ACE2063 : Managing Soils in the Agri-Environment - Undergraduate Study

Offered for Year: 2021/22

Module Leader(s): Dr Julia Cooper
Lecturer: 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
• Factors driving land use patterns – links between land quality, soil, productivity and environmental impacts
• Soil texture, OM and structure
• Soil forming factors – spatial variability of soil, soil profile and classification (E&W)
• 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

This will be supported through field and laboratory classes, where an system-approach to soils and soil forming processes is taken.

Teaching Methods

Please note that module leaders are reviewing the module teaching and assessment methods for Semester 2 modules, in light of the Covid-19 restrictions. There may also be a few further changes to Semester 1 modules. Final information will be available by the end of August 2020 in for Semester 1 modules and the end of October 2020 for Semester 2 modules.

Teaching Activities

Category	Activity	Number	Length	Student Hours	Comment
Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities	Lecture	17	1:00	17:00	Lectures
Guided Independent Study	Assessment preparation and completion	1	25:00	25:00	Preparation of soil management plan
Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities	Practical	4	3:00	12:00	Practical sessions
Guided Independent Study	Directed research and reading	1	26:00	26:00	Reading to extend understanding and application beyond the course materials
Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities	Fieldwork	2	4:00	8:00	Field trip to a farm
Guided Independent Study	Reflective learning activity	12	1:00	12:00	Weekly formative quizzes
Total				100:00

Jointly Taught With

Code	Title
ACE2074	Soils in Terrestrial Ecosystems

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

ACE2063's Reading List

Timetable

Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
ACE2063's Timetable