16 From Thin Section to Outcrop: Exploration of Undergraduate Research (Posters)
This session is designed to showcase undergraduate research across all disciplines. All submissions should be written by the student(s) and include a faculty co-author. Categories: Cross-Disciplinary, all topics welcome
Sunday, 22 March 2026
1:30 PM - 5:30 PM
CCC, Ballroom C
An Analysis of Serpentine Derived Soils in Southeastern Pennsylvania,
Paper number: 16-31
Program: Technical Sessions
Time: 1:30 PM – 1:30 PM
Authors
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Jessica PowersWest Chester University , West Chester, Pennsylvania
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Ethan MartinWest Chester University , West Chester , Pennsylvania
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Russell LoscoWest Chester University, West Grove, Pennsylvania
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Steve DadioDelaware Valley University , Doylestown , Pennsylvania
Abstract
The composition of soil derived from weathered serpentinite bedrock is poorly understood, largely because it is not widespread. It is known to be infertile and, in some cases, toxic to the growth of many domesticated crops. As such, serpentinite outcrops often support a unique plant community known as “serpentine barrens”. Because of the inability to support many crops, the “serpentine barrens” are often found in parks and preserves because the owner’s donated these unproductive areas. As serpentine soils occur in small areas and are not wide-spread, most soil scientists and geologists have largely ignored these soils. We sampled soil from a number of sites underlain by serpentinite and analyzed their chemical make-up, in an attempt to begin to understand the properties of these soils.
Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 58, No. 2
doi: 10.1130/abs/2026NE-411174
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