GEOL 431: Soil & Sustainable Agriculture

Introduces students to the skin of the Earth, examining soil as both a geological material and a natural resource. Explores the awesome complexity of soils from molecular to landscape-scale and examines the particular problems soils pose to human-landscape interaction. Topics include the formation, physics, chemistry, ecology and sustainable management of the world's soils. Laboratory exercises incorporate field description, laboratory analysis and large-scale research questions. One weekend field trip is required.