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EV3001: GLOBAL SOIL GEOGRAPHY (2017-2018)

Last modified: 26 Feb 2018 19:46


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 exam will also assessed.

Course Details

Study Type Undergraduate Level 3
Session First Sub Session 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 Programme Level 3 or Programme Level 4
  • Any Undergraduate Programme (Studied)
  • One of BSc Biology (Studied) or BSc Conservation Biology (Studied) or BSc Plant Biology (Studied) or Non-Graduating Student in Plant & Soil Science Erasmus (Studied) or BSc Zoology (Studied) or BSc Animal Ecology (Studied) or Non-Graduating Student in Zoology Erasmus (Studied) or BSc Marine Biology (Studied) or BSc Parasitology (Studied) or BSc Animal Behaviour (Studied) or BSc Behavioural Biology (Studied) or MSci Biological Sciences (Studied) or BSc Biological Sciences (Honours) (Studied) or BSc Plant and Soil Sciences (Studied) or BSc Biology - Education (Primary) (Studied) or Bachelor Of Science In Environmental And Forest Management (Studied) or Non-Graduating Student in Agriculture and Forestry Erasmus (Studied) or BSc Ecology (Studied) or BSc Wildlife Management (Studied) or BSc Forestry (Studied) or Non-Graduating Student in Forestry Iss (Studied) or BSc Forest Sciences (Studied) or BSc Environmental Chemistry (Studied) or Master of Chemistry (Environmental Chemistry) (Studied) or BSc Geology (Studied) or BSc Geoscience (Studied) or BSc Geography (Studied) or BSc Environmental Science (Studied) or BSc Environmental Science (Physical Sci) (Studied) or BSc Geography-Geoscience (Studied) or BSc Biology - Education (Secondary) (Studied) or Erasmus Student Diploma in Science (Studied) or Non-Graduating Student in Science First Half-Session (Studied) or Non-Graduating Student in Science Full Year (Studied) or Non-Graduating Student in Science Eu (Studied) or Non-Graduating Student in Science Iss (Studied)
  • One of BI1509 Ecology and Environmental Science (Passed) or BI1511 Ecology and Environmental Science (Passed) or SF1504 Ecology and Environmental Science (Foundation) (Passed)

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

  • SS3008 Global Soil Geography (Studied)
  • SS5008 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

Further Information & Notes

This course runs in weeks 7-11, and is scheduled in Thread 1, so may have contact hours in any or all of these times:  Mondays, 9-13; Thursday, all day; Friday, 9-13.  If this is an optional course, there may also be contact hours on Wednesdays, 11-13.


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

1st Attempt: 1 two-hour written examination (40%) and in-course assessment (60%). In course assessment is made up of three parts, a soil description (25%), a field notebook (10%) and a quiz on soil classification (25%). Resit: 1 two-hour examination.

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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