| Course Title | Code | Semester | L+U Hour | Credits | ECTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soil Science | ORU109 | 1. Semester | 2 + 1 | 3.0 | 4.0 |
| Prerequisites | None |
| Language of Instruction | Turkish |
| Course Level | Associate |
| Course Type | |
| Mode of delivery | |
| Course Coordinator |
Prof. Dr. Oktay YILDIZ |
| Instructor(s) |
Oktay YILDIZ |
| Assistants | |
| Goals | The main objective of this course is to teach students the physical and chemical properties of soils as a plant growing medium, classify the soil type and how to improve and sustain the productivity of a site |
| Course Content | Introduction to soil science, soil forming factors, soil genesis, basic concepts / Readings and discussions, slide shows about different soil types, forest, agriculture, meadow soils, Rocks, rock types and their soil forming potentials / Lab demos of common rock types.Minerals and their classifications, macro-, and micro nutrients. Plant nutrient contents of common minerals / Lab demos of common mineral types. Weathering, physical breakdown and chemical weathering. Residual and transported materials and their classifications / Slide shows and field trip about weathering and transported materials , Important soil forming processes (melinization, podzolization, calsification etc.). Soil profile and horizons / Soil profile, horizon designation and soil sampling from a soil profile (field), Soil texture and structure / Lab demo for soil physical analysis. Physical properties of soils ideal soil type and its moisture, pore, mineral, organic and atmospheric contents / Soil drying, weighing, problem solving about bulk density and porosity Soil water, field capacity, wilting point, water potentials, drainage, infiltration, percolation / Problem solving related to saturation, volumetric water contents. Slide shows about, Field trip, Soil compaction, porosity, capillary movement, aeration / Problem solving related to compaction. Field trip, Chemical properties of soil , pH, availability of soil nutrients. Amelioration of acidic and basic soils. Cation exchange capacity, salinity / pH and salinity measurement in lab and problem solving related to CEC, conversions of units, Soil colloids, classification of soil colloids and water and nutrient retention potentials of soil colloids / Reading and discussion. Soil organic matter, structure and component of organic matters, decomposition, Affects of organic matter on soil and environment / Slide shows and lab demos related to soil organic matters and its use Soil types of different geographical regions of Turkey and their potentials for plant growth / Reading, discussions and slide shows |
| Learning Outcomes |
- Students will gain knowledge about soil type, physical and chemical properties of soils, soil reactions, organic matter and soil water - Students will gain ability to define the soil in an ecosystem in terms of plant growing medium. - How to tilt soil and improve the site productivity - Providing protect and sustainable productivity of soil as an ecosystem’s least renewable resource - To evaluate the changes in soil in response to different disturbance regimes such as harvesting, plantation, fire etc. - To predict and evaluate the results of management practices in forest sites |
| Week | Topics | Learning Methods |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Week | Introduction to soil science, soil forming factors, soil genesis, basic concepts / Readings and discussions, slide shows about different soil types, forest, agriculture, meadow soils | |
| 2. Week | Rocks, rock types and their soil forming potentials / Lab demos of common rock types. | |
| 3. Week | Minerals and their classifications, macro-, and micro nutrients. Plant nutrient contents of common minerals / Lab demos of common mineral types. | |
| 4. Week | Weathering, physical breakdown and chemical weathering. Residual and transported materials and their classifications / Slide shows and field trip about weathering and transported materials | |
| 5. Week | Important soil forming processes (melinization, podzolization, calsification etc.). Soil profile and horizons / Soil profile, horizon designation and soil sampling from a soil profile (field) | |
| 6. Week | Soil texture and structure / Lab demo for soil physical analysis. | |
| 7. Week | Physical properties of soils ideal soil type and its moisture, pore, mineral, organic and atmospheric contents / Soil drying, weighing, problem solving about bulk density and porosity | |
| 8. Week | Mid-term exam | |
| 9. Week | Soil water, field capacity, wilting point, water potentials, drainage, infiltration, percolation / Problem solving related to saturation, volumetric water contents. Slide shows about, Field trip | |
| 10. Week | Soil compaction, porosity, capillary movement, aeration / Problem solving related to compaction. Field trip | |
| 11. Week | Chemical properties of soil , pH, availability of soil nutrients. Amelioration of acidic and basic soils. Cation exchange capacity, salinity / pH and salinity measurement in lab and problem solving related to CEC, conversions of units | |
| 12. Week | Soil colloids, classification of soil colloids and water and nutrient retention potentials of soil colloids / Reading and discussion. | |
| 13. Week | Soil organic matter, structure and component of organic matters, decomposition, Affects of organic matter on soil and environment / Slide shows and lab demos related to soil organic matters and its use | |
| 14. Week | Soil types of different geographical regions of Turkey and their potentials for plant growth / Reading, discussions and slide shows. |
| • Handouts • Brady, N.C. and Weıl. R.R. 1999. The Nature and Properties of soils. Twelfth edition. Prentice-Hall, Inc. New Jersey. • Kantarcı, M. D. 2000. Toprak İlmi. İstanbul Üniversitesi, Orman Fakültesi • Fisher and Binkley, 2000. Ecology and Management of Forest Soils. John Wiley and Sons Inc., Newyork. • Güneş, A., Alpaslan, M. ve Inal ,A. 2002. Bitki besleme ve Gübreleme, Ankara Üniversitesi, Ziraat Fakültesi. |
| Program Requirements | Contribution Level | DK1 | DK2 | DK3 | DK4 | DK5 | DK6 | Measurement Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PY1 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| PY2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| PY3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| PY4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| PY5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| PY6 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| PY7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| PY8 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| PY9 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| PY10 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| PY11 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | - |
| 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Course's Level of contribution | None | Very Low | Low | Fair | High | Very High |
| Method of assessment/evaluation | Written exam | Oral Exams | Assignment/Project | Laboratory work | Presentation/Seminar |
| Event | Quantity | Duration (Hour) | Total Workload (Hour) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Course Hours | 14 | 2 | 28 |
| Practice | 14 | 1 | 14 |
| Midterm 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Homework 1 | 20 | 1 | 20 |
| Homework 2 | 10 | 3 | 30 |
| Final | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Classroom Activities | 8 | 1 | 8 |
| Total Workload | 102 | ||
| ECTS Credit of the Course | 4.0 | ||
