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Unit of Study AGR03072 - Soil Processes (2016)

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Unit Snapshot

  • Enrolment information

    This external unit will have a compulsory residential workshop at the Lismore campus. Please refer to the external residential timetable which can be found on the Environmental Science Student Centre in MySCU.

Unit description

Examines the main soil forming processes and the role of both organic matter and clay minerals in soil processes and properties explored. Field soil assessment and classification skills are developed and methods for the examination of soil invertebrates introduced. The main concepts and methods used to assess soil physical and chemical properties are introduced as is the use of soil moisture characteristics for the prediction of water movement. The behaviour of soil nutrients is examined. This unit includes a Masters Tutorial component in which students critically analyse advanced issues in this field.

Unit content

The unit will cover the following topics (not necessarily in the order presented) which will be dealt with in the topic notes, readings, laboratory notes and in the field:

  • soil and its constituents
  • soil physical properties: texture, structure
  • soil water
  • soil organic matter
  • soil and clay mineralogy
  • soil and plant nutrition: nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulphur and trace elements
  • soil formation
  • soil classification
  • soil biology.

Availabilities

Location Domestic International
Lismore Session 1 Session 1
Online Session 1 Session 1

Learning outcomes and graduate attributes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

GA1: Intellectual rigour, GA2: Creativity, GA3: Ethical practice, GA4: Knowledge of a discipline, GA5: Lifelong learning, GA6: Communication and social skills, GA7: Cultural competence
Learning outcome count Learning outcome description GA1 GA2 GA3 GA4 GA5 GA6 GA7
1 describe the main soil forming processes
2 describe the role of organic matter and clay minerals in soil processes and properties
3 discuss the role of the major soil nutrients in plant nutrition and outline the main plant nutrient cycles
4 assess soil structure, texture and consistence in the field sufficient to enable soil classification
5 demonstrate soil surveying technique
6 discuss the use of soil classification systems in general and understand the features of a range of soil classification systems as well as classify soils according to two major Australian soil classification systems with interpretation of their limitations
7 describe some important soil chemical and physical processes and properties and discuss their implications for management

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

  1. describe the main soil forming processes
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA6:
  2. describe the role of organic matter and clay minerals in soil processes and properties
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA6:
  3. discuss the role of the major soil nutrients in plant nutrition and outline the main plant nutrient cycles
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA6:
  4. assess soil structure, texture and consistence in the field sufficient to enable soil classification
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA6:
  5. demonstrate soil surveying technique
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
  6. discuss the use of soil classification systems in general and understand the features of a range of soil classification systems as well as classify soils according to two major Australian soil classification systems with interpretation of their limitations
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA6:
  7. describe some important soil chemical and physical processes and properties and discuss their implications for management
    • GA1:
    • GA4:
    • GA6:

Prescribed learning resources

Prescribed Texts
  • No prescribed texts.

Prescribed Learning Resources may change in future Teaching Periods.