Soil Genesis, Classification, and Mapping

Catalog description

Lecture and laboratory course on the genesis of soils, their classification, mapping, and interpretation for land use. SOILS 416 Soil Genesis and Classification (3) The study of soil genesis, classification, and mapping examines the evolution of soils, their organization into natural units, and their distribution throughout the world. Physical, chemical, and morphological soil characteristics are studied both in the field and classroom and then used to classify soils. These classification units are in turn used to study the processes that influence soil development. Students acquire a detailed knowledge of the technical terminology of soil genesis and develop observational and analysis skills needed to describe and/or interpret soil morphologies in the context of the landscape a profile is found in. Students learn to recognize and explain soil genetic pathways due to current or past soil forming periods (as affected by climate change for example). Students also evaluate the effect of soil genesis on land use and management decisions, learn how to map soils at multiple scales, and deliver soil mapping information. The course is comprised of weekly lectures and a laboratory. Exercises in the field and laboratory are designed to further develop a student's ability to ascertain a natural soil's origin using the five soil forming factors. Field skills that will be refined over the course of the semester include profile description, site description, soil mapping, and measurement and characterization of soil physical and chemical properties. Upon completion of SOILS 416 , students will demonstrate: 1) deep understanding of fundamental soil processes that result in the genesis of soils around the world; 2) familiarity with soil analytical and testing protocols for common laboratory and field measurements used in studying the genesis of soils; 3) skills for interpreting soil profiles from the soil orders of the world; 4) accurate prediction of soil genesis pathways for a given landform; 5) the ability to interpret soil profile physical and chemical data, classify a soil according to US Soil Taxonomy, map soils to an order 1 level, and be able to apply soil profile information as gathered from the US Soil Survey program to make land use interpretations.