Soil Ecology

Course Overview

”The nation that destroys its soil, destroys itself.” – Franklin Delano Roosevelt 

The field of soil ecology has grown tremendously over the past 30 years as researchers, farmers, and  conservation activists become aware of the important roles that soil organisms play in plant community  structure, ecosystem functioning, and economic stability. Conservationists, land managers, and farmers  continue to explore management techniques that incorporate soil “health” into conservation initiatives and  farm plans. What is healthy soil? How do soil organisms influence soil fertility and plant distribution? How  does human activity influence the ability of soil organisms to function optimally? The first part of this course  will focus on soil physical processes such as soil formation and development. We will then turn the bulk of  our attention to soil biological properties and processes. Topics we will cover in depth include: soil microbial  community structure and functioning; soil food webs; the impact of land management on soil organisms; the  role of soil organisms in ecosystem functioning; soil organic matter turnover and nutrient cycling;  interactions between soil biota and vascular plants; soil communities under conventional and sustainable  agriculture, and; the effects of climate change and human activity on the structure and functioning of soil  communities on a global scale. This course will combine lectures, seminars, field trips, and a self-guided laboratory or field experiment, and emphasis will be on both natural and agricultural ecosystems. 

Course Materials: Students should contact the course instructor and review the course syllabus for information related to course materials/texts.