FOREST SOILS
COURSE CODE: FBM 2103
CREDIT UNITS: 3 CU
CONTACT HOURS: 45
Course Description
The course provided students with an understanding of forest soils and their fundamental differences
with other soil types. Students are provided practical skills in evaluating forest plantation soils and
planning management interventions.
Objectives
 Provide students with basic understanding of forest soils and their differences with other soil
types
 Equip students with ability to assess soils for suitability for forest plantation development
 Provide students with skills to manipulate soils for sustainable forest production
Learning Outcomes
At the completion of the course, the student should be able to:
 Conduct basic field and laboratory analysis of forest soils, including description of soil profiles
and landforms, site classification, and laboratory measurements of soil properties
 Understand the fundamental properties and processes of forest soils and their relationships to
tree growth/site productivity
 Know the effects of forest management practices on forest soil properties and processes and
know how to utilize silvicultural techniques to influence soil properties and processes to
enhance productivity and sustainability
Course Outline
 Introduction to forest soils (3 LH; 3 PH)
 Soil description / Soil-site classification (4 LH; 4 PH)
 Classification of forest soils, Soil physical properties, including engineering properties, Soil
chemical properties / Soil organic matter, Nutrient availability and cycling / Biological N-fixation
(9 LH; 9 PH)
 Soils and roots (2 LH; 2 PH)
 Biology of forest soils (3 LH; 3 PH)
 Nutrient management: limitations and fertilization (4 LH; 4 PH)
 Effects of forest disturbance (especially fire, harvesting, Soil water / Fertilizers and soil
amendments (5 LH; 5 PH)
Mode of Delivery
Lectures: 30 CH
Practicals: 30 PH
Mode of Assessment
 Continuous assessment (coursework, field and laboratory practical reports, tests) = 40%
 University examinations = 60%
Basic Reading List
Brady, N.C. and R. R. Weil. 2008. The Nature and Properties of Soils. Fourteenth Edition. Prentice Hall,
New Jersey. 965 p.
Fisher, R.F. and D. Binkley. 2000. Ecology and Management of Forest Soils. 3rd Edition. John Wiley &
Sons, Inc. New York, N.Y. 489 p. ISBN: 0-471-19426-3
Fitzpatrick (1983) Soils their formation, classification and distribution. Longman
Havlin, J.L., Beaton, J.D., Tisdale, S.L. and Nelson, W.L. 1999. Soil Fertility and Fertilizers: An Introduction
to Nutrient Management. Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. 499p.
Richter, D.D., Jr. and Markewitz, D. 2001. Understanding Soil Change: Soil Sustainability over Millennia,
Centuries, and Decades. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK. 255 p.
Syer J.K and Rimmer D.L 1994. Soil Science and sustainable land management in the tropics