Courses in Soil Science

132 Earth's Water: Natural Science and Human Use. (Also Atm Ocn) II; 3 cr. (P-E) Water is central to the function of planet Earth. As humans increase their impact on Earth's systems and cohabitants, our understanding of the multiple roles of water becomes critical to finding sustainable strategies for human and ecosystem health. This course explores the science of Earth's hydrosphere, with constant attention to human uses and impacts. P: High school math and science. Bland, Norman.

230 Soil: Ecosystem and Resource. (Also Envir St, Geog) I, SS; 3 cr. (P-I) The role of soils in ecosystems (habitat, moisture and nutrient reserve, biologically active part of the groundwater system) and the impact of human activity on the soil environment. P: Not open to students with credits in Soil Sci 301. Balster.

289 Honors Independent Study. II, SS; 1-2 cr. P: Enrolled in the CALS Honors Prgrm & So or Jr st. Inter-Ag 288.

299 Independent Study. I,II; 1-3 cr. P: Open to Fr, So or Jr st & written cons inst.

301 General Soil Science. I, II; 4 cr (P-I). Physical, chemical and biological properties of soils as they affect soil-plant-water relations, soil classification and suitability for agricultural and other uses. P: Math 112 & Chem 103 or equiv. Bleam, Tyler, Halaka.

305 Field Study of Soil. I; 1 cr (N-I). Intensive in situ description and evaluation of soil morphology. Field trips required. P: Soil Sci 230, 301 or equiv. Madison.

315 Soils and Land Use Planning. II; 3 cr (N-I). Applied pedology. Suitability of soil landscapes for human needs. Selection of soils for agriculture, urban development and other uses. Identification of critical soil resources. Use of soil landscape data to ameliorate the environmental impact of human activities. P: Jr St or cons inst. Tyler.

321 Soils and Environmental Chemistry. II; 2 cr (P-I). Sources, reactions, transport, effects and fates of chemical species in soils and associated water and air environments. Emphasis on the chemical behavior of elements and compounds and the phenomena affecting natural and anthropogenic materials in soils. P: Intro Chem 103-104 or 109-110 or equiv. Helmke, Bleam.

322 Physical Principles of Soil and Water Management. II; 3 cr (P-I). Soil physical properties and interactions as related to soil and water management. Runoff and erosion. Soil thermal and moisture regimes, soil air and aeration. P: Physics 103; Soil Sci 301 or cons inst. Lowery.

323 Soil Biology. (Also Pl Path) I; 2 cr. Nature, activities and role of organisms inhabiting soil. Effects of soil biota on ecosystem function, response to cultural practices, and impacts on environmental quality, including bioremediation of contaminated soils. P: Chem 104 and Botany 130 or equiv. Balser, MacGuidwin.

324 Soils and Environmental Quality. (Also Envir St) I; 3 cr (P-I). Interaction of soils with environmental contaminants and the role of soils in pollution control. P: Chem 103 and 104 or equiv; Jr. St. Kung, Bockheim.

325 Pedology. I; 3 cr (P-I). Study and description of soils as integral elements of the landscape. Mechanisms of soil development. Morphological features and spatial relationships governing soil classification and the functionality of soil for multiple land use purposes. Field trips. P: Soil Sci 230, 301 or equiv; or cons inst. Stiles.

326 Plant Nutrition Management. (Also Agron, Hort) II; 3 cr (P-I). Functions, requirements and uptake of essential plant nutrients; chemical and microbial processes affecting nutrient availability; diagnosis of plant and soil nutrient status; fertilizers and efficient fertilizer use in different tillage systems. P: Soil Sci 230 or 301 and one of the following: Bot 100 or 130; Hort 120 or 122; Agron 100. Barak.

332 Nutrient Management: Turfgrass. (Also Hort) I; 1 cr. Nutrient requirements of turfgrasses; nature of turfgrass response to fertilization; turfgrass fertilizers and their use in an environmentally sound manner. P:Soil Sci/Hort/Agron 326. Kussow.

333 Nutrient Management: Horticultural Crops. (Also Hort) II; 1 cr. Discussion of plant nutritional topics unique to horticultural crops: nitrogen form requirements; calcium utilization in fruit crops; nutrient recycling within plants, especially perennials; nutritional aspects of greenhouse growing systems; foliar nutrient applications. P:Soil Sci/Hort/Agron 326. Bundy.

