About the Course

The course is intended for those preparing to be professional environmentalists and who have minimal knowledge of soil science. Thus, the primary emphasis of the course is defining and describing soil properties and processes that determine the fundamental role soils play in the environment. The instructor will assign additional readings to supplement the text and to add material depth and critical thinking exercises. An optional, associated laboratory (SWS 5050L, 1 credit), and demonstration exercises experientially reinforce the concepts presented in the lecture.

Part I of the course describes soil functions and soil formation. Part II describes/analyzes physical, chemical, and biological soil properties and processes, and soil classification. Parts III and IV deal with specific soil types/situations where the previously described terms and processes are integrated to address environmental management issues.