Soils 611 - Soils and the Environment Homepage

Soil 611- Soils and Environmental Quality (rev. 31 Aug 1998)

time: M-W-F 9:10 to 10:00, James 208

Lab F 11:10-1:00, James 208

Text: Pierzynski Sims and Vance. "Soils and Environmental Quality". Lewis Publishing Co., 1994

Instructor: Robert D. Harter

Office: James 226

Phone: 862-3944

e-mail: bob.harter@unh.edu

I. Introduction and course expectations

II. The Environment around us ............................................... Chapters 1 & 2

A. Atmosphere
B. Hydrosphere
C. Geosphere

III. Pollutants ........................................................................ Chapter 3

A. Definition and classification
B. Soil quality
C. Human exposure to soil pollutants
D. Some pollution issues in Soil Science

IV. Soil Nitrogen and environmental quality ............................. Chapter 4

A. Nitrogen and the environment
B. The soil nitrogen cycle
C. Nitrogen management

V. Soil Phosphorus and environmental Quality ......................... Chapter 5

A. Phosphorus and the environment
B. The Phosphorus cycle
C. Phosphorus management

VI. Soil sulfur and environmental quality ................................. Chapter 6

A. Sulfur and the environment
B. The sulfur cycle
C. Plant response to sulfur
D. Sulfur management

VII. Trace elements ............................................................... Chapter 7

A. Adverse effects
B. Bioavailability
C. Remediation

VIII. Organic chemicals ......................................................... Chapter 8

A. Sources and classification
B. Adverse effects
C. Soil lifetime
D. Remediation
E. Pest management

IX. Biogeochemical cycles and soil management ..................... Chapter 9

A. Cycles and the environment
B. Management of cycles

X. Global climate change - Is it real? ..................................... Chapter 10

XI. Acid deposition

A. Sources
B. Effects

XII. Risk assessment ........................................................... Chapter 11

Course expectations

Grading:
Class Participation ............................... 10%

Midterm - Oct 19 or 21 ........................ 20%

Course project ..................................... 20%

Laboratory .......................................... 25%

Final - Wed Dec 17, 10:30-12:30 .......... 25%

COURSE PROJECT: Students will be asked to prepare a case study of some soil/environment interface situation. The situation may or may not constitute a "problem". It is suggested that students work in groups of two or three. By working together you will be able to bounce ideas off each other, spread the work load, and product a better final report. the down side is the possibility of being paired with a person who slacks off on the job and does not contribute equally to the final product. Therefore, students have the option of defining individual contributions and being graded on your contribution, or of working as a group and being graded as a group. The decision on how you will work and be graded must be made by the fourth week of classes.

What is a case study? A case study differs substantially from a term paper, while still having some similarities.Both may start from a hypothesis, a question, or a problem. A major difference of the case study, however, is in the ability to use more subjective information. While primary sources are preferred for both, case studies often must make use of secondary sources (newspaper articles, magazines, etc.) as well as personal interviews, questionnaires and laws. The research protocol for a term paper is common to most projects and is well understood. Conversely, it is very important that the research protocol for a case study be well defined in the paper since it tends to be problem specific. It is usually possible to understand the basis of a term paper by simply looking up the articles which have been cited. In the case study, however, it important that the reader know how the information was obtained and how it was interepreted. In this way another person can reproduce the study, even if different conclusions are drawn (after all, there is subjectivity involved).

Suggested format for the case study report:

A. Introduction

B. Area of concern: statement of the problem, question, or hypothesis. This may be incorporated in the introduction, but must be clearly identified.

C. Research protocol: A clear statement of how the study was conducted.

D. Description of problem or problem area to be addressed.

1. Physical descrption.

2. History: ecomomic, political, environmental, ... as appropriate.

3. Stakeholders.

4. Decision making process.

E. Remedial action

1. Implementation strategy(s).

2. Initiatives.

3. Progress.

F. Conclusions.

G. Author (students) personal assessment of situation. (do you think there is actually no problem and the society is over acting? Is a very serious problem being ignored? Is the benefit worth the cost? Is society on the right track? etc.)

In general, it will probably require in the range of 20 printed pages to cover these points adequately.

PROJECT SCHEDULE:

Sept 25 ....... Notify instructor of team members and agreed upon problem area to be studied.

Sept 30 ....... Notify instructor of whether it will be a team effort or an compilation of individual efforts.

Oct 21 ........ Research protocol due.

Nov 18 ....... Interim progress report due.

Dec 9 ......... Final report due.