soil 2010 introduction to soil science spring 2018soil 2010 introduction to soil science spring 2018...

SOIL 2010 INTRODUCTION TO SOIL SCIENCE spring 2018

COURSE DESCRIPTION This course explores the fundamental principles of soil science and soils as a natural resource. Students will be introduced to the physics, chemistry, microbiology, morphology, fertility and management of soils, and to the processes driving soil formation. The major soil types of the world and their classification will be discussed, and the relation of major soil characteristics to soil productivity, conservation and sustainability will be addressed. Students will be introduced to the role of soils in food production, carbon sequestration, groundwater quality, and the processing and cycling of nutrients and contaminants. INSTRUCTOR Dr. Karen Vaughan Asst. Professor of Pedology [email protected] www.uwyopedology.com/ @uwyopedology on IG 1005 Ag C office hours: M/W/F 8-9 am & by appointment

I was born and raised in Coventry, RI. I earned a B.S. in Entomology and Wildlife Conservation from the University of Delaware, an M.S. in Soil Science from the University of Maryland, and a Ph.D. in Soil Science from the University of Idaho. I worked for 3 years with the USDA-NRCS Snow Survey and Soil Survey programs in Salt Lake City, Utah and was on the faculty for 4 years at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo. In 2015 I joined the faculty at the University of Wyoming where I teach and conduct research in pedology, mineralogy, wetlands, soil landscape development, and biogeochemistry. My goal is to make this course and content interesting, approachable, engaging, and applicable to you. Any feedback you have throughout the semester is welcomed as I am always looking for ways to improve this course and the delivery.

TEACHING ASSISTANT Zoe Ash-Kropf M.S. student in soil science [email protected] 1015 Ag C office hours:

I’m from Oregon where I earned my B.S. in Crop and Soil Science from Oregon State University. I came to the University of Wyoming last fall to study high-alpine permafrost-affected ecosystems in the Snowy Range Mountains, Wyoming. If you have any questions or concerns throughout this course, please don’t hesitate to contact me via email. I’m happy to help!

P H O T O G R A P H B Y J I M R I C H A R D S O N , N A T I O N A L G E O G R A P H I C C R E A T I V E


TEACHING ASSISTANT Chelsea Duball Ph.D. student in soil science [email protected] Ag Rm 1B / Rm 0* office hours: *super hard to find

I am originally from the coast of Maine and New Hampshire and earned my B.S. in Environmental Science and Management, with a minor in Soil Science, from the University of Rhode Island. I continued on at URI to earn my M.S. in Biological and Environmental Sciences, with a thesis focused on the environmental impacts of oyster farming on soils and infauna. My past soil experiences also include eight years of farming in NH, soil judging, and participation with multiple soil field tours around the country. This past fall I began my PhD in Soil Science here at UWYO, with a primary focus on wetland soils. I am looking forward to interacting with you all this spring and happily welcome any questions about course material or grad career options!

TEACHING ASSISTANT Matthew King M.S. student in soil science [email protected] 1015 AG C office hours:

I grew up in southern Delaware and earned my B.S. from the University of Delaware in Environmental Soil Science. I am in my second year of my M.S. in Soil Science here at UW. My project deals with problematic calcareous soils in western Wyoming. My past experience in the soil field include working for NRCS as a seasonal tech, Environmental Tech for the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control, Lab Tech at UD, contactor conducting on-site wastewater site evaluations for Atlantic Resource Management, and a seasonal tech for Apex Life Sciences working with permafrost on the North Slope, AK. I am looking forward to this upcoming semester.

