Transcript The Soil Resource - University of Minnesota

Introductory Soil Science
Basic Soils & The Soil Resource
Fall 2011
Intro Lecture A
Soils Week 1
• Activities this first Week:
• 1) Lecture- Intro Lecture A The Course and Friday Intro
Lecture B -”What is soil?”
• 2) No Lab This Week
• 3) Practice Team Exams in
Recitation on Thursday
• 4) Laboratory in 243 Borlaug –
Lab 1, will start next Monday,
Lab Report checked by TA
• Lab times M 10:30-4:30, T
9:00AM-5 PM, Wed 10:30-6
Course Information:
• Syllabus- Class schedule –
• Lecture-, Exams- Web
Exam. Team Exams
• Final Exam –
• Land Use Project – Develop
the land use according to
the soils for a square mile
(640 acres).
• Soil of the week- 10
different soils of
Minnesota on Web Pages
Class Resources
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•
CD-From Instructor with Web
Pages, Lab Investigations and Power
Point Lectures or go to the web at
http://www.soils.umn.edu/academics/cl
asses/soil2125/
Elements of the Nature and
Properties of Soils -- Brady and Weil
(Recommended) One copy at the
Borlaug Library reserve desk
Soils and Landscapes of
Minnesota -- Anderson, Bell,Cooper,
Grigal – available online
Course Packet: Available from
Instructor $20.00 cash or check
made out to Univ. of Minnesota & fill
out the slip with your name.
• Do Your Readings!!!
Class Participation
• Class participation required.
• Come to class prepared for
team exams
• Being unprepared is as bad as
missing class.
• Missing class, being late, not
completing work, or late work
will play a role in determining
your course grade.
Remember –Lecture Counts
• Late Work=Make-up Team
Exams = 90% of in class
exams. Late Web exams not
accepted. If you are ill Bring note from Health
Center for make ups.
Scholastic Dishonesty & Collaboration
Scholastic dishonesty can earn you an
F for the course
"Scholastic dishonesty
includes (but is not limited to)
cheating on in class examinations;
plagiarism; depriving another of
necessary course materials; or
sabotaging another's work.“
However, you are encouraged to work
together on Webexams and Lab
Reports- With Collaboration you
will learn more!
Exams and Grading
2125
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Lecture Dyads=5%
Team Exams= 20 %
Lecture Exams (4) =15%
Web Exams 20%
Lab Assignments=10%
Land Use Project=20%
Final Exam=10%
Course Grades: Course grades will
be determined using a curve of A>
89%, B>79%, C> 69%, D> 59%.
• Final Course grades will use the +
and - system of grading. The class
average is expected to be 76%(C+)
Objectives for Intro Soils • Learn about :
• soil variability
• terminology to
classify and describe soils
• physical, chemical, and
biological soil properties
• management practices to
manipulate soil properties
• use of soil survey to
determine wise land use.
The Professor
• I have been teaching beginning
soils since 1975
• I coach the soil judging team and
teach the field study of soils May
session and fall semester
• I teach Problem Solving,
Environmental Review, and Soil
Geography spring semester.
• I Advise ESPM Undergrads
• Prior to arriving in Minnesota I
taught soils in California for 5
years and spent two years in the
USMC. I graduated from Michigan
State University
• In my spare time I golf, fish, camp,
and look at road cuts!
How to Pass this Soil’s Class!
• Bring the professor
newspaper clippings dealing
with the subject of soil.
• Look Alert: Take notes
eagerly.
• Nod frequently and murmur
“How True”!!
• Laugh at his jokes. (be sure it
is a joke before bursting out
in loud laughter)
• Ask any question you think he
can answer. (conversely, avoid
questions he can’t answer)
• If you must sleep, arrange to be
called at the end of class (
creates unfavorable impression
if the rest of class has left and
you remain).
• NEVER SAY D_ _ T.
substitute “soil”
every time that
word almost pops
out of your mouth -
• Soil – The most important
natural resource on
planet earth.
• All natural
resources...are soil or
derivatives of
soil. Farms, ranges,
crops, and livestock,
forests, irrigation water
and even water power
resolve themselves into
questions of soil. Soil is
therefore the basic
natural resource. --Aldo Leopold