This is a junior level course designed as an introduction to soil science and hydrology; it will provide the student with sufficient basic information to serve as a sole course in these topics, or form an introduction for later courses in soil science and/or hydrology. The subject matter is oriented towards students majoring in soil science, hydrology, environmental sciences, plant sciences and related fields. The lecture and laboratory will be complimentary in presenting information of both a theoretical and practical nature. Prerequisites for the course include an introductory chemistry sequence and college algebra.

Course Objectives: The overall objective of the course is to give students a basic background in soil science and hydrology, including key concepts in these fields such as:

• basic familiarity with key soil properties and how they relate to soil management and productivity;
• understanding interactions between soil organic and mineral components and plant nutrition;
• landscape and soil characterization description and interpretation from maps and in the field;
• how to read and interpret topographic and hydrologic information within a landscape and watershed framework;
• understanding the hydrologic cycle and how management affects hydrologic processes in forest and cultivated settings;
• management effects on environmental quality in terms of soil productivity and water quality.

Class Meetings: Lecture meets 9:05 to 11:00 am Monday, 10:10 to 11:00 am Wednesday in NESPAL Room 201. The two-hour labs meet on Fridays from 9:05 to 11:00 am. Unless otherwise announced, gather for labs in NESPAL Lab 204. Attendance in lecture will not be taken, but is highly advised, as most important material for the course will be covered in lecture. Attendance at your assigned lab is mandatory; unexcused absences will result in a 0 grade for lab hand-ins for that laboratory. Lab hand-in sheets will be due at the end of lab, or if outside work is required, by the next Monday lecture; labs that are late, or are disorganized or messy, will be penalized.

Course Materials: The text for the course is The Nature and Properties of Soils, N. C. Brady and R.R. Weil, 13^th edition available at the ABAC bookstore or on line from many vendors. Additional handout and lab materials will be provided by the course instructors. You should read over the assigned chapter carefully by Wednesday of each week, and have read the lab materials handouts before coming to your assigned lab. Material for quizzes and exams will come from the reading, labs, and lecture notes, combined; note that you are responsible for the weekês reading, whether it is discussed in the lecture or not.

Web-based issue paper: Each student will be required to research and report on two current issues in soil and water resources, either from a list provided by the instructors or with approval of the instructors. No two students may research the same issue. Research will be from on-line web resources properly credited and reprinted, and a short student-authored synopsis of the issue and itês current status.

Course Grading: The course will be graded on a 90/80/70/60% basis, corresponding to A/B/C/D/F. Exams and quizzes will be combined multiple choice, fill-ins, definitions, short essay, and problems. Quizzes will usually be given weekly in lecture, but may be given in lab, either announced or unannounced; hourly exams will be given in the evenings according to a schedule to be announced. Make-up exams for excused absences must be completed within 3 days of the scheduled hourly exam date or date of return from the excused absence. There will be no make up for quizzes. All lab and lecture grades will be incorporated into a single final course grade, based on the following:

Course Instructors:

Prof. Jim Hook
104 NESPAL
229-386-7274
jimhook@tifton.uga.edu

Prof. Glen Harris
227 RDC
229-386-3194
gharris@uga.edu