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  5. Soil Science
  6. SS5305: Soils For Food Security

SS5305: SOILS FOR FOOD SECURITY (2023-2024)

Last modified: 05 Oct 2023 08:46


Course Overview

This advanced soil science course provides additional teaching of physical, chemical and biological properties of soils in the context of food security and climate change. You will learn a variety of processes that affect soil productivity, accompanied by practical sessions that will teach relevant analytical methods. Students are introduced to modelling of agricultural impacts on soils and the environment, particularly in relation to greenhouse gas emissions and carbon sequestration, so that mitigation strategies can be assessed.

There are two practical sessions with assignments, a debate and a modelling exercise that involves and quiz and assignment.

Course Details

Study Type Postgraduate Level 5
Session First Sub Session Credit Points 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits)
Campus Aberdeen Sustained Study No
Co-ordinators
  • Professor Paul Hallett

What courses & programmes must have been taken before this course?

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

Are there a limited number of places available?

No

Course Description

The course examines soil conditions in relation to environmental sustainability and food security. This will be into context of soil management, inherent soil properties and major limiting factors such as water availability.

  • The first stage will consider the soil physical environment through aspects of structure, mechanical behaviour and the relationship with water. This will be supplemented with field work and practical laboratory work to examine the impact of inherent soil properties and soil management.
  • The soil chemical environment will focus on pH, mineralogy, exchange sites and nutrient/ trace nutrient availability. Contrasting soil types will be used to underpin these concepts. There will be complementary laboratory and field work and data processing.
  • The final stage will be to integrate the first two parts with the plant environment with a specific emphasis on agronomy and wider environmental impacts. The impacts of increasing food production on the environment will also be considered. Modelling of soil processes related to food security and the environment will be taught.

Main Learning Outcomes

  • An understanding of the underpinning factors of the soil physical and chemical environment.
  • An ability to develop experimental procedures to analyse the soil physical and chemical environment.
  • The capability of processing data associated with soil physical and chemical measurements and an understanding of the limitations and uncertainties associated with such data.
  • The ability to integrate the plant environment with soil physical and chemical parameters.
  • A working knowledge of the interaction between crops and different soil physical and chemical parameters, and an introduction to modelling of food security issues related to soil.
  • Use of models to assess soil food security in response to environmental change.


Taught topics covered include:

  • Soils in the context of food security
  • The soil physical environment
  • Interactions between plant roots and soil physical processes
  • The soil chemical environment for plant growth
  • Nutrients and plant-soil interactions
  • Stresses affecting food security, including salinity and environmental change
  • Environmental modelling of soils for security

Associated Costs

DescriptionValue
Students should possess a Howie laboratory coat and safety glasses. Further details of requirements can be found on the course's MyAberdeen page. The cost listed here is approximate. GBP 23.00

Contact Teaching Time

Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.

Teaching Breakdown

More Information about Week Numbers


Details, including assessments, may be subject to change until 31 August 2023 for 1st half-session courses and 22 December 2023 for 2nd half-session courses.

Summative Assessments

Lab Report: Individual

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 20
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

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Feedback
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Lab Report: Individual

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 35
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

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Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Lab Report: Individual

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 15
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

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Feedback

Students will get generic verbal feedback on each laboratory report and during tutorials in relation to progress on tasks. Each student will receive individual feedback and a grade for each laboratory report. Feedback will be provided as written comments.
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Debate

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 30
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

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Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Formative Assessment

There are no assessments for this course.

Course Learning Outcomes

Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
FactualRememberILO’s for this course are available in the course guide.
 

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