Introduction to Soils in the Environment
SOS 3022
Introduction to Soils in the Environment
SOS 3022
Dr. James Bonczek
Instructor: Dr. James Bonczek
G169 McCarty Hall
392-1951 ext. 249
bonczek@ifas.ufl.edu
Syllabus
Course Objective: To attempt to directly serve the
academic or professional needs and goals of the
students. To acquaint students with the importance
of soils to humans and the environment through
study of their morphology, physical and chemical
properties, their distribution, and their biological
significance.
Website
soillab.ifas.ufl.edu
Textbook
Elements of the Nature and Properties of Soils
Brady and Weil
(Recommended)
Lecture Notes
Available at the University Copy Center
1620 W. University Ave.
Soon
Grading
Point Distribution
Exam I
Exam II
Exam III
Homework
Lecture Questions
Total
200 points
200 points
200 points
100 points
100 points
800 points
Class attendance is required.
The People Trap
By Robert Sheckley
Synopsis
Story about a young couple living in an overpopulated future where you are
required to have
a special permit to have a child. They get a little careless, and
Management of Nutrients, Pesticides, and Wastes
the wife gets
pregnant. Without
a permit,
their
childand
will aquifers
be put in cold storage at
Remediation
of contaminated
soils,
waters
Quality/Ecological
Indicators
birth. Later, Soil
if they
can obtain a permit,
the government will unfreeze the baby
Soil/Landscape
and return it.
The couple'sAnalysis
only hope is for the husband to win a foot race
Wetlands and Aquatic Systems
whose first prize is an acre of land and a baby permit. All of the other
competitors have agreed that if they win, they'll sell the land to a Large
Corporation. The husband won't sell, so the Large Corporation does various
underhanded things to prevent his winning.
How large is the Earth?
To how much are you entitled?
How large is the earth?
Radius: 3986 mi (4000 mi)
Diameter: 7973 mi (8000 mi)
Circumference: 25,048 mi (25,000 mi)
Digression
Circumference: 25,048 mi
(25,000 mi)
When was it determined that
the earth was round?
1492?
Martin Behaim
1492, constructed one of the first terrestrial globes,
still preserved at the Nuremberg National Museum
The Round Debate
Pythagoras 525 B.C. philosophical: the sphere is the perfect shape
Aristotle 350 B.C.
New stars, ships, lunar eclipse
Eratosthenes 240 B.C. Calculated the earth’s diameter
Physical Proof: 1522
lunar eclipse
The Size of the Earth
Radius:
Diameter:
Circumference:
3986 mi
7973 mi
25,048 mi
(4000 Mi)
(8000 Mi)
(25,000 mi)
Surface area: 200 million mi2
Large or small?
Diameter: 862,400 miles
Area: 2.3 trillion mi2
Diameter: 8000 miles
How much do you get?
Surface area: 200 million mi2
Oceans:
140 million mi2
Land:
60 million mi2
World Population:
6 ac/person
6.5 billion
Earth’s radius = 4000 miles
Earth's crust: > 35 miles
Ocean depth?
2.33 miles
Average soil depth?
Soils: meters thick
Supports terrestrial life on earth.
The interface, the first point of contact,
between the earth’s surface and the external
environment.