SCHEDULE Lecture meets MWF 9:00 – 9:50 am in Classroom Building 133 Lab meets either Wednesday 2:10 – 5:00 pm, Thursday 9:35 – 12:15 pm and 1:20 – 4:00 pm in STEM 235 PREREQUISITES CHEM 1000, CHEM 1020, or permission from the instructor. STRONGLY RECOMMENDED TEXT Brady, N.B. and R.R. Weil. 2008. Elements of the nature and properties of soils. 3rd edition. Pearson Education Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ. Available at the bookstore and numerous online sources. SOIL 2010 Laboratory manual – printed by UWYO copy center and available at the bookstore. LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Demonstrate basic knowledge of terms and concepts in soil science and apply this knowledge to new problems and situations.

• Understand the basic physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil. • Learn field identification of important physical soil attributes and become familiar with the U.S.

classification scheme for soils. • Form a basic understanding of formative processes for different soil types. • Gain an appreciation of soil in terrestrial ecosystems and the fundamental role that soils play in many

environmental problems as well as the limits that soil degradation places on society.


EXPECTATIONS I will expect you to: 1. Read and understand the information contained in this syllabus 2. Attend all lectures and laboratory sessions. 3. Read assigned portions of text BEFORE each lecture. 4. Ask questions and participate in class discussions. 5. Notify me or your TA ahead of time if you cannot be present for a lab or an exam. You should expect me to: 1. Come to class and be well prepared. 2. Start and end class on time. 3. Use a variety of teaching methods, not just lecture. 4. Encourage and accept points of view different from my own. 5. Encourage questions and discussion during class. 6. Be available after class, during office hours, or any other time you have questions or concerns. 7. Return graded assignments (with the help of a TA) and exams in a timely manner and provide appropriate

feedback on your performance. My goal is to return them one week after the due date. 8. Appreciate that this is not the only class you are taking this semester. EVALUATION AND GRADING CRITERIA Your course grade will be determined using a variety of metrics with 25% from lab activities, ~25% from assignments, and ~60% from exams. I will use whole letters (A, B, C, D, F) and + to indicate exceptional work. Extra credit will be available throughout the semester.

In-class assignments, homework, & quizzes 15% Exams (3) 60% optional Final Exam replaces lowest exam grade Lab component 25%

Work turned in late will not be accepted and there will be no make-up quizzes. If a school-related obligation (university-related travel, intercollegiate athletics, etc.) conflicts with a scheduled lecture or lab meeting, you must make arrangements at least one week in advance of the absence in the event that there is a scheduled exam, quiz, or homework assignment. Quizzes and in-class assignments may be given at any time during lecture. Final grades will be assigned at the discretion of the instructor based on: http://www.uwyo.edu/registrar/university_catalog/grade.html. You are responsible for keeping track of your own grade throughout the semester. The final exam is COMPREHENSIVE and OPTIONAL. COURSE WEBSITE I will post all lecture slides, homework assignments, and handouts to (http://www.uwyopedology.com/soil-2010.html) - it is password protected. All lecture slides will be posted to this site. If you notice anything missing from the site, please email me to request the content be added.


