Objectives and Learning Outcomes

The course is aimed to develop relation among different soil categories and their importance for particular use. The students should be able to classify soils and devise strategic and efficient land use. Soil classification systems are established to help people predict soil behavior and to provide a common language for soil scientists. The National Cooperative Soil Survey and the USDA developed the Soil Taxonomy classification system, which is used worldwide. Some properties used to classify soils are soil depth, moisture, temperature, texture, structure, cation exchange capacity, base saturation, clay mineralogy, organic matter content and salt content. criterion in defining many of the classes.

Course Contents

1. Concepts and importance

2. Introduction to soil taxonomy

3. Criteria of classification

4. Properties diagnostic to categories

5. Diagnostic horizons and other diagnostic properties

6. Soil moisture regimes: Classes and importance

7. Soil temperature regimes: Classes and importance

8. Categories and nomenclature

9. Keys to categories: Order, suborder, great group and sub group FAO and other systems of classification

10. Agro ecological zones and soils of Pakistan

Practicals

1. Profile description representing important soil orders

2. Classify research farm soil to sub group level.

3. Designation of genetic horizons found in Pakistan.

4. Identification of taxonomic names: orders, suborders, great groups, subgroups, families and series

Books Recommended

1. Buol, S.W., R.J. Southard, R.C. Graham and P.A. McDaniel. 2011. Soil Genesis and Classifications. 6th Ed. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. NY, USA

2. Eswaran, H. et al. 2003. Soil Classification: A Global Desk Reference. CRC Press. Boca Raton, FL, USA.

3. FAO. 1998. World Reference Base for Soil Resources. FAO, Rome, Italy

4. Soil Survey Division Staff. 2005. Soil Survey Manual. USDA, Washington DC, USA.

5. Soil Survey Staff. 2010. Keys to Soil Taxonomy. 11th Ed. USDA, Washington DC, USA.

Assessment Criteria

Sessional: 08 (project, presentation, participation)

Project: 04

Presentation: 02

Participation: 02

Mid exam: 12

Final exam: 20

Practical exam: 20