed sand texture and a cemented granular structure. Myakka sand is usually found with medium size roots in thick grass mats. Depth to the water table is generally about 6-18 inches. This type of sand when irrigated properly can be useful for vegetable farming.

The Myakka sand profile picture above shows a 6 inch surface layer of darker grey fine sand. The next subsurface layer is 20 inches of light grey sand. The next layer is a 6 inch subsoil of dark reddish brown fine sand. The last layer shown is a brown and yellowish sand layer. Note in the picture "F" stands for feet.

An aerial picture is provided here of the hollow to help with answering the questions if you need it.

To get credit for the cache, please answer the questions below. When answering the questions do your best. It is more important that you learn a new concept about our earth and can apply your knowledge, rather than have a precise answer.

1-What is the length and width of the hollow in feet? What is the difference (in feet) in elevation between the lowest point in the hollow and the highest point along the palmetto edge line?

2-What is the (texture, color, and dampness) of the soil in the middle of the hollow? Walk East out of the hollow to the palmetto line. What is the (texture, color, and dampness) of the soil at the palmetto line? (You will want to dig down a bit for this one).

3-According to the cache page descriptions and your observations what type of sand is in the middle of the hollow (Pomello or Myakka)? What type of sand is at the palmetto line of the hollow (Pomello or Myakka)?

4-What are your reasons for your answers to question #3?

5-What do you think caused the hollow here? How do you think it affects the soil?

Thank you for visiting this earthcache. Please send your answers to the above questions to the cache owner. In your "found it" log feel free to write about your experience, but don't include the earthcache answers. Thanks and we hope you enjoy beautiful Wickham Park!