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Office of the University Registrar

2005-06 Undergraduate Catalog
Course Descriptions

Soil and Water Science
College of Agricultural and Life Sciences

ALS 3133 Agricultural and Environmental Quality
Credits: 3.
Analysis of effects of agriculture on environmental quality; emphasis on agricultural wastes and practices; potential for using agricultural systems for disposal of other wastes; effects of pollution on the agricultural environment. (P)

SOS 2007 The World of Water
Credits: 3.
Course explores the full range of water issues including abundance and quality of water in the environment, water policy, and conflict.

SOS 2008 Humans, Soils, and Environmental Impact
Credits: 3.
Course will focus on relationships between human activities and soil and environmental quality. Lectures will concentrate on fundamentals of soil and environmental science, using case studies to illustrate basic principles. Intended for non-majors. (B)

SOS 3022 Introduction to Soils in the Environment
Credits: 3.
Fundamentals of soil science emphasizing the physical, chemical and biological properties of soils in relation to growth of native and agricultural plants and environmental uses. (P)

SOS 3022L Introduction to Soils in the Environment Lab
Credits: 1.
Hands-on exposure to soils-related properties and processes.

SOS 3023L Soil Judging
Credits: 2; can be repeated for up to 6 credits.
Students learn to inventory soil properties and record them on a standard form used by USDA soil scientists. Students travel locally to the field and also attend a 3-day Regional Soil Judging contest. Students learn to classify soils using Soil Taxonomy and to interpret soil quality and behavior from soil properties.

SOS 4116 Environmental Nutrient Management
Credits: 3; Prereq: SOS 3022.
Consumption, existing reserves, formulation, chemical and physical properties, and manufacture of commercial fertilizers; basic chemical reactions of fertilizer materials with the soil and the fate of the nutritional elements whether it be loss by leaching, plant uptake, fixation, or soil retention. (P)

SOS 4213C Soils and Environmental Quality
Credits: 3; Prereq: CHM 2045 or CHM 2046; SOS 3022 recommended.
A fundamental study of soil properties and reactions critical to the evaluation of how contaminants, as well as essential nutrients, behave in the soil environment. (P)

SOS 4223 Environmental Biogeochemistry
Credits: 3; Prereq: BSC 2010 and BSC 2010L, CHM 2045 and 2045L.
To gain understanding of the earth as a biogeochemistry system in the context of global change.

SOS 4231C Soil, Water and Land Use
Credits: 3.
Suitabilities/limitations of soils for different uses; using soil surveys and related information to plan use/management of land; behavior of water in soils/landscapes; policies for and implications of water allocation among urban, agricultural, and natural resource uses. (P)

SOS 4233 Soil and Water Conservation
Credits: 3.
Soil/water resources, historical erosions and sediment problems, geologic vs. accelerated erosion, erosion prediction equations, government conservation programs; and water conservation, irrigation, drainage and salinity; stormwater management; case studies in erosion and sedimentation.

SOS 4244 Wetlands
Credits: 3.
Introduction to wetland ecosystems with emphasis on principles and problems associated with their functions and values as related to water quality. Students will become familiar with basic and applied concepts in hydrology, soils and vegetation of both constructed and natural wetlands.

SOS 4245 Water Resource Sustainability
Credits: 3.
The effects of human impacts on hydrologic ecosystems (aquifers, watersheds, coastal zones, lakes and wetlands) will be described quantitatively. Case studies will be used to illustrate detrimental effects of unsustainable resource utilization and the beneficial management strategies.

SOS 4303C Soil Microbial Ecology
Credits: 3; Prereq: SOS 3022.
Occurrence and activities of soil microorganisms and their influence on soil productivity and environmental quality.

SOS 4451 Soil and Water Chemistry
Credits: 3.
Physico-chemical processes such as mineral weather-ing and formation, sorption, ion exchange. Introduction to diffuse double layer theory.

SOS 4602C Soil Physics
Credits: 3; Prereq: MAC 2311, PHY 2004 and SOS 3022.
Physical processes and properties of soils which influence optimum growth of plants as well as potential for groundwater pollution from agrochemicals and applied wastes. Primary emphasis is given to basic concepts of transport and retention for water and solutes; secondary emphasis is given to air and heat in the root zone of the soil profile; and limited attention is given to mechanical properties of soil which affect the proliferation of plant roots. (P)

SOS 4715C Environmental Pedology
Credits: 4; Prereq: SOS 3022.
Study and analysis of soil in the environment; factors responsible for soil formation and geographic distribution. Development of hydric soil criteria and hydric soil indicators. Emphasis on morphology or hydric/ non-hydric soils. Introduction to diagnostic horizons and soil classification. Labs on soil field techniques.

SOS 4720C GIS in Soil and Water Science
Credits: 3.
To provide a basic, practical understanding of GIS concepts, technical issues, and applications applied to soil and water science using ArcGIS geographic information system.

SOS 4905 Individual Work
Credits: 1 to 3; can be repeated with change in content up to 6 credits. Prereq: 8 hours of soils and permission of instructor.
Selected topics for qualified students.

SOS 4909 Honors Project
Credits: 1 to 6; maximum 6 credits. Prereq: must be admitted to the college's honors program and have a 3.5 GPA or greater.
A special project course restricted to students in the honors program. Students will complete a project on a selected topic, issue, or problem in research, teaching or extension. The project will be reviewed by at least two faculty chosen by the honors coordinator. May be repeated for up to six credits.

SOS 4932 Special Topics in Soil and Water Science
Credits: 1 to 3; can be repeated with change in content up to 6 credits.
Special topics designed to meet needs and interests of groups of students. Variable subject matter: e.g., contemporary issues in SWS, etc.

SOS 4941 Full Time Practical Work Experience in Soil and Water Science
Credits: 1 to 3††; Prereq: prior arrangement with adviser, permission of department chair and dean.
Practical work must be a new experience and related to field of study.



General Education Categories

  • Composition (C)
  • Mathematical Sciences (M)
  • Humanities (H)
  • Social and Behavioral Sciences (S)
  • Physical (P) and Biological (B) Sciences
  • International and Diversity focus (I)

Symbols Used in Course Descriptions

  • (WR) indicates the course satisfies the writing requirement.
    The Schedule of Courses lists the amount of writing credit per course section.
  • (MR) indicates the course satisfies the math requirement.
  • †† indicates the course may be taken on an S-U basis.