334 Nutrient Management: Agronomic Crops. (Also Agron) I; 1 cr. Nutrient requirements of major agronomic crops; nutrient sources; nutrition management for agronomic crops from yield, quality, economic and environmental perspectives. P: Soil Sci/Hort/Agron 326. Kelling.

336 Nutrient Management: Nursery Tree Crops. (Also Forest Ecol & Mgmt, Hort). I; 1 cr. Soil and nutrient management for nursery stock production; fertilizers and fertilization in tree nurseries; nursery cultural practices; control of weeds, pathogen and insect diseases; role of microorganisms - mycorrhizae; survival potential and quality indices of planting stock. P: Soil Sci/Hort/Agron 326 or cons inst. Balster.

372 On-Site Waste Water Treatment and Dispersal. (Also Biol Syst Engr) I; 2 cr. On-site treatment and dispersal of waste water from homes, commercial sources and small communities. Sources, pretreatment units, nutrient removal units, constructed wetlands, surface and soil dispersal systems, recycle and reuse systems, regulations, alternative collection systems. P: Chem 103. Converse.

375 Special Topics. I, II, SS; 1-6 cr. P: cons inst.

399 Coordinative Internship/Cooperative Education. I, II, SS; 1-8 cr. P: So, Jr or Sr St and cons of supervising inst, advisor, and internship program coordinator.

428 Senior Seminar. II; 1 cr. Resume preparation, oral and written presentations on current topics or capstone experience. P: Sr St or Beg Grad student. Norman, Balster.

431 Soils of the World. (Also Geog) II; 3 cr (P-I). The geography of soil-forming processes and soil types, focusing on soil-landscape relationships. Field trips. P: Beginning course in soils, or Geog 120 or 127, or cons inst. Holliday.

451 Environmental Biogeochemistry. (Also Forest Ecol & Mgmt) II, Odd Yrs; 3 cr. Emphasis is given to consideration of the processes influencing the distribution and cycling of chemical elements in native and anthropogenic ecosystems, global and ecosystem-level cycles of elements, and biogeochemical cycling in major soil-biome systems. P: Chem 103-104 or equivalent. Bockheim.

499 Capstone. Fall; 3 cr. Soil Management - A capstone applying independent and team problem solving, critical thinking and oral and written communication skills to issues in soil science. P: Sr St or second sem Jr majoring in Soil Science, or cons inst. Kung, Madison, Balster.

523 Soil Microbiology and Biochemistry. (Also Bact) II; 3 cr (P-I). Transformations of nutrients and contaminants in soils and groundwater by microorganisms: emphasis on enzymatic mechanisms and metabolic pathways. Approaches for analyzing microbial populations and activities including molecular techniques. Applications of microbial activities for bioremediation of contaminated soils and groundwater. P: Chem 104; Bact 303 or Bot 375 or Biochem 501, or cons inst. Hickey.

525 Soil Geomorphology. (Also Geog) II; 3 cr (P-A). Soil development as related to landscape throughout the Quaternary; focusing on the relationship of soils to climate and vegetation, landscape evolution, and time; principles of soil stratigraphy; case histories of soil geomorphic studies; field trips. P: Soil Sci 325 and Geog, Geol 320; or cons inst. Holliday.

532 Environmental Biophysics. (Also Atm Ocn) I, Even Yrs; 3 cr (P-I). Plant-environment interactions with particular reference to energy exchanges and water relations. Models are used to provide a quantitative synthesis of information from plant physiology, soil physics, and micrometeorology with some consideration of plant-pest interactions. P: Intro calculus, Physics 103, Botany 130, and computer programming; or cons inst. Norman.

575 Assessment of Environmental Impact. (Also Envir St) I or II or SS; 3 cr. Overview of methods for collecting and analyzing information about environmental impacts on agricultural and natural resources, including monitoring the physical environment and relating impacts to people and society. P: Jr st. authorization may be required. Ventura.

