Fall Semester, 2002
PLANT AND SOIL SCIENCE 261:
SOIL MORPHOLOGY CLASSIFICATION AND LAND USE

A Fourteen Week Guided Field and Independent Study of Vermont Soils
Schedule: Monday, 11:15-4:25 pm, 19 Hills Bldg. or in the field
Instructors: Wendy Sue Harper, Ph.D.
Lecturer & Research Assistant Professor
Plant and Soil Science, 211 Hills Building, UVM, Phone: 802-656-0482
wharper@zoo.uvm.edu
Thom Villars, Soil Scientist
Natural Resources Conservation Service
28 Farmvu Drive
White River Junction, VT 05001
Phone: 802-295-1662 Ext *824
thomas.villars@vt.usda.gov

Textbooks/Resources:
1. Soil Morphology, Genesis, and Classification. D.S. Fanning & M.C.B. Fanning. 1989.
2. Keys to Soil Taxonomy. USDA/SCS Soil Survey Staff. 8th ed. 1999. also see: http://www.statlab.iastate.edu/soils/keytax/
3. Soil Survey Manual. Soil Survey Division Staff. 1993.  Also see:  http://www.nhq.nrcs.gov/BCS/soil/smanual.htm
4. Official Soil Series Descriptions: http://www.statlab.iastate.edu/soils/osd/  
5. Hydric Soils of the US: http://www.statlab.iastate.edu/soils/hydric/
6. NRCS National Wetlands Science Institute: http://159.189.24.10/wetsci.htm
7. National Soil Quality Institute: http://www.statlab.iastate.edu/survey/SQI/sqihome.shtml
8. NRCS Soil Home Page: http://www.statlab.iastate.edu/soils/soildiv/
9. NRCS National Soil Survey Center:  http://www.statlab.iastate.edu/soils/nssc
10. Keys to the soils of Vermont: http://www.vt.nrcs.usda.gov/soils/soil_key.htm
11. Field Book for Describing and Sampling Soil. P.J. Schoeneberger, D.A. Wysocki, E.C. Benham and W.D. Broderson. NRCS/USDA.1998. (Copies of version 1 in our field box) http://www.statlab.iastate.edu/soils/nssc/field_gd/field_gd.htm


Course Description and Activities:

Soil Morphology Classification and Land Use trains students to use field techniques that describe soil properties and helps students understand processes of soil development, how soils are classified, and their land use limitations and potentials. Students thus gain an understanding of how to describe and classify soils, why soils develop specific characteristics and what the land use potential of a specific soil/site may be. Topics covered include: soil taxonomy, soil genesis principles and processes, soil mapping, land use potential, land conservation techniques, and GIS. 

Course activities in this field based independent-study include: weekly field descriptions and interpretation of soils, weekly reflections, a land use paper related to soils, a field final, and two take-home exams that cover material from class and the reading assignments.


Course Objectives:
The objectives of this course are to help students:
1) to develop skills for determining soil properties by field examination;
2) to develop an appreciation and understanding of soil genesis and classification;
3) to become familiar with relationships between land forms and soil morphology;
4) to interpret basic soil information from field observations and surveys for various land uses; and
5) to determine the environmental impact of different land uses in Vermont.
Schedule of Course Activities and Field Laboratories:
8/28
(Wednesday)
 Introductions, Prep and East Woods
9/4
"
 Niquette Bay Colchester with BOT 381 Field Botany Class
9/9
(Monday)
 Shelburne Farms Clay Soils
9/16
"
 Intervale Floodplain Soils
9/28
(Saturday)
 Orleans County Wetlands and Northern Soil, 8:00 am-3:00 pm
9/30
(Monday)
 Proctor Maple Research, Underhill
10/7
"
 Appalachian Gap, Buels Gore
10/12
(Saturday)
 Windsor County Tour of Southern VT Soils, 7:00am-7:00pm
10/21
(Monday)
 Field Final Practice
10/28
"
 Field Final TBA
11/4
"
 Field Final Review and Mapping Class
11/11
"
 Peer-Review Paper in Class
11/18
"
 Soil Conservation Land Use Field Trip- w/Kip Potter, NRCS
11/25
"
 GIS- w/Reed Sims, NRCS
12/2
"
 Wrap-up: Paper Discussions & Course Evaluation 
Field Safety:
We will go out when scheduled regardless of the weather. Please be prepared and dress appropriately! Bring a clipboard in a clear plastic bag for writing in wet weather. Always be prepared for cold, wet weather. Bring rain gear, fingerless gloves, extra clothes, and wear boots. Snack food like "trail mix" can help warm you up if you're chilled. We go out in rain-hail-snow-sleet-slush-mush or shine. Please come prepared and we'll have a great time!

