Soil 3416
Plant Nutrients in the Environment

 

Instructor:
Peter Bierman
413S Soil Science
612-625-8750
e-mail: pbierman@soils.umn.edu
 

Office Hours:
Monday and Wednesday, 4:00-5:30 PM
Thursday, 3:00-5:30 PM
Friday, 9:00 AM-1:00 PM
Other times possible by appointment
 

Course Goals:

1) Learn how basic soil properties and processes affect the availability of essential nutrients to crop plants


2) Learn how basic soil properties and processes affect the transport of plant nutrients and other elements in the environment


3) Learn methods of managing plant nutrients that are agriculturally productive and profitable, while preserving environmental quality.

 

Lecture:
Mondays and Wednesdays, 3:00-3:50 PM, 335 Borlaug Hall

Discussion:
Thursdays, 12:50-2:45, 375 Borlaug or 5:00-7:00, 306 Borlaug

Laboratory:
In conjunction with your Discussion section, 320S Soil Science
 

The lecture portion of the class will focus on basic concepts of soil fertility, plant nutrition, and nutrient movement, while the discussion and laboratory sections will focus on applied aspects of soil fertility, fertilizers, and environmentally sound plant nutrient management. Soil testing laboratory exercises are included in a number of the Discussion periods.
 

Textbook:
Soil Fertility and Fertilizers: An Introduction to Nutrient Management
J.L. Havlin, J.D. Beaton, S.L. Tisdale, and W.L. Nelson
6th edition, 1999, Prentice Hall
Available in the bookstore
 

Web Resources:
Most reading assignments for Discussion section topics are Extension fact sheets and bulletins available over the Internet. These references and assignments from other nutrient management information sites are listed in your manual under "Web Resources".
 

Class Web Page:
Some class information is available on a class web page. This includes the list of "Web Resources" reading assignments where you can click on the web page for the reading and go directly to it.


 http://soils.umn.edu/academics/classes/soil3416/

Manual:
Additional information is provided in a Recitation Manual of handouts and reprints. There will be a charge for this (to cover the cost of printing). Laboratory Manuals will be signed out for the semester and must be returned to receive a grade for the class).
 

Team Projects:
Project requirements and grading are described in a separate handout.
Final oral reports are during the discussion sections on Dec. 6 and Dec. 13
Final written reports are due the same day as the oral report.
 

Discussion Questions and Lab Results:
Discussion topics have short-answer questions or problem sets based on the readings and labs. They will be assigned the week before and due the day that topic is discussed or the laboratory exercise occurs. Lab results (copies of your calculations) are due the following week. They are not graded. It is up to your Team partners to make sure you are not contributing erroneous results to the project.

 

Grading System:
Course grades will be based on a combination of midterm exams, discussion questions, a team project, and a final exam, according to the point distribution shown below. Exams will cover lecture, discussion, and lab material. The final exam will be comprehensive for the entire semester. Achieving 90% of the possible points will ensure an A, 80% a B, 70% a C, and 60% a D. These benchmark cutoff points could end up slightly lower.

 
 

Grading System

Points

Midterm exams – 2 @ 75 points 

150

Discussion questions/problems – 10 @20 points 

200

Team project

250

Final exam

150

Total points

750

 

Midterm Exams:
Wednesday, October 17 and Wednesday, November 28
 

Final Exam:
Tuesday, December 18 – 10:30-12:30
 
 

*** NO MAKEUP EXAMS OR OTHER ASSIGNMENTS UNLESS APPROVED IN ADVANCE ***

 

Return to Class Home Page: http://soils.umn.edu/academics/classes/soil3416/