E. Jerry Tyler
Professor
Soil genesis, classification, land use, waste disposal
Contact Information
Phone: 608-262-0853
Fax: 608-265-2595
Email: ejtyler@wisc.edu
Office: 343 King Hall
Program Affiliations
Education
- BS Agronomy, 1967, Cornell University
- MS Soil Science, 1972, North Carolina State University
- PhD Soil Science, 1975, North Carolina State University
Teaching and Research
Current research efforts primarily concern soil classification, morphology and genesis, with major emphasis on soil interpretations for land use purposes. Much of this work relates to soil characteristics affecting onsite wastewater disposal for rural and unsewered suburban areas. However, we also study competing agricultural and nonagricultural land uses and soil genesis.
Adequate waste disposal in the soil system is best accomplished when the wastewater is absorbed and treated by the soil before it enters the hydrocycle. The nature of water movement in complex porous media is not well understood, and water movement at any particular site is very difficult to evaluate because the soil varies as a natural body. The flow, type, and rate may alter the treatment because of the way solutes and particulates (like bacteria and viruses) move with the water in the soil. Therefore, a considerable amount of research is being done to relate the variability of soil morphological characteristics and soil physical properties to the operation and design of onsite wastewater systems.
Natural soil moisture conditions considerably influence the soil suitability for many land uses. Morphological characteristics, particularly color, often indicate the moisture regime. However, more precise morphological predictive criteria are needed to more accurately evaluate the degree and extent of soil saturation.
Soil interpretations are made for many competing land uses. At the present time, newly written laws require extensive land use planning and zoning. The need for reliable soils information, that is used as a basis for meeting these legal demands, is becoming increasingly critical. Therefore, each soil, or related group of soils, needs to be evaluated for use in agricultural production, recreation, development, and all other potentials. To do this, soil criteria for each use must be well defined and the suited soil regions must be identified in the field. The effective use of soil maps as a site evaluation tool for various land uses is the ultimate test of the relationship between soil morphological interpretation and the criteria controlling use.
Although most of this work is directly related to soil interpretation, the studies are also closely related to soil genesis and the characteristics of soils as they occur as natural bodies on the landscape. Future work will undoubtedly continue to involve research on soil genesis with the interpretive studies.
Publications
- Converse, J.C., and E.J. Tyler. 1987. Onsite wastewater treatment using Wisconsin mounds on difficult sites. Trans. of the ASAE 30:362-368.
- Tyler, E.J., and J.C. Converse. 1985. Soil evaluation and design selection for large or cluster wastewater soil absorption systems. Onsite Sewage Treatment. p. 179-190. In Proc. of the 4th National Symposium on Individual and Small Community Sewage Systems. Am. Soc. Agric. Engr., St. Joseph, MI.
- Tyler, E. J., J. C. Converse, and D. E. Parker. 1985. Soil system for community wastewater disposal Treatment and absorption case histories p. 147-158. In Proc. of Workshop on Disposal, Utilization and Treatment of Waste. Chicago, IL. Soil Sci. Soc. of Am., Madison, WI.
- Jaynes, D.B., and E.J. Tyler. 1984. Using soil physical properties to estimate hydraulic conductivity. Soil Sci. 138:298-305.
Awards and Honors |
