Level 2
- SS 2002 - INTRODUCTION TO SOILS
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- Credit Points
- 15
- Course Coordinator
- Dr C E Mullins
Pre-requisites
TS 1001 or an A or B grade in Higher Maths, Physics or Chemistry or equivalent qualifications.
Overview
Soils form one of the three main components of our environment and their conservation is essential for sustained life on earth. How soils interact with water, plants, microorganisms and pollutants is also crucial to understanding how to manage the planet.
The course forms a basis for understanding soil geography, properties and environmental processes in soils. Topics covered include: the origin and development of soils; processes in the soil system; the soil physical, chemical and biological environment (including element cycling, soil organic matter and microbial habits).
2 one-hour lectures per week and 1 three-hour practical or field trip every other week.
1 two-hour examination (67%) and continuous assessment on field and laboratory reports (33%). - SS 2503 - SOILS IN THE ENVIRONMENT
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- Credit Points
- 15
- Course Coordinator
- Dr C E Mullins
Pre-requisites
Overview
This course introduces environmental applications of Soil Science. Topics include soils and land use; land classification; soil hydrology; managing soils and soil water; carbon and nitrogen cycling in soils; soil fertility; soil sustainability; soil erosion, degradation and pollution and their control.
2 one-hour lectures per week and 1 three-hour practical every other week.
1 two-hour examination (67%) and continuous assessment on laboratory reports (33%).
Level 3
- SS 3008 - GLOBAL SOIL GEOGRAPHY
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- Credit Points
- 15
- Course Coordinator
- Dr M Billet and Dr G Paton
Pre-requisites
Overview
Factors of soil formation, in particular the importance of parent material; key global soil forming processes; systems of soil classification; geographical distribution of world soils; approaches to mapping and surveying soils.
6 week course, Thread I – 3 one-hour lectures per week and 4 field trips.
1 two-hour written examination (50%) and continuous assessment (50%). - SS 3305 - SOIL PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT
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- Credit Points
- 15
- Course Coordinator
- Dr C Mullins
Pre-requisites
Overview
The soil physical environment controls the growth of plant roots and the movement of water, nutrients, micro-organisms and pollutants. The course covers aspects of the soil physical environment that are important in understanding these processes (particle size distribution, soil structure, the water release characteristics, aeration, water and solute movement, and effects of physical factors on plant roots) as well as a training in important laboratory techniques (sub-sampling, water-stable aggregate analysis, the water release characteristic).
6 week course, Thread II - 3 one-hour lectures and 2 three-hour laboratories per week.
1 two-hour written examination paper (67%) and assessment of practical reports (33%).