NDSU Soil Science 210

Instructor:	Dr. David Hopkins email: david.hopkins@ndsu.nodak.edu
Office Location:	251 Walster Hall
Phone:	NDSU Office: 231-8948
Office Hours:	By appointment
Class Hours:	Monday, Wednesday, Friday; 9:00-9:50 a.m
Class Location: Lab Location:	Minard 136 Monday Lab - Walster 221; Tuesday Lab - Walster 217; Wednesday Lab - Walster 221

Course objectives for Introduction to Soil Science:

A. Students will identify the primary roles of the four components (mineral, liquid, gaseous, and organic) comprising the soil system, and gain an appreciation of interrelationships between them.

B. Students will understand the basics of rock and mineral weathering at the earth's surface and recognize the absolute dependence of inherent soil fertility upon geologic parent materials and intensity of weathering processes.

C. Students will understand how the five factors of soil formation act upon different geologic parent materials over time to produce soils having unique properties and profile characteristics; students will gain a rudimentary knowledge of soil geography and will recognize how soil chemical and physical properties ultimately govern land use potential.

D. Students will understand how the four components of soil interact to modify the major nutrient cycles in terrestrial ecosystems and how soluble and transported residues from soil landscapes fit into the sedimentary rock cycle. Students will recognize the linkages between basic soil science and numerous disciplines such as environmental science, hydrology, civil engineering,and landscape architecture, and the full range of agronomic sciences, i.e. botany, biology, crop science, range science.

Goal. "That toward which effort is directed" --Webster.

My goal in this class is to kindle an interest, perhaps even excitement, about the world's soils. Hopefully, after completing this course, students will have gained an understanding of how soils differ, why some are productive and others destined to be referred to as "sour ground" in any language. Students will develop knowledge and skills which allow a keener appreciation of landscape and soil properties.

Disabilities:
Any student with disabilities, or others who need special accommodations in this class, are invited to share their concerns or requests with the instructor as soon as possible.

Academic Dishonesty/Plagiarism:
Work in this course must adhere to the Code of Academic Responsibility and Conduct as cited in "Rights & Responsibilities of Community: A Code of Student Conduct" (1993) pp. 29-30.