SO 210 - Introductory Soil Science

3 Credits

This is a key course and is a prerequisite to:

SO 320, SO 340, and SO 350.

Prerequisites: None
Corequisites: SC 200 

Course Learning Outcomes:
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to

1. outline the role of soil formation processes involved in the development of different types of soils.
2. apply the morphological, physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of soils for soil description and management.
3. collect, prepare, store, and analyze soil samples with regards to texture, color, pH, organic matter, moisture, bulk density and water holding capacity.
4. compare and categorize the problem soils, such as saline and sodic soils, acid soils, etc.
5. discriminate and categorize the soil zones of Alberta and Western Canada.

Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. 1998. The Canadian system of soil classification. 3rd ed.,

National Research Council of Canada, Ottawa.

Book citation:

Krzic, M., Walley, F.L., Diochon, A., Paré, M.C., & Farrell, R.E. (Eds.) 2021. Digging into Canadian soils: 

An introduction to soil science. Pinawa, MB: Canadian Society of Soil Science. 

Conduct of Course:

The course is divided into 42 hours of lecture and 28 hours of lab work. Classroom instruction is in a lecture style with use of PowerPoint presentations, videos and in class assignments.

Lab reports are generally due at the end of the lab. Late lab reports and assignments are not graded; a grade of (0) is assigned.

Classroom and laboratory attendance is considered vital to the learning process and as significant to the students’ evaluation as examinations and reports.

1. Students having a combination of excused and/or unexcused absence of 20 percent or higher for the scheduled course hours will be required to withdraw and will automatically receive a “RW” (required withdrawal) for the course, regardless of any other evaluation results. (RW is a failing grade.).
2. An excused absence is one that is verified with your instructor. Verification should be prior to the absence or the next class day following the absence. Verification of the absence may take the form of a note from your doctor/College nurse regarding illness, or a note from another instructor regarding a field trip or other activity, or authorization by your instructor. An unexcused absence is anything NOT verified by the instructor prior to the absence or the next class day following the absence.

It is the students’ responsibility to know their own absentee record.

Normal hours are 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., with potential for evening courses, exams, or extended field trips. Students are expected to be available for classes during these times.

Content of Course:

1. Physical Properties of Soil
2. Soil Formation and Parent Material
3. Intro to Soil Profiles and Canadian System of Soil Classification
4. Soil Water
5. Soil and the Hydrologic Cycle
6. Soil Aeration and Temperature
7. Soil Colloids and Organic Matter
8. Soil Reaction, Soil Salinity, and Sodicity
9. Soil Organisms and Ecology

Lab activities

1. Particle size analysis/hand texturing
2. Soil physical properties
3. Soil moisture, bulk density, soil charges, and maps
4. Soil acidity - laboratory and field assessments
5. Saline and sodic soils
6. Review of lab concepts
7. Theoretical and practical lab exams