It's like the second time that this has happened this week. I wish I could just
walk on concrete all the time so that this would never happen again.
You know, that's not a bad idea. We should just replace all of this with concrete. I
would never walk in mud again. I mean, it's not like it really matters, right?
Hold on. You can't do that. Land cover matters. Wait, what do you mean? What even is land cover?
Land cover is defined as the physical material at the surface of the Earth. But why does it matter,
and how can it impact communities? To learn more let's try a simple experiment.
All you need are different samples of different land types, paint bins to hold them, some water,
a measuring cup, and sprinkles are optional. You'll want to place your surface sample in the
shallower end of the tray, like so. And then in order to boost up the deeper end of the tray, you
want a rock or a piece of wood under the shallower end to keep it stable. Here,
we have samples of concrete, gravel, sand, and soil. The sprinkles will
represent the pollution that rests on these surfaces. Now, let's see how it interacts with
our simulated rainfall. Gently pour one-half cup of water evenly over the surface samples.
Take notes on how each surface sample interacts with the added water.
Does the sample absorb it fully? Is all the water run off to the bottom of the tray
or is it somewhere in between? What happened to our pollutants or sprinkles? Try this experiment
and consider these questions. Does land cover matter? If so, can it affect communities? What
types of land samples seem most beneficial for communities? Why, what about the most problematic?