Soil scientists use augers to collect soil “cores” for study. This one was collected from a tidal marsh in the Albemarle-Pamlico Sound, NC. The darker material is decaying plant material – stored carbon – contained in the marsh. The lighter color is mineral soil further down in the soil profile.

L. Gorczynski (blue shirt) examines soil in a tidal salt marsh soil on Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, NC with B. Parrish (orange shirt). A root mat can be seen at the right end of the yellow measuring tape as labeled. The grey layer, mineral soil, has less carbon.