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SS5008: GLOBAL SOIL GEOGRAPHY (2017-2018)

Last modified: 27 Feb 2018 11:42


Course Overview

 

Field based course that takes you across northeast Scotland exploring an ancient tropical rainforest, hill farming in action, survey techniques and soil formation.

A long tradition of soil science teaching at the University of Aberdeen assembled into lectures and field trips delivered by senior academics.

Your assessments are geared towards developing practical skills. This includes a field log book to teach survey techniques, a presentation on a particular soil that requires research akin to detective work, and a quiz on soil classification. An essay will also assessed.

Course Details

Study Type Postgraduate Level 5
Term First Term Credit Points 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits)
Campus None. Sustained Study No
Co-ordinators
  • Professor Paul Hallett

Qualification Prerequisites

None.

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

  • Either Any Postgraduate Programme (Studied) or BI4015 Grant Proposal (Passed)
  • One of MRes Environmental Science or MRes Soil Science or MSc Applied Marine and Fisheries Ecology or Master Of Science In Environmental And Forest Management or MSc Soil Science or Master Of Science In Environmental Pollution And Remediation or Master Of Science In Environmental Management or MSc Environmental Science or MSci Biological Sciences

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

  • EV3001 Global Soil Geography (Studied)

Are there a limited number of places available?

No

Course Description

 

Considers the factors and processes that form soils; the aspects that govern the distribution and evolution of soils in a local, regional and global scale; the interaction of soils with biological processes and their susceptibility to environmental change; the classification and taxonomy of soils; and the use of mapping in land capability and other practices. Weekly field trips provide hands-on experience across northeast Scotland.

Associated Costs

None


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 30 August 2024 for 1st term courses and 20 December 2024 for 2nd term courses.

Summative Assessments

Soil Taxonomy Presentation (25%) and Poster (15%); Field Book of Soil Excursions (10%); Essay - 3 page summative (25%); Soil Classification Quiz (25%).

Formative Assessment

 A strong emphasis will be made throughout the course on informal verbal feedback during discussions, field trips, practicals and presentations.

Feedback

Each student will receive individual feedback and a mark for each task. Feedback will be provided as written comments.

Course Learning Outcomes

None.

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