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Unit of Study SOIL2001 - Soil Processes (2023)

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Unit Snapshot

  • Enrolment information

    There will be a two-day compulsory residential for Online students that will be held on the Lismore campus. Please refer to http://scu.edu.au/timetables for further information on timetables. For Regenerative Agriculture students, the residential will run in O Week of Term 2. For dates, contact your Unit Assessor: john.grant@scu.edu.au For on-campus students there are four 3-hour compulsory practical sessions during the Term. Please refer to timetable information for details. For post-graduate students, this unit requires students to have an understanding of minerals and landscape development and of basic chemistry. This essential background is provided by the completion of the pre-requisite units or equivalent experience.

Unit description

Examines the main soil forming processes and the role of both organic matter and clay minerals in soil processes and properties is 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.

Unit content

1. Introduction to soil and soil formation

2. Soil physical characteristics and water movement

3. Soil colloids (clays and humus)

4. Soil description and classification 

5. Soil organic matter and biology

6. Nutrient cycles

 

Availabilities

Location Domestic International
Lismore
Term1
Term1
Online
Term1
N/A

Learning outcomes

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:

describe the main soil forming processes

describe the major biological, chemical and physical properties of soils and their influence on water and nutrient cycles

assess and describe soil structure, texture and consistence and classify soils using different soil classification methods

discuss the cycling of nutrients through soil and their availability to plants.

Prescribed learning resources

Prescribed Texts
  • The following text is available free online at: https://www.publish.csiro.au/ebook/download/pdf/8016: Isbell, R.F. and the National Committee on Soil and Terrain, 2021, The Australian Soil Classification, 3rd, CSIRO, Canberra, ACT. ISBN: 978-1-486-1479-9.
Prescribed Resources/Equipment

  • Laboratory coat and safety glasses are required for laboratory sessions.

Prescribed Learning Resources may change in future Teaching Periods.