Module: Soil and Environmental Science

Module details

  • Module code

    1007

  • Module leader

    Dr Felicity Crotty

  • Module Level

    4

  • Module credits

    15

  • Min study time

    150 hours

  • Contact hrs

    40 hours

  • Teaching Period

    Semester 2

Module content

Practical techniques linking farming and the environment through developing an understanding of soil science. Students will gain skills in, independent learning, accessing and evaluating information from a variety of sources – citing and referencing sources of information in an appropriate manner, ensuring academic integrity and the avoidance of plagiarism.

Module outcomes

To achieve credit for this module, students must be able to:

  1. Understand how environmental systems function
  2. Understand the role of soil in ecosystem services
  3. Describe fundamental physical, chemical and biological properties of soils and how they are assessed
  4. Relate soil management decisions to policy and environmental change

Assessment

Assessment Description Weighting
Coursework Report - 2000 words 50%
Coursework In class 90 minute test - multiple choice via Gateway 50%

Key texts

Essential resources:

  • Ashman, M.R. and Puri, G. (2002). Essential Soil Science. Blackwell Science. (available as ebook)
  • Coleman, D.C., Callaham, M.A., and Crossley, D.A.J. (2018). Fundamentals of soil ecology (third ed.). Academic Press
  • Eash, N.S., Sauer, T.J., O’Dell, D., and Odoi, E. (2016). Soil Science Simplified (sixth ed.). Wiley Blackwell (available as ebook)
  • Gobat, J.M., Aragno, M., and Matthey, W. (2004). The living soil: fundamentals of soil science and soil biology. Science Publishers
  • White, R.E. (2006). Principles and Practice of Soil Science. (4th edition). Blackwell Science