SS-SOIL
SCIENCE – 2005-07
Catalog
Earth and Soil Sciences Department
SS 110 Orientation in Soil Science (1)
(CR/NC)
(Also listed as ERSC 110)
Understanding
the depth and breadth of soils as a science. Examine potential career opportunities. Introduction to both student and professional organizations.
Credit/No Credit grading only. 1 activity.
SS 121 Introductory Soil Science (4) GE B5
Biological,
chemical, physical and genetic properties of soils. Application of scientific principles to solving land
use, water management, and soil conservation problems. Interpretation
of soils data for making environmental decisions, applying management
practices, and sustainable food production. 3
lectures, 1 laboratory. Prerequisite: College chemistry and completion
of the ELM requirement.
SS 200 Special Problems for Undergraduates
(1–2)
Individual
investigation, research, studies, or surveys of selected problems. Total credit limited to 4 units, with a maximum of 2
units per quarter. Prerequisite: Consent of department head.
SS 202 Soil Erosion and Water Conservation
(4)
(Also listed as ERSC 202)
Development of an erosion
and sediment control plan using climate, topography, soils and land use in
relation to soil and water quality. Evaluation of soil and water conservation
plans and best management practices for agriculture, urban, riparian, and
rangelands. 3 lectures, 1 activity. Prerequisite: SS
121 or consent of instructor.
SS 221 Fertilizers and Plant Nutrition (4)
Plant
nutrient requirements. Composition, value, and use of fertilizer materials, conditioners
and agricultural minerals. Methods of manufacturing,
distributing, and applying fertilizers. 3 lectures, 1
laboratory. Prerequisite: SS 121.
SS 223 Rocks and Minerals (4)
(Also listed as ERSC 223)
Origin,
composition, identification and weathering of rocks, minerals, and clays
important in the development of soils. Parent materials as related to the nature and
properties of soils. 3 lectures, 1 laboratory.
Prerequisite: SS 121, CHEM 111 or CHEM 128.
SS 301 Soils Practicum (2) (CR/NC)
Supervised practice in
technical, educational, professional, and operational applications related to
soil science. Students participate in faculty-supervised group or individual
activities that support educational and professional goals. Credit/No Credit
grading only. 2 activities. Prerequisite: SS 110 or SS
121.
SS 310 Urban Soils (4)
Management
and manipulation of soils in urban environments. Measurement and interpretation of
morphological, physical and chemical properties. Selection
and treatment of soil materials for interior and exterior plantings. 3 lectures, 1 laboratory. Prerequisite: SS 121.
SS 321 Soil Morphology (4)
(Also listed as ERSC 321)
Identification of soil morphological and site
properties. Correlation
of soil physical and chemical properties with soil taxonomy and land use.
Tech-niques of interpretations for agriculture,
forest lands, wetlands, range lands and urban development. 3
lectures, 1 laboratory. Prerequisite: SS 121.
SS 322 Soil Plant Relationships (4)
Investigation
and evaluation of the nutrient supplying ability of soils. Conditions and transformations involved in the
transfer of mineral nutrients from soils to plants. Effects
of cultural treatments on soil fertility. Diagnostic
techniques and data interpretation in soil and plant analysis. 3 lectures, 1 laboratory. Prerequisite: SS 221, CHEM 111 or
CHEM 128.
SS 323 Geomorphology (4) (Also listed as ERSC
323)
Recognizing and identifying
major landforms and their components by interpretation of aerial photographs
and topographic maps, and observations. Emphasis on analyzing
common landforms in the western
SS 339 Soil Science Internship (1–12) (CR/NC)
Selected students will
spend up to 12 weeks with an approved firm or agency engaged in work and study
related to their major. A detailed written proposal and written interim and
final reports required. One unit of credit may be allowed for each full week of
internship. Credit/No Credit grading. Prerequisite: Consent of internship
instructor.
SS 345 Soil Interpretations and Management
(4)
Calculate, graph, and
interpret physical, chemical, and microbiological data from soils and reports.
Apply laboratory results to field conditions. Debate efficacy
of soil management and environmental practices considering social, economic and
political implications of soil science. 2 lectures, 2
activities. Prerequisite: SS 121, CHEM 129, MATH 119 or MATH 141, PHYS
121 or PHYS 131, or consent of instructor.
SS 400 Special Problems for Advanced
Undergraduates (2–4)
Individual
investigation, research, studies or surveys of selected problems. Total credit limited to 4 units, with a maximum of 2
units per quarter. Prerequisite: Consent of department head.
SS 421 Wetlands (4)
(Also listed as BIO/FNR 421)
The
formation, characteristics, and functions of wetlands. Genesis of hydric
soils. Plant adaptations to saturated soils. Wetlands as wildlife habitat. Policies and social issues
associated with wetlands. The procedures of wetland
delineations. 3 lectures, 1 laboratory.
Prerequisite: CHEM 128, BOT 223, SS 321.
SS 422 Soil Microbiology and Biochemistry (4)
Biochemical
activities, ecology and environmental implications of soil organisms. Effects on the formation,
characteristics, and productivity of soils. Methods of studying soil
organisms. 3 lectures, 1 laboratory. Prerequisite: SS
221 and SS 345, CHEM 313 , or consent of instructor.
SS 423 Soil and Water Chemistry (5)
Chemical processes
governing weathering, soil mineral formation and stability, common solubility equilibria. Use of chemical principles to
explain surface chemical properties of soils and environmental problems in
water and soil chemical systems. Preparation of
professional quality reports based on laboratory data and library research.
3 lectures, 1 laboratory, 1 activity. Prerequisite: SS 223, SS 345, CHEM 129,
CHEM 212/312, or CHEM 216/316, MATH 118 or MATH 141.
SS 431 Soil Resource Inventory (4)
Development
and production of soil surveys for interpretive purposes. Use of soil taxonomy and land
classification systems to evaluate land for best management practices. 2 lectures, 2 laboratories. Prerequisite: SS 223; SS 321.
SS 432 Soil Physics (5)
Matter
and energy in soils, with emphasis on properties and behavior of solids, water,
air, and heat. Applications to
agriculture, forestry, range management, engineering, and environmental
sciences. Preparation of professional reports based on laboratory data and
library research. 3 lectures, 1 laboratory, 1 activity. Prerequisite: SS 121,
SS 345, PHYS 121 or PHYS 131, CHEM 129, MATH 118 or MATH 141, or consent of
instructor.
SS 433 Land Use Planning (3)
Development
of plans and practices for management of agricultural, recreational and urban
land use by evaluating the soil capabilities through the use of Soil Survey
Reports. 2
lectures, 1 laboratory. Prerequisite: SS 121.
SS 440
Ecosystem
approach to chemical, biological, physical and mechanical properties of forest
and range soils. Site quality, nutrient cycling, erosion and mass movement, fire
effects. Preparation of soil management reports similar to those
required by various land management organizations. Overnight
field trips. 3 lectures, 1 laboratory.
Prerequisite: SS 121, SS 321 or consent of instructor.
SS 442 Soil Vadose
Zone Remediation (4)
Redox transformations and removal or immobilization of
inorganic pollutants. Microbial degradation and elimination of organic contaminants.
Monitoring and predicting management strategies for vadose
zone enhancement. Reclamation of disturbed lands. 3 lectures, 1 activity. Prerequisite: CHEM 212/312 or CHEM
216/316, GEOL 201, SS 121 or consent of instructor.
SS 444 Soil Judging (2)
Morphological
description of soils in the field.
Taxonomic determination of classifications and interpretive
properties from soil descriptions. Participation in
collegiate soil judging contests. Total credit limited to 12 units. 1 lecture, 1 laboratory. Prerequisite: SS 321 or consent of
instructor.
SS 453 Tropical Soils (4)
Nature
and properties of soils occurring in the tropics, their origin, morphology,
classification, fertility, management and conservation. Examine social implications in international
agriculture. 3 lectures, 1 laboratory. Prerequisite:
SS 121, CHEM 111 or CHEM 128.
SS 461 Senior Project I (1)
(Also listed as ERSC 461)
Senior
project topic selection and contract development with project advisor. Statement of problems, subproblems, assumptions, objectives, hypothesis, methods
of analysis and statistical design. Development of
literature review and budget of time and finances. Proper
format and presentation of tabular and graphic information. 1 activity. Prerequisite: MATH 118 or MATH 131, STAT 211 or
STAT 321 or CRSC 411.
SS 462 Senior Project II (3)
(Also listed as ERSC 462)
Implementation
of materials and methods. Collection, analysis and interpretation of data. Completion of formal written report under advisor supervision.
Minimum 90 hours. Prerequisite: SS 461.
SS 463 Undergraduate Seminar (2) (Also listed as ERSC 463)
Review of current research,
experiments, and problems related to the student's major field of interest. Preparation and presentation of reports on problems or research
activities. 2 seminars.
SS 470 Selected Advanced Topics (1–4)
Directed
group study of selected topics for advanced students. Open to undergraduate and graduate students. Class Schedule will list topic selected.
Total credit limited to 8 units. 1 to 4 lectures. Prerequisite: Consent of
instructor.
SS 471 Selected Advanced Laboratory (1–4)
Directed
group laboratory study of selected topics for advanced students. Open to undergraduate and graduate students. Class Schedule will list topic selected.
Total credit limited to 8 units. 1 to 4 laboratories.
Prerequisite: Consent of instructor.
SS 500 Individual Study in Soil Science (1–6)
Advanced independent study
planned and completed under the direction of a member of the Earth and Soil
Sciences faculty. Total credit limited to 6 units. Prerequisite: Consent of
department head, graduate advisor and supervising faculty member.
SS 501 Research Planning (4)
Problem solving and research planning for agriculture, natural resources and
related sciences. Preparation of study plans that
identify problems, review appropriate literature, formulate objectives, develop
methods and provide for presentation and interpretation of results. Oral reports. 4 lectures.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of instructor.
SS 508 Environmental Assessment for Erosion
Control (3)
Assessment techniques for
the development of soil erosion control and the dispersal of surface runoff
water on urban, agriculture, riparian, and rangelands. Development
of a water quality management plan for a specific land use. 3 lectures. Prerequisite: Introductory soils course and
graduate standing, or consent of instructor.
SS 522 Advanced Soil Fertility (3)
Current
research frontiers in soil fertility.
Evaluating soil testing philosophy, theories and
interpretation. Optimizing soil conditions for
maximizing crop production. Consequences of environmental pollution,
trace elements and organic amendments. Chemical reactions
including solubility and chelate equilibria,
adsorption phenomena, nutrient mobility, soil mineralogy and weathering.
Use of foliar fertilization. Radioisotopes
in soil fertility. 3 lectures. Pre-requisite:
SS 322, graduate standing or consent of instructor.
SS 570 Selected Topics in Soil Science (1-4)
Directed group study of selected topics for advanced
students. Open to undergraduate
and graduate students. Class Schedule
will list topic selected. Total credit limited to 12 units. 1
to 4 seminars. Prerequisite: Graduate standing or consent of instructor.
SS 581 Graduate Seminar in Soils (3)
Current research,
experiments and problems related to soil science. Total credit limited to 3
units. 3 seminars. Prerequisite: Graduate standing or
consent of instructor.
SS 582 Advanced Land Management (3)
Development
of plans and practices for the management of crop, range, and wood land. 2 seminars, 1 laboratory.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing, SS 433.
SS 599 Thesis (1–6)
Individual research in soil
science under faculty supervision, leading to a scholarly written presentation
exhibiting originality, clarity, critical and independent thinking, proper
analysis of data, appropriate organization and format, and accurate and
thorough documentation. Six units required for the M.S. degree. Prerequisite:
Graduate standing and consent of instructor.