601 Special Topics in Soil Science. I or II, SS; 1-3 cr. Topics in various areas of soil science. P: Jr. St.

606 Colloquium in Environmental Toxicology. (Also Env Tox, Entom, Pl Path, and WI Ecol) I,II; 1 cr (B-I). Lectures by resident and visiting professors on toxicology and problems related to biologically active substances in the environment.  Pedersen.

615 Seminar-Soils and Land Use. Irr; 1 cr (A). Current topics in land use related to soil science. P: Jr St.

621 Soil Chemistry. II; 3 cr (P-A). Solubility relationships, complex ions, ion exchange and oxidation-reduction reactions in soils. P: Chem 221; Soil Sci 326; or cons inst. Helmke.

622 Soil Physics. I, Odd Yrs; 3 cr (P-I). Physical properties of soils. Water retention and transmission in soils. Transport of heat, gas and solutes. Physical environment of soil organisms and soil-plant-water relations. P: Calculus & a course in physics, Soil Sci 301 or cons inst. Kung.

625 Soil Mineralogy and Surface Chemistry. Irr; 3 cr. Structure, bonding and reactivity of minerals in soil environments. Surface chemistry of minerals and the processes of weathering. Clay colloid chemistry and the crystal chemistry of phyllosilicates. P: Intro geol or soils & physical chem; or cons inst. Bleam.

626 Mineral Nutrition of Plants. (Also Botany, Hort) I; Even Yrs; 3 cr (A). Essential and beneficial elements, solutions and soil as nutrient sources, rhizosphere chemistry, nutritional physiology, ion uptake and translocation, functions of elements, nutrient interactions, genetics of plant nutrition. P: Botany 350 or cons inst. Barak.

630 Soil Chemistry Laboratory. I, Odd Yrs; 1 cr (P-A). Analysis of soils, soil water, and plant tissue with applications in agricultural and environmental studies. P: Soil Sci 621 or con reg or cons inst. Helmke, Bleam.

631 Toxicants in the Environment: Sources, Distribution, Fate, & Effects. (Also Env Tox, Civ Engr). II; 3 cr. Nature, sources, distribution and fate of contaminants in air, water, soil, and food and potential for harmful exposure. P: Chem 343 and 345 or equiv; Chem 561 or equiv; Physics 1203 and 104 or equiv; Math 211; or cons inst.  Pedersen.

632 Soil Physics Laboratory. (Also Civ Engr). II, Odd Yrs; 2 cr P-A). Soil physical measurements. Bulk density, porosity, particle density, particle-size distribution. Water content, potential, conductivity characteristics. Infiltration, redistribution, drainage, evaporation. Solute and gas movement. Soil temperature. Plant water potential. P: Intro calculus and physics; Soil Sci 301; or cons inst. Limited enrollment. Lowery, Kung.

681 Senior Honors Thesis. 2-4 cr. P: Honors program candidacy.

695 Applications of Geographic Information Systems in Natural Resources. (Also Envir St, Land Arc) I; 3 cr. Course has four components: 1) Detailed review of GIS concepts; 2) Case studies; 3) GIS implementation methods; 4) Laboratory to provide "hands-on" GIS experience. P: Land Arc/Envir St/Civ Engr 655 or Geog 377 or cons inst. Ventura.

699 Special Problems. I, II; 1-3 cr. P: Sr St and cons inst.

728 Graduate Seminar. I, II; 1 cr. Topical oral presentations by guest speakers and graduate students on contemporary concerns and issues involving land and soils. P: Grad St.

733 Physicochemical Basis of Soil Behavior. (Also Civ Engr). I or II; 3 cr. Applications of physiochemical, mineralogical, and environmental considerations to the engineering behavior of soils. Soil composition, formation, fabric, pore fluid chemistry and interaction of phases. The particulate nature of soils and the fabric- engineering property (volume change, strength, deformation and conduction) relationships. P: Civ Engr 330 or cons inst. Edil.

799 Practicum in Soil Science Teaching. I, II; 1-3 cr. Instructional orientation to teaching at the higher education level in the agricultural and life sciences, direct teaching experience under faculty supervision, experience in testing and evaluation of students, and the analysis of teaching performance. P: Grad St & cons inst.

875 Special Topics. I, II, SS; 1-4 cr. Of current interest to graduates. P: Grad St & cons inst.

990 Research. I, II; 1-12 cr. P: Grad St and cons inst.