COURSE ORGANIZATION Lecture Lecture periods will be used to present and discuss the majority of the material for this course. Class time will be used for active learning exercises, example problems, and discussion of more complex material. The framework of the course will be a traditional lecture; however, the presentation will be frequently interrupted for demonstrations, discussions, and small group interactions. Exams will also be given during lecture periods. Attendance is required. Laboratory The laboratory will provide hands-on experience in a variety of skills related to soil science (either in the lab or in the field). During each session you will complete various exercises and participate in other activities. There will also be time for further discussion of subject matter. Attendance and completion of all activities is required. You must purchase a soil laboratory manual from the bookstore before the first lab session (second week of classes). LABORATORY AND FIELD TRIP POLICIES Most of the laboratory sessions will be indoors in a laboratory setting. There will be 2 outdoor, field labs later in the semester. Be prepared for rain, wind, sun (hat and sunscreen), insects, ticks, snakes, and allergies. Bring drinking water and snacks. No open-toed shoes or sandals are permitted for fieldwork or labwork. Sturdy field boots, long pants, and long-sleeved shirts are recommended. Attendance at ALL laboratory sessions is required. If you have a valid, documented excuse, you must communicate this with the instructor at least a week in advance of the absence. ATTENDANCE You are expected to attend all lectures, laboratory sessions, and field trips. Please be on time. Arriving late disrupts class and is inconsiderate of other students. Exams will be based primarily on material covered in class. Therefore, regular attendance of lectures should lead you to greater success in this course. A valid written excuse (see Excused Absences) is required for missing a laboratory session. EXCUSED ABSENCES Work turned in late will not be accepted and there will be no make-up quizzes. If a school-related obligation (university-related travel, intercollegiate athletics, etc.) conflicts with a scheduled lecture or lab meeting, you must make arrangements at least one week in advance of the absence in the event that there is a scheduled exam, quiz, or homework assignment. HOMEWORK There will be 4 homework exercises assigned throughout the semester. Answer keys will be posted at 5 pm on the due date, therefore, no late homework will be accepted. If you are unable to hand in your homework when it is due, hand it in EARLY! 1 Horizonation due ________________ 2 Soil physical properties due ________________ 3 Soil chemical properties due ________________ 4 Soil Taxonomy due ________________


CONDUCT You are expected to conduct yourself in a mature manner that is considerate and respectful of your classmates, the instructor, and yourself to insure an atmosphere that is conducive to learning. Any person who disrupts class or lab will be asked to leave. COLLABORATION You will frequently break into small, informal groups during class discussions. This will allow for greater participation and more open discussion of current lecture topics. You are also encouraged to discuss laboratory problem sets and prepare for exams together. In addition to me, your classmates (or former students, or other professors) are valuable resources—use them. However, all work you submit is to be solely your own (see Academic Integrity). DISABILITY RESOURCES If you have a documented disability and wish to discuss special accommodations, please email me or see me in person during the first week of class to make arrangements. Please work with the University Disability Support Services (UDSS) to make accommodations (http://www.uwyo.edu/udss/). CELL PHONE USAGE I understand, you are important and what you do outside of this course is important. If you must use you phone, please step out of the class (this includes texting and all other phone usage) so you do not disrupt the flow of class. While we are working in small groups, cell phone usage may be permitted to use the calculator function or search the internet for information. If I see you using your phone during class, I will ask you to stop. If I have to ask you again during the semester, I will ask you to leave to room for the remainder of the class period. Please be respectful. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY Academic dishonesty is “an act attempted or performed which misrepresents one’s involvement in an academic task in any way, or permits another student to misrepresent the latter’s involvement in an academic task by assisting in the misrepresentation. Academic dishonesty includes:

• Representing as one’s own work material (including ideas and arguments as well as actual words) copied or borrowed from any source, written or otherwise, public or private, without proper citation.

• Using a ghostwriter, commercial or otherwise, for any type of assignment. • Submitting substantially the same work for more than one class without the explicit permission of all

instructors. • Doing a class assignment for someone else, or allowing someone else to copy one’s assignment. • Using notes or prepared information in an examination, unless authorized by the instructor. • Taking an examination for someone else, or allowing someone else to take an examination for you. • Copying from, or assisting another student during an examination. • Stealing, or otherwise improperly obtaining, copies of an examination before or after its

administration. • Submitting substantially the same work as someone else unless authorized by the instructor.”

Please note that the work you submit is the work of record. Make certain that the file you email, or the paper you turn in, is the correct one.


CHILDREN AND GUESTS IN CLASSROOM Many students have children and it is not always possible to find reasonable childcare. If you are unable to find child care facilities, your children are welcome in class. It is the parent/guardian’s responsibility to minimize the disturbance to the class. Also, a guest of yours on campus is welcome to attend class with you. Individuals not enrolled at UWYO are not permitted to travel in University vehicles.

soil 2010 introduction to soil science spring 2018soil 2010 introduction to soil science spring 2018...

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