Instructor: Dr. Randall Schaetzl
Office: 413 Natural Science
soils@msu.edu .... I will always answer my email.
Office Hours:  10:00-12:00 T, Th and by appointment, and after class
Mailbox: 314 Natural Science
Contacts, emergency or otherwise: Ph. 353-7726 (office)
347-0164 (home)

Texts: The GEO 408 coursepack, which is a manuscript-version of parts of Schaetzl and Anderson's book, Soils: Genesis and Geomorphology, is available at the Student Book Store.

Schoeneberger, P.J., Wysocki, D.A., Benham, E.C., and W.D. Broderson. 2001. Field Book for Describing and Sampling Soils. Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA, National Soil Survey Center, Lincoln, NE.

Lectures: 7:00 - 8:50 W

Prerequisites (and they will be enforced): a grade of 2.0 or higher in any ONE or more of the following: CSS 210 or GEO 306 or GLG 201 or GLG 412 or ISP 203, or permission of instructor. This class is not open to freshmen or sophomores.

Course Goals: This course is intended for those students who have a basic background in physical geography, geology and/or soils, and who wish to advance their knowledge of soils, geomorphology and soil-environment interactions, especially in a field-based setting. The major goal of GEO 408 is to provide students with the ability to differentiate soils as they view them on the landscape, and to be able to propose scientifically sound reasons for these differences in morphology and chemistry, both at a site and from place-to-place, based primarily on landform-soil, stratigraphy-soil, and sediment-soil relationships. The course is designed to include a weekly lecture and several required field trips; the field trips will be discontinued by late October to allow time for work on individual field projects. Topics to be examined in GEO 408 include: (1) soil profile concepts and horizonation, (2) soil stratigraphy, (3) soil genesis, (4) soil geomorphology and soils as dating tools, (5) paleopedology and landscape evolution, (6) soil classification and taxonomy, and (7) soil mapping and the use of soil surveys. The course has a regional focus on Michigan and the midwest. The student is reminded that, because lectures provide important background information on the upcoming trip AND summarize important concepts from the previous trip, missing even one lecture unnecessarily can be very detrimental. Therefore, regular attendance at lecture is absolutely essential.

Field trips: All nine days of field trip are required. The field trips are the most essential and important part of any field course, and GEO 408 is no exception. They are invigorating, vital learning experiences. Missing a field trip will result in a loss of exposure to vital course material, which will come back to haunt you on the exams. Missing the 4-day trip will result in an automatic loss of 0.5 in the student's final grade. The trips are time-consuming and tiring, but remain the best (perhaps the only) way to really learn this material. Hence, you have the potential to get a great deal out of them; do not waste this opportunity by missing trips, partying at night such that you are dragging the next day, or by maintaining a negative or slip-shod attitude. MSU will cover the transportation cost of the trips; at the end of the semester the students will be notified of the amount they must contribute to defray the lodging expenses from the four day trip. Likely amount: $90 per person plus food costs while in the field.

In addition to the narmal compliment of GEO 408 field trips, we will be partially collaborating with the students in GEO 871, who will be doing an large field mapping project in the interlobate