If you are allergic to insect stings or plants (like poison ivy), please let us know ahead of time, and tell us what to do in the event you get stung. We will tell you if we see any poison ivy on the sites we visit.

Course Requirements:
It is important that you attend all our scheduled field and classroom time. To help you synthesize what you are learning, record information in your journal. Your participation is important. The field labs and discussions provide you with insightful hands-on experience, which is an important aspects of  the learning process.

It is your responsibility to complete the reading assignments before the field class that covers the material. Reading your assignments provides you with a foundation of understanding that we build on, which allows you to interpret and relate information, pose questions, and challenge yourself.

The reality of your learning in this course can be described as follows. There is a huge learning curve to climb in order to be able to describe and understand soils in the field. There are lots of details for the terminology, and it may take some time for you to get up to speed and feel comfortable using them. In the beginning of the term, you will immerse yourself in the reading to help to start understanding what we see each day in the field. As you work with the terminology to describe soils and classify them, you will "see" more in the pits and understand more about how soils form their properties, how we describe them, and land use implications. By the end of the term you should have developed some skill in these areas.

Assignment Due Date Schedule:
We expect you to turn assignments in on-time according to the schedule below. Late assignments will lose points (5 to 10) for each day they are late. If you are having problems completing assignments come talk to us. We are here to help.

Project Topic
 Monday,  Sept. 16th

Project Summary
 Monday, Sept. 30th

Take Home Exam I
 Monday, Oct. 7th

Project Outline
 Monday, Oct. 14th (noon)

Field Final 
 In Class on Oct. 28th

Peer-review Best Draft
 In Class on  Nov 11th

Land Use Paper
 Monday, Nov. 18th

Take Home Exam II
 Monday, Nov 25th

Student Paper Presentation + Discussions
 In Class on Dec. 2th


Course Assignments:

Weekly Reflections on Soils and Land Use:
One page weekly reflections will allow you to process and record what you are learning from our field visits, your class readings, and your studies for your course project. Please date each reflection. You may write about what you have learned about soil development, land forms and landscape position effects on soil development, vegetation as indicators of soil properties. What are keys concepts and ideas you wish to ruminate on about soil development, parent materials, classification, and land use? You may write about concepts you want to re-enforce, ideas and your understanding about how natural soil forms and functions, your understanding of soils potential for land use, management and policy, and the ideas you have about it. You may include the nuances of field studies in soils. How are terms used in the field? What do they mean to you? Include questions that come up in the field for discussion that you later glean answers that are from the readings and discussion as your understanding deepens.

Please include any questions you have on topics we have covered in the field or that relate to the readings. It is our hope that these reflections will become another vehicle of communication between us at the time  when you are actually synthesizing the material we cover.

Reflection will be graded on a 10 point scale. The grade received will be based on your writing and questions thoughtfulness, insightfulness, and effectiveness in developing your intellectual awareness of this material.  

Course Land Use Research Paper:
This course paper should focus on a current topic or problem related to soils and land use that interests you. To develop your topic, you may want to spend a little time looking through popular journals or trade magazines in your field of study or even newspapers (Tuesday’s New York Times has the Science section) to find a current issue or problem. Research your topic thoroughly in the peer-review journals in the Bailey-Howe Library to ensure that there are enough sources to write an excellent paper.

Consider how soils relates to your topic, what knowledge is needed about soils, which disciplines may be involved in research on your topic, what may hinder the progress of this problem/issue, and what issues arise that are favorable or unfavorable to resolving this issue. From your research and answers to the questions above write a paper in the format of  a research report, case studies, or complete a review of the literature that details your topic, answers the questions above and proposes a solution to the problem or issues you choose. Regardless of the style of your research paper it must be thorough researched and referenced using peer-review journals. We expect a 10-20 double spaced paged paper using 12 point font and 1 inch margins. Use the SSSA format for referencing your peer-review citations.

To help you complete your excellent and thoughtful project on time, we are asking you to submit pertinent information during the semester at time points where you should have it completed and compiled. Your general project topic is due at noon on Monday September 16th. A ½ to one page summary, which discusses the concepts your project focuses on, is due at noon on Monday September 30th. These concepts should be organized into an outline of your projects contents will be due at noon on Monday, October 14th.

On Monday, October 21st by noon bring two copies of  your absolutely best draft to be peer-reviewed by two of your classmates to my office. You will pick-up two peoples papers at that time. Sign your name to the draft you review and make comments on the draft. Make arrangements to return your marked-up copies to my office by noon on Monday, October 28th . Your peer-reviewed copies will be returned at that time as well. Your two peer-viewed drafts must be included with your final version for full credit. Your final written report of the paper is due Monday at noon on November 4th. Each student will make a short (15-20 minutes) presentation to their peers during our last class.  This paper is worth 40% of your class grade, and thus, justifies considerable thought and effort on your part.

Examples of Possibly Topics:

Examinations:
There are two take-home examinations during the semester. The exams are short and long essays covering materials from class and your reading assignments.

Following each exam we will report the average and range of grades. When you receive your graded exam, please review it. If you believe a question has been graded incorrectly or you wish to challenge your instructors' interpretation of your answer, contact us within two weeks of the date we returned it.

Your field final will require you to describe and classify two soils using the SCS 232 pedon description forms you have worked with all semester. A practice field final will be held the week before. 

Course Grading:
The final course letter grades will be a percentile average made up of the scores on your activities listed below. Course grades may be curved at our discretion.  

Grading System:

Attitude, Effort and Attendance, Participation, and Weekly Field Sheets
 15%

Field Final
 15%

Take Home Exams (2 @ 10% each)
 20%

Weekly Reflections
 10%

Land Use Paper
 40%
Academic Honesty:
Honesty in all aspects of your academic and professional life is central to the meaning of the university, to the life of a professional, and to personal relationships between colleagues and friends. We expect you to follow the code of academic honesty set by this institution in the work that you submit to us for this class. We encourage you to review the UVM Academic Honesty Policy on the WWW <http://www.uvm.edu/~dosa/handbook/?Page=Academic.html >. You really should read the policy so you know what is expected of you. If you are having problems understanding material or completing assignments, please talk with us. We are here to help you, and we want you to succeed!
PSS 261 TOPICS AND GENERAL READING FOR THE TERM
Week Dates
Topics
Reading Assignments
Fanning = F., Reserve/Other
1-2
I. Overview: Soils in Vermont: Soil Genesis Properties & Land forms
Week 1Soil Forming FactorsF. Ch 4, & 38-44
SCS pp. 1-20

Topics: What is Soil?, & Factors Affecting Soil Development: Parent Material, Topography, Climate, Organisms/Vegetation, and Time/Stage of Development
Week 2
Field Preparation
F. Ch 1-2, Meeks pp 3-70

Topics: Vermont Physiographic Regions, Bedrock & Glacial Geological History, Field Techniques & Soil Properties: Texture, Structure, & Horizons
2-5
II. Soil Morphology: Field Evaluations
Week 2-5
 Field Terminology & Description of Soil Properties
 F. Ch 3, 21-26, SCS Ch 3
Keys Ch 2, 3, & 16 (Design. horizons & layers)

Topics: Horizons Designations, Soil Texture & Rock Fragments, Soil Color & Mottling, Soil Structure & Consistence, Soil Reaction, Horizon Boundaries, Soil Pores & Roots, Moisture & Temperature Regimes, Mineralogy, Erosion & Soil Moisture Parameters, Diagnostic Horizons: Surface Horizons, Subsurface Horizons, and Other Horizons & Features
2-9
III. Soil Genesis & Classification
Week 3
 Classification: History & Principles
 F. Ch 17-20 & 27
Keys as needed
Week 3 - 9
 Soil Orders & Their Genesis
Entisols
Inceptisols
Spodosols
Alfisols
Histosols
Mollisols
Vertisols
Ultisols
Oxisols
Aridisols
Andisols
Gelisol

F. Ch 28, 9 & 10
F. Ch 30, 7 & 16
F. Ch 33, 6 & 14
F. Ch 34, 5 & 13
F. Ch 37
F. Ch 32, 7 & 12
F. Ch 29 & 8
F. Ch 35
F. Ch 36 & 15
F. Ch 31 & 11
F. Ch 30, Keys Ch 6
Brady & Weil Ch 3
2-13
IV. Land Use Issues and Evaluations
Week 2 - 13
 GIS and Soil Management &Conservation
Land Use Evaluation Systems
 Brady & Weil Ch. 19
Other Reserve Reading

Materials On Reserve in Bailey-Howe Library

Birkeland, P.W. 1984. Soils and geomorphology. Oxford University Press. New York, NY.
Brady, N.C. and R.R. Weil. 1996. The nature and properties of soils. 12th ed. Macmillian Publishing Co. New York, NY.
Buol, S.W., F.D. Hole, and R.J. McCracken. 1980. Soil genesis and classification. 2nd ed. Iowa State Univ. Press, Ames, IA.
Catt, J.A. 1988. Quaternary geology for scientists and engineers. John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY.
Fanning, D.S., and M.C.B. Fanning. 1989. Soil morphology, genesis and classification. John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY.
Flint, R.F. 1971. Glacial and quaternary geology. John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY.
Foth, H.D., and J.W. Schafer. 1980. Soil geography and land use. John Wiley & Sons, New York, NY.
Jenny, H. 1980. The soil resource. Springer-Verlag, New York, NY.
Meeks, H. 1986. Vermont's land and resources. The New England press. Shelburne, VT.
New England Hydric Soils Technical Committee. 1998. Field Indicators for Identifying Hydric Soils in New England. 2nd ed. New England Interstate Water Pollution Control Commission. Wilmington, MA. pp. 76. (ZZZ 765)
Olson, G.W. 1981. Soils and the environment. Chapman and Hall. New York, NY.
Parsons. J. 1988. Wetlands Component: Vermont 1988 Recreational Plan.
Society of Soil Scientists of Northern New England. 1997. Site-Specific Soil Mapping Standards for New Hampshire and Vermont. SSSNNE Special Publication No.3. Durham, NH pp. 58. (ZZZ 766)
Soil Conservation Service/USDA. 1974. Soil Survey of Chittenden County, Vermont.
Soil Conservation Service/USDA. 1985. Agricultural Value Groups for Soils in Vermont.
Soil Conservation Service/USDA. 1985. Soil Potential for Crop Production in Vermont.
Soil Conservation Service/USDA. 1991. Soil Potential Study and Forest Land Value Groups for Vermont Soils.
Soil Conservation Service/USDA. 1994. Ancillary Soil Interpretation Ratings for on-site sewage disposal in Vermont.
Soil Survey Division Staff. 1993. Soil Survey Manual. USDA Handbook 18.
VanDiver, B. 1987. Roadside Geology of Vermont and New Hampshire. MT Press.
Vespraskas, M. 1994. Redoximorphic Features for Identifying Aquic Conditions.

PSS 261: SOIL MORPHOLOGY CLASSIFICATION AND LAND USE
STUDENT INFORMATION
FALL 2002
Name___________________________________________________  Degree Pursued_______________

Major__________________________________________Concentration__________________

Advisor____________________________________________________________________

Email______________________________ Phone___________________________

Where did you grow up? (Town/State)_________________________________________________

Soils or Related Work/Volunteer Experience    Y    N

If Yes then the type?_______________________________________________________________

Courses taken: (Please use course names.)
Soils, Geology, Hydrology, Botany/Forestry, Ecology, Engineering, etc.


Chemistry, Physic, Math


Other related classes: Geography, GIS, etc.


Do you have any areas in your academic background that you think may need extra effort, attention or help in relation to this class?



How do you best learn about something?

    


I sometimes hear about job opportunities. What are your career interests or goals:




How does this course relate to your career goals and interests?




Do you have special interests in relation to the material taught in this course? (In other words, is there a specific topic you want us to include?)