DESCRIPTION AND OBJECTIVES;

Soil is the collection of natural bodies occupying the part of earth surface capable to support plants and having properties derived from the integrated effect of climate and living organisms acting upon parent material as modified by topography over periods of time. Soil is an integral component of ecological and agricultural systems. Soils occur as a continuum across the landscape and their properties change in a predictable fashion both across the landscape and with depth. An understanding of soil morphology and the spatial distribution of soil properties is critical in the land-use decision making process. In this course, students will learn about weathering processes and nature of parent material, soil genesis, soil forming factors and processes, soil morphology and soil properties used to identify the soil.

INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES

 Understand different processes and factors affecting the rate of weathering and production of parent material.

 Study the key soil properties such as texture, structure, colour, pH, parent material etc. which are used in soil morphology

 Identify and differentiate soil horizons.  Learn about basic approaches to interpret soil and landscape features for various land uses.

COURSE CONTENTS

Theory

1. Weathering of rocks and minerals; Types of parent materials

2. Soil genesis and factors affecting

3. Pedogenic processes

4. Soil morphology

5. Description of soil profiles; Special soil features

6. Diagonestic horizons; Epipedons and Endopedons

7. Soil moisture and temperature regimes

Practical

1. Soil profile description of important soil series

2. Field trips

3. Identification of soil horizons

READINGS

1. Eswaran, H., Rice T., Ahrens R. and Stewart B. A. 2003. Soil Classification. A Global Desk Reference. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Florida, USA.

2. Bashir, E. and R. Bantel. 2001. Soil Science. National Book Foundation, Islamabad.

3. Brady, N.C. and R.R. Weil. 2007. The Nature and Properties of Soils. 14th Ed. Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ, USA.

4. Brady, N.C. and R.R. Weil. 2009. Elements of the Nature and Properties of Soils. 3rd Ed. Pearson Education, Upper Saddle River, NJ, USA.

5. Hillel, D. 2008. Soil in the Environment: Crucible of Terrestrial Life. Elsevier Inc., Burlington, MA, USA.

6. Singer, M.J. and D.N. Munns. 2002. Soils - An Introduction. 5th ed. Prentice-Hall, Inc., Upper Saddle River, NJ, USA.

7. Das, D.K. 2011. Introductory Soil Science. 3rd ed. Kalyani Publ. New Delhi-110002, India.