ACE2063 : Managing Soils in the Agri-Environment
- Offered for Year: 2022/23
- Module Leader(s): Dr Julia Cooper
- Lecturer: Dr Ankush Prashar, Professor Yit Arn Teh
- Owning School: Natural and Environmental Sciences
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 10 |
| ECTS Credits: | 5.0 |
Aims
The overall aim of the Module is to present the principles of soil management for agricultural systems and thereby enabling students to critically assess approaches to practical soil management in cropping and grassland systems. Student will gain a foundation in the basics of soil science and apply this within practical case studies.
Outline Of Syllabus
Topics are introduced in the lecture programme,
• Why soil matters; soil quality as integration of soil physical, chemical and biological properties
• Soil texture, OM and structure
• Soil forming factors – spatial variability of soil
• Soil acidity – managing and maintaining pH
• Plant response to nutrients (K, N, P), response curves – factors affecting nutrient availability in soils
• Factors affecting soil water balance
• Managing soils in practice – tillage systems
• Managing soils in practice – integrated approaches to manage soil health
• Soil spatial variability and tools to map this in the field
This will be supported through field and laboratory classes, where an system-approach to soils and soil forming processes is taken.
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 15 | 1:00 | 15:00 | Lectures |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 25:00 | 25:00 | Preparation of soil management plan |
| Guided Independent Study | Directed research and reading | 1 | 28:00 | 28:00 | Reading and online activities to extend understanding and application beyond the course materials |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Practical | 1 | 3:00 | 3:00 | Computer Practical |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Practical | 1 | 3:00 | 3:00 | Lab Practical |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 2 | 3:00 | 6:00 | N/A |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Fieldwork | 3 | 3:00 | 9:00 | Field trip to a farm |
| Guided Independent Study | Reflective learning activity | 11 | 1:00 | 11:00 | Weekly formative quizzes |
| Total | 100:00 |
Jointly Taught With
| Code | Title |
|---|---|
| ACE2074 | Ecosystem Ecology |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
Lectures introduce key knowledge and appropriate reading.
Field work introduces techniques in description of soil properties and assessment of soil quality and and practicals consolidate learning from lectures by problem solving. Practical soil management skills such as fertiliser recommendation and irrigation scheduling will be developed through practicals and their assessment.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | 1 | M | 100 | A consultancy-style soil management plan based on field trip and practical class results for a real farm. 2000 words |
Formative Assessments
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prof skill assessmnt | 1 | M | Weekly online quizzes to consolidate learning and engage students in the module content. |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The soil management report provides the opportunity for students to consolidate and synthesise learning from lectures, field trips and practical classes and apply it to a real-world situation.
The weekly online quizzes have proven popular with students as a way to reinforce and consolidate concepts from lectures.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- ACE2063's Timetable