SOIL 5990 -- Soil Physics Practicum
Fall 2010
3 credits; Prerequisite -- SOIL 4683
This course provides hands-on training in the analysis of soil physical properties and processes. Students gain experience by characterizing the soil physical environment in an on-going field experiment. Students will collect soil samples and install and maintain field equipment for recording soil water content and temperature. In the laboratory students will measure: bulk density, particle and aggregate size distributions, soil water retention, hydraulic conductivity, and thermal properties. Students will summarize and interpret the resulting data in light of the objectives of the field experiment and write a manuscript for submission to a peer-reviewed journal.
