SSCI 230: Pedology
Module Coordinators:
Dr Pauline Chivenge
School of Agricultural Earth and Environmental Sciences
Room 6 Rabbie Saunders
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 033 260 5417
Prof Pardon Muchaonyerwa
School of Agricultural Earth and Environmental Sciences
Room 7 Rabbie Saunders
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: 033 260 5764
Lecture times:
Monday, 10:30 – 12:10
Wednesday, 08:40 – 09:25
Thursday, 13:15 – 14:00
Rabie Saunders Room 10
Laboratory:
Friday, 14:10 – 17:00
Soil Science Lab
Office hours:
Tuesday, Thursday 2:00- 3:00 pm, or by appointment
Prerequisite modules:
SSCI 217: Introduction to Soils and the environment
Module notes:
http://moodle.sciag.ukzn.ac.za/soilsci/
Assessment:
3 h exam (67%), 2 tests (17%), project report and tutorials
(16%).
DP Requirement:
Attendance at practicals; 40% Class mark.
Calculation of course marks:
Test 1:
Test 2:
Field trips:
Soil survey and report:
Final examination:
Final course mark:
20
20
10
50
100
150
250
COURSE ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
1. Lectures. While lectures are not compulsory, it is the student’s responsibility to keep up with
materials covered and announcements made in class when a student is absent.
2. Field survey and mapping project during the September 'vacation' i.e., Saturday
September 22nd to Sunday September 30th inclusive.
3. All day Sunday field trips on August 19th and on September 2nd or September 9th.
4. Other practicals on dates and times to be announced.
5. Class tests to be held on Thursday August 30 and Thursday October 11.
COURSE OBJECTIVES:
The course will cover how soils are formed through the interaction of climate, vegetation/biotic
features, parent material, and slope over time. By the end of the course you should be able to:
a) Understand the processes of soil formation and how they influence soil properties.
b) Identify soil morphological properties important for characterisation and classification of
soils.
c)
d)
Understand the rationale and structure soil taxonomy and be able to classify soils using the
South African soil classification system.
Be able to describe, using proper terminology, soils in the field.
COURSE OUTLINE:
Section Topic
1. Introduction. Historical background. What is Pedology? What is soil? The soil in the field. Why
study soil?
2. Soil morphology. Soil horizons, colour, texture, structure, consistence, stones, roots, nodules.
Standard profile description.
3. Soil classification. Purpose and principles. Historical background. Selected classification schemes.
4. Soil survey and mapping.
5. Soil genesis. Weathering. Narrow and gross processes of soil formation.
6. Factors of soil formation.
FIELD TRIP REQUIREMENTS
This year we are going to Underberg for the soil survey (September 22 – 30, 2012). This is during the
mid-semester break. Make sure that you do not plan a vacation during that time.
1. Walking shoes (something that can get dirty and wet).
2. Warm and cold clothing (it can get very cold).
3. Hat.
4. Bath towel, sunscreen, and toiletries.
5. Water bottle and lunch box.
6. Sleeping bag and pillow (please avoid bringing bulky blankets as we have limited space in the
vehicles. Inform us if you fail to get one).
7. Roll-up mattress.
8. Torch.
9. BLUE BOOK: check to see that your book has all the pages and inform us if there are any
missing pages as soon as possible.
10. Pens, pencils, paper, etc.
11. Day backpack if you have one.
12. Food allergies/dietary requirements (please inform us ahead of time).
13. Medicine if you need any. NB The Soils Science Discipline will only provide a basic First Aid
kit.
Survey report write-up:
A short write-up is required for each practical. A single final write-up will incorporate all the data
from each practical. The write-ups should be written up as:
Introduction
The introduction should cover general aspects of the area including; history, location and factors of
soil formation (climate, topography, drainage, hydrology, geology, vegetation, fauna)
Method of soil survey:
This section should include the location of the exact land surveyed, the survey methods used
including scale. The use of surface and vegetation observations, auger points and depths, and soil
profile pits and soil classification should be described. Soil forming factors of the specific site
(organisms, climate, relief, parent materials and time) and their effects on soil formation need to be
described.
Pedogenesis
This section covers the description of soil forms and families, and their characteristics as observed
during the survey. Details of the toposequence should also be included. The descriptions should make
reference to the soil map produced.
Land capability
Based on the characteristics of the land (soil depth, wetness), erosion hazards, slope, and rock
outcrops, capability classes (based on the 8 class system) should be derived.
Crop suitability
Crop suitability should be established based on the requirements of specific crops against the
available resources including soils (from survey), and climate. Note: A full crop suitability evaluation
includes analysis of socio-economic factors in addition to physical factors. However, we will ignore
the socio-economic analysis and focus on more in soil factors for this practical.
Profile descriptions
Soil profile description details should be included here (separately for each soil form and family).
Conclusions: This section provides an overall assessment of the survey, land capability and suitability
evaluations.
References
A list of references consulted in the write up should be carefully and consistently listed here.
Appendices
Maps of soils, soil capability classes, and crop suitability should be included in the Appendix section.
All original field sheets (as filled in at the site) should also be added to the Appendix section.
Prescribed Book:
SOIL CLASSIFICATION WORKING GROUP (1991). Soil Classification - A taxonomic system for
South Africa. Dept. Agric. Development. Pretoria.
This is a compulsory book and is available from Soil Science and will be handed out in an early
lecture. The cost of this book will be automatically debited to your account.