ESC 210: Introduction to Soils, Fall 2004
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INSTRUCTOR: Dr. Darlene Zabowski, Room 204 Bloedel Hall, phone 685-9550.
Office Hours: Monday and Wednesday, 11:30 am to 1:30 pm and by appointment.
Email: zabow@u.washington.edu
Teaching assistants: Amanda Ogden, Room 340 Bloedel Hall, phone 616-1879.
Office hours: Monday and
Friday, 1:30-3:30 pm and by appointment.
Email: aogden@u.washington.edu
Ellen Mussman, Room 340 Bloedel Hall,
phone 616-1879.
Office hours: Tuesday and
Thursday, 9:30-11:30 pm and by appointment.
Email: ellenh2@u.washington.edu
This class is intended for students who desire a basic knowledge of the physical, chemical and biological properties of soils. Introductory soils will give you an understanding of what soils are, what processes occur in soils, nutrient supply to plants, land use impacts, and how soils function as a part of the ecosystem.
Text for Course: Elements of the Nature and Properties of Soils (Brady and Weil)
Website: http://faculty.washington.edu/~zabow/esc210.htm
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Week |
Approximate Lecture Topics |
Reading Assignments (Chapters and Pages) |
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Elements... |
13th Edition |
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1 |
Introduction, Soil components |
Chap. 1 (1-20) |
Chap. 1 (1-23), and Chap. 2 (69-72) |
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2 |
Soil morphology, Soil physical properties |
Chapter 2 (53-56), Chap. 4 |
Chap. 4 |
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3 |
Factors of soil formation, |
Chap. 2 (26-49) |
Chap. 2 (31-64) |
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4 |
Weathering, Clay minerals, Soil pH, |
Chap. 8 and Chap. 9 (266-280) |
Chap. 8 and Chap. 9 (363-377) |
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5 |
Pedogenesis, Soil classification, |
Chap. 2 (49-53) and Chap. 3 (58-83) |
Chap. 2 (64-68) and Chap. 3 (84-111) |
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6 |
Review; EXAM: NO CLASS Nov. 5 |
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7 |
Soil air and temperature, Soil water |
Chap. 5 and Chap. 7 |
Chap. 7 and Chap. 11 |
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8 |
Organic matter and decomposition, Soil organisms |
Chap. 11, Chap. 10 |
Chap. 12, Chap. 1 (24-28), and library file |
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9 |
Essential nutrients, Nutrient availability, HOLIDAY on Friday |
Chap.1 (20-25) and library file |
Chap. 13 (543-572) |
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10 |
Nutrient cycling, Soil Conservation |
Chapter 12 (386-408) |
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11 |
Poster session (Dec.6th); Student presentations (Dec 8th); Review |
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12 |
FINAL EXAM, December 14th , 8:30-10:20am |
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COURSE REQUIREMENTS AND GRADING
1 Mid-term exam, November 3rd: 25%
1 Final exam, December 14th: 35%
1 Required lab session and lab quiz (3rd week of the quarter): 5%
4 Quizzes, to be given on Mondays (October 11th, October 25th, November 15th,
and November 29th): 15%
1 Group poster presentation and paper: 20%
1 Required field trip
LABORATORY SESSION
Each student must complete a single afternoon lab session (4 hours) and lab
quiz. This lab period will help you learn about some physical and chemical
properties of soil. Lab session are scheduled for October 14th,
15th, 18th, 19th and 21st from 1:30 to 5:20 pm in Rm. 211 Bloedel Hall. During the lab you
will be given a "quiz" to complete using your results and lab
displays. Sign-up sheets will be posted for you to choose a lab day.
QUIZZES
You will be given a total of 4 quizzes in class. I will average your 3 best
in-class quizzes with the lab quiz for this part of your grade. Quizzes are
intended to help you keep up with the material, determine where you may need
additional explanation, and evaluate your progress.
GROUP POSTER PRESENTATIONS AND REPORTS
Groups of 3 or 4 students will work together on a project to produce a report
and make a poster for presentation to the class. Groups will be assigned in
mid-October. Each group must choose its project and submit a title and outline
by October 27th.
