Usually taught 8 to 9:40 am Carson Hall room 10
PURPOSE: to prepare agronomists, archaeologists, botanists, gardeners, geographers, geologists, geochemists, hazardous materials managers, horticulturalists, naturalists, regional planners, public health agents, rangers, water technologists, environmental restoration technicians and other field workers to describe soil, to predict the behavior of soil, to manage plants, animals, excavation, construction and people on the soil; to protect water and fish from soil erosion siltation, to detect and correct ground water pollution, to work with other field professionals in coordinated investigations; and to explain the properties and processes of the soil to the public.
TEXT: Soils and Soil Fertility by Troeh and Thompson, 5th edition. This is one of the best standard soil text books with a practical emphasis. It is well written so that you can use it for the rest of your professional life. Keep this book. You do not need to memorize very much of it, but you must know where to find things.
There will be one long Saturday field trip. We will sometimes go on short field trips during class. The short trips are listed in this syllabus. Please wear clothing which is warm and prepare for mud even if the weather is dry. We will sometimes get a little muddy and wet in class.
I have prepared a copy of the notes for the lectures which I plan to give in this class this semester. The note book is on sale at Copy Central, at the corner of Commerce Blvd. and Rohnert Park Expressway. The packet is sold for the cost of copying. I do not make a profit on the sale. Please get a copy as soon as possible. They sometimes run out of copies. You might call and check to make sure that they have a copy for you when you arrive. Their phone number is 707/585-2336
This is the schedule of class room lectures and discussions. There will usually be a reading assignment for each lecture. Please read the chapter BEFORE class.
General Outline to Lecture Topics and Field Trips
Introduction to Soils
Class time field trip - Deposition soil Chapter 1
Parent Material Chapter 2
Class time field trip - Residual soil
Soil Classification Chapter 3
Texture and Density Lab. and Quiz 1 Chapter 4
Soil Water Chapter 5
Saturday Salt Point Trip. 8 am to 6 pm. Meet at Carson Hall 18.
Weathering
Climate and Soil Formation Chapter 6
Class Time Field Trip
Clay Minerals Chapter 7
pH and Plant Succession, Quiz 2 Chapter 8
***Soil Report Due***
Class Time Field Trip
Soil Development Chapter 9
Organisms and Organic Matter Chapter 10
Relief
Class Time Field Trip
Nitrogen Chapter 11
Sulfur Quiz 3
Phosphorous Chapter 12
Potassium
Saturday Field Trip to Marin County 9 to 1 pm
Micronutrient Cations Chapter 13
Micronutrient Anions
Soil Moisture Chapter 14
Erosion Chapter 15,19
***Pathfinder Due***
Fertilizer Quiz 4 Chapter 16,17
Inorganic Chemical Pollutants Chapter 18
Organic Chemical Pollutants
Engineering
Quiz 5 8 to 9am during Finals Week
Grading policy
Short Exams 50%
Annotated Bibliography 8%
Soil Report 8%
Field trips 10%
Attendance 18%
Participation in class 6%
A = 100 - 90%, B = 89 - 80%, C = 79 - 70%, D = 69 - 60%
The grades in this class are not "curved". If you help each other on your reports and studies you will all do better. Only the quiz is an individual effort. Please tell me if someone helps you. I will give them credit as part of the participation grade. You are welcome to take this class for Cr/Nc if you wish, but be sure that you do not have too many Cr units already and that it is acceptable with your academic advisor.There is a campus rule that no student may take a course Cr/Nc in their major.