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  6. EV3005: Global Soils and the Environment

EV3005: GLOBAL SOILS AND THE ENVIRONMENT (2024-2025)

Last modified: 23 Jul 2024 11:08


Course Overview

Field based course that takes you across northeast Scotland exploring an ancient tropical rainforest, hill farming in action, survey techniques and soil formation.

Lectures focus on how soils form, how soils work, soil classification, soil as part of the environment, human impacts on soil, and the use of mapping and soil data to optimise the management of this fragile resource.

Your assessments are geared towards developing practical skills. This includes a presentation on a particular soil that requires research akin to detective work, quizzes on soil properties and classification and a critical essay on a selected topic.

Course Details

Study Type Undergraduate Level 3
Term First Term Credit Points 15 credits (7.5 ECTS credits)
Campus Aberdeen Sustained Study No
Co-ordinators
  • Professor Paul Hallett

What courses & programmes must have been taken before this course?

  • Either Programme Level 3 or Programme Level 4
  • Any Undergraduate Programme (Studied)
  • One of BSc Biology (Studied) or BSc Conservation Biology (Studied) or BSc Plant Biology (Studied) or Non-Graduating Student in Plant & Soil Science Erasmus (Studied) or BSc Zoology (Studied) or BSc Animal Ecology (Studied) or Non-Graduating Student in Zoology Erasmus (Studied) or BSc Marine Biology (Studied) or BSc Parasitology (Studied) or BSc Animal Behaviour (Studied) or BSc Behavioural Biology (Studied) or MSci Biological Sciences (Studied) or BSc Biological Sciences (Honours) (Studied) or BSc Plant and Soil Sciences (Studied) or BSc Biology - Education (Primary) (Studied) or Bachelor Of Science In Environmental And Forest Management (Studied) or Non-Graduating Student in Agriculture and Forestry Erasmus (Studied) or BSc Ecology (Studied) or BSc Wildlife Management (Studied) or BSc Forestry (Studied) or Non-Graduating Student in Forestry Iss (Studied) or BSc Forest Sciences (Studied) or BSc Environmental Chemistry (Studied) or Master of Chemistry (Environmental Chemistry) (Studied) or BSc Geology (Studied) or BSc Geoscience (Studied) or BSc Geography (Studied) or BSc Environmental Science (Studied) or BSc Environmental Science (Physical Sci) (Studied) or BSc Geography-Geoscience (Studied) or BSc Biology - Education (Secondary) (Studied) or Erasmus Student Diploma in Science (Studied) or Non-Graduating Student in Science First Half-Session (Studied) or Non-Graduating Student in Science Full Year (Studied) or Non-Graduating Student in Science Eu (Studied) or Non-Graduating Student in Science Iss (Studied)
  • One of BI1509 Ecology and Environmental Science (Passed) or BI1511 Ecology and Environmental Science (Passed) or SF1504 Ecology and Environmental Science (Foundation) (Passed)

What other courses must be taken with this course?

None.

What courses cannot be taken with this course?

Are there a limited number of places available?

No

Course Description

This course is structured to provide an introduction to soil science. It starts with the formation of soils, bridging geological and biological processes that impact at local, regional and global scale. This understanding is used to learn the classification and taxonomy of soils, taught in the context of field surveying and environmental planning. Threats to soil from humans and environmental change are also covered. Weekly field trips provide hands-on experience across northeast Scotland.

By the end of the course you should be able to:

  1. Identify the importance of time, relief, parent material, topography and organisms in controlling soil development,
  2. Recognize the importance of processes (such as weathering, leaching, biology and human impact) in soil formation
  3. Be able to describe and classify soils by the WRB system and have an understanding of other major systems of soil classification,
  4. Link field observations to concept of soil classification.
  5. Assemble knowledge gained on soils to identify potential threats and opportunities for food and environmental security.

Taught topics covered include:
The factors of soil formation
Soils of the world
Human impacts on soils
Soil quality
Soil classification
Soil survey

 


Contact Teaching Time

Information on contact teaching time is available from the course guide.

Teaching Breakdown

More Information about Week Numbers


Details, including assessments, may be subject to change until 30 August 2024 for 1st term courses and 20 December 2024 for 2nd term courses.

Summative Assessments

Class Test

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 30
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

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Feedback

2 x class test worth 15% each 
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Soil Taxonomy Presentation

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 30
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

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Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Essay

Assessment Type Summative Weighting 40
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

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Feedback Word Count
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Formative Assessment

There are no assessments for this course.

Resit Assessments

Resubmission of Failed Element(s)

Assessment Type Summative Weighting
Assessment Weeks Feedback Weeks

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Feedback
Learning Outcomes
Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
Sorry, we don't have this information available just now. Please check the course guide on MyAberdeen or with the Course Coordinator

Course Learning Outcomes

Knowledge LevelThinking SkillOutcome
FactualRememberILO’s for this course are available in the course guide.
 

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