SOILS AND LAND USE

Geography 415/515

Instructor: Dr. Keith Hadley

Office: CH 424 M

Office Hours: MWF 11:30-12:30 or by appointment

Phone: 725-3078

E-mail: hadley@pdx.edu (Subject: Geog415)

Web Site: http://web.pdx.edu/~hadley

COURSE OBJECTIVE: This course approaches soils using edaphic (soil/plant relationships) and pedologic (soil genesis, morphology, and classification) perspectives. The goal of the course is develop student understanding of soil properties by focusing on 1) external soil forming factors including climate, parent material, topography, biota, and time, and 2) internal (pedogenic) processes that determine the physical, chemical, mineralogical, and biological characteristics of soils. Soils of the Pacific Northwest, the human modification and degradation of soils, and the application of soils in the study of landforms and land use are also examined.

REQUIRED TEXT:

Elements of the Nature and Properties of Soils, Brady, N.C. and Weil, R.R. 2000.

Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey

GRADING:

Final grades will be based on:

1. Class Participation 5%

2. Class Exercises/Quizzes 10%

3. Mid-Term Exams 40%

4. Final Exam 20%

5. Term Paper or Project 25%

Graduate students will be expected to present their projects during the last week of classes. Exams will consist of true/false and multiple guess questions, matching, definitions, slide identification, fill-in-the-blank, short and long essay questions. Final grades for the course will be curved. Students who feel they have a learning disability that may affect their performance are encouraged to meet with me as soon as possible so that accommodations can be made.

The following is a course outline covering the major lecture topics and reading assignments. This is a tentative schedule which may be adjusted as the term progresses. In addition to the textbook assignments, students will be responsible for knowing the material on class handouts. Overhead masters referred to during the lecture are available in the Geography Department Office.

TENTATIVE CLASS SCHEDULE

TOPIC # DESCRIPTION READINGS

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1 Introduction to Soils Chapter 1

2 Soil Parent Materials and Soil Chapter 2

Forming Factors

3 Soil Classification Chapter 3

4 Physical Properties of Soils Chapter 4

Exam 1

5 Soil Water Chapter 5

6 Soil Colloids Chapter 8

7 Soil Organic Matter Chapter 12

Exam 2

8 Soil Erosion, Conservation, and Chapter 17

Land Capability Classification

9 Geographic Soil Information Chapter 19

10 Global Soil Issues Chapter 20

11 Graduate Student Presentations

FINAL EXAM