Posters will be displayed from December 6th through December 8th. Reports will be due on December 8th. Posters must be at least 2.5 ft high by 3 ft wide and no more than 3 ft high x 5 ft wide in size. Posters will be displayed on easels, so they need to be in one piece and somewhat rigid. If you have other materials you would like to display with your poster, tables can be set up next to your poster. All posters must have a title, authors, group number, introduction, description of soil(s) (photos would be good), project information, and conclusions. More details will be provided later. Sample posters are on display in Bloedel Hall.
Reports should be 12-15 pages long not including references or figures. Reports should be broken into sections appropriate to your project, but all reports must include an Introduction, Conclusions and References in addition to a section(s) specific to your topic. All references should be cited in the text. Include a cover page with a title, the project number for your group, and individual student names; double space the text.
Reports and Posters will be evaluated for content, presentation / writing, research / effort, and organization. Soils faculty and graduate students will attend the poster session and evaluate posters. The focus of your project should be the formation, or management / use or misuse of a soil or soils in the Pacific Northwest. Examples would be from farming, forestry, parks, wilderness, wetlands, landscaping, Mt. St. Helens, or construction. You should discuss the soil type and properties, how it's being used, if the human use is appropriate or inappropriate and why, and how the soil has been changed by the use or activity. If the soil needs to be restored, how would you do it? Any recommendations? Projects may also focus on formation of a particular soil and its use or particular soil forming process with example soils.
FIELD TRIPS
Each student is required to attend one all day field trip. Two different field trips will be offered. One will emphasize forest soils, and the other will emphasize soils and land use. Both field trips will show you examples of different types of soils, soil profiles, environmental factors affecting soils, and soil and vegetation interactions. The field trips are offered on two different days. Choose ONE field trip to attend. Expect questions on the exams relating to the field trips.
On the day of field trips we will meet behind Bloedel Hall in the C-10
parking lot by 8:00am of the day of the field trip.
Bring a lunch, rain gear, boots, a notebook, and the field trip handout.
Handouts will be given out in class before the field trip. We will return about
5 pm.
Field Trip A: FOREST SOILS
Date: Saturday October 23rd and October 30th
The field trip will go to Bellevue, Issaquah, the Cedar River Watershed, and Snoqualmie
Pass.
Field Trip B: SOILS AND AGRICULTURE
Date: Thursday October 28th
This field trip will go to Bellevue, Snoqualmie Valley and North Bend.
Sign up for ONLY ONE field trip.
Sign-up sheets will be posted the third week of the quarter.
LIBRARY RESERVE LIST
Instructors: Dr. Darlene Zabowski
Course: ESC 210, Fall 2004
TITLE: Elements of the Nature and Properties of Soils
AUTHOR: N.C. Brady and R.R. Weil
LOAN PERIOD: 4 hours
TITLE: Soils, An Introduction, 3rd ed. or 4th ed.
AUTHOR: M.J. Singer and D.N. Munns 1993 ed.
LOAN PERIOD: 4 hours
TITLE: Soil Genesis and Classification, 5th Ed.
AUTHOR: S.W. Buol, R.J. Southard, R.J. Graham, and P.A. McDaniel
LOAN PERIOD: 4 hours
TITLE: The Properties and Management of Forest Soils
AUTHOR: R.F. Fisher and D. Binkley
LOAN PERIOD: 4 hours
TITLE: Soil Morphology, Genesis and Classification
AUTHOR: D. Fanning and M. Fanning
LOAN PERIOD: 4 hours
TITLE: Soil Fertility and Fertilizers, 5th Ed.
AUTHOR: Tisdale, Nelson, Benton and Havlin
LOAN PERIOD: 4 hours
TITLE: Keys to Soil Taxonomy, 1999 Ed.
AUTHOR: Soil Conservation Service
LOAN PERIOD: Overnight
TITLE: King County Soil Survey
AUTHOR: Soil Conservation Service
LOAN PERIOD: Overnight
TITLE: Soil Survey of Snoqualmie Pass Area
AUTHOR: Soil Conservation Service
LOAN PERIOD: Overnight
TITLE: Soil Survey of Snohomish County Area
AUTHOR: Soil Conservation Service
LOAN PERIOD: Overnight
TITLE: Soil Survey of Pierce County Area
AUTHOR: Soil Conservation Service
LOAN PERIOD: Overnight
TITLE: Soil Survey Manual
AUTHOR: Soil Survey Staff
LOAN PERIOD: Overnight