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
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.
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 |
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 |
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:
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% |
Week Dates | Topics | Reading Assignments Fanning = F., Reserve/Other |
1-2 |
I. Overview: Soils in Vermont: Soil Genesis Properties &
Land forms
| |
Week 1 | Soil Forming Factors | F. 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 GenesisEntisols |
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 |
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.