SOIL 4120 / 5120 REMOTE LEARNING LAB MATERIALS
2020 is shaping up to be anything but - standard.
Let's work together to make sure you get the greatest possible 'field' experience from a distance.
Let's work together to make sure you get the greatest possible 'field' experience from a distance.
SOIL 4120/5120 kits include:
Important links:
Handouts provided in your binders:
Basic guidelines for getting the MOST out of each 'field' experience.
DUE via WYOCOURSES AFTER EACH 'FIELD' EXPERIENCE:
- Globe soil color book - please treat these with care and leave out of the sun and away from water.
- muffin tin for laying out soil samples
- 10x loupe for looking closely at features
- tape measure - for when you get to describe your own profiles (see discussion about final project)
- 1 M HCl - acid dropped bottle - KEEP AWAY FROM EYES - if your kits was mailed - please substitute white vinegar
- water bottle for wetting samples
Important links:
- SoilWeb & Web Soil Survey
- Field Book for Describing and Sampling Soils
- Keys to Soil Taxonomy
- BLANK description sheet if needed
Handouts provided in your binders:
- front cover page
- soil texture (yellow)
- cheat sheet (green)
- pedon characteristics (blue)
- family particle size class (pink)
Basic guidelines for getting the MOST out of each 'field' experience.
- Click on the location map & site photos and become familiar with where in the world this site is. To gain more information, type the lat/long coordinates into SoilWeb to see what soil/soils are mapped at this location - remember - soil surveys were not developed to tell you exactly what soil you'll be on at this field scale - instead, it provides information about the dominant soils of the area. Use this information as guidance to what soils are around. Also - not all soils we'll visit this semester are mapped (e.g. USFS land in the Snowy Range).
- Read the Handout about this site if provided.
- With a printed copy of the redacted description sheet in hand, watch the Site introductory (VIDEO 1). Use this information to better understand the landscape, land use, hillslope position, slope, parent material, etc. Be sure to note this information on your description sheet.
- Next click through the site photos to see what the soil looks like up close. Use this image to practice noting horizonation and structure when possible.
- Texture and color the soil samples labelled for this site and note this information on your description sheet.
- Then, watch the Site explanation (VIDEO 2) and see if we can help explain what you're seeing in these images and videos.
- Consider the questions posed for each field visit. Answer these by typing your response - be sure to cite any pertinent information you use in your answers.
DUE via WYOCOURSES AFTER EACH 'FIELD' EXPERIENCE:
- completed redacted description sheet
- typed answers to the questions posed each week
2020 Remote field trip locations (for fall 2020)
Students enrolled in my SOIL 4120/5120 course will interact with this material in WyoCourses (Canvas). I've shared the material here for others to use, adapt, and learn from. If anything seems to be missing, incorrect, or if any link are broken - please email me!
