Soil, Water and Atmospheric Processes (U01806)

? Credit Points : 20 ? SCQF Level : 8 ? Acronym : GEO-2-SWAP

The study of the near-surface processes that underpin the exchange of gases, water and nutrients at the scale of the organism to the landscape. This course provides a background in soil science, environmental physics and hydrology required to tackle issues such as land degradation, climate and land use change and microclimate modification.

Entry Requirements

? Costs : None

Subject Areas

Home subject area

Ecological Science, (School of GeoSciences, Schedule N)

Other subject areas

Environmental Courses, (School of GeoSciences, Schedule N)

Delivery Information

? Normal year taken : 2nd year

? Delivery Period : Semester 2 (Blocks 3-4)

? Contact Teaching Time : 5 hour(s) per week for 11 weeks

First Class Information

Date	Start	End	Room	Area	Additional Information
08/01/2008	12:00	13:00	Lecture Theatre C, JCMB	KB

All of the following classes

Type	Day	Start	End	Area
Lecture	Tuesday	12:10	13:00	KB
Lecture	Wednesday	11:10	12:00	KB
Laboratory	Wednesday	14:00	15:50	KB
Lecture	Friday	11:10	12:00	KB

Summary of Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, students will be expected to be able to: construct an energy balance for a range of surfaces; explain how microclimate can be modifed; discuss the principles of energy exchange in organisims; unerstand the errors involved in measurements of soil, water and meteorogical properties; calculate return periods for extreme events shuch as floods and drought; contruct a water balance for a catchment and show how it is affected by a change in land use; explain the factors affecting the drainage of a soil and explain how rainfall reaches river channels; appreciate the interaction between surface water and groundwater in the catchment hydrological cycle; understand how distinct soil horizons and soil series develop under the influence of factors such as parent material, topography and climate; explain the role of soil organic matter in soil fertility and structure; discuss the factors (including pH and CEC) affecting the availability and the fixation of essential nutrients and potentially toxic elements in soil; be able to carry out both soil survey and water quality survey.

Assessment Information

Degree examination 65%; in-course assessment 35%. In-course assessment consists of 3 practical reports/worksheets, 3 tutorial hand-ins and a multiple choice test. The 2 hour degree examination contains two sections: A and B. Section A comprises compulsory multiple choice questions. Section B is a short answer section in which students answer 4 questions from a choice of 9 and answer a minimum number of 1 question each from the sections on atmosphere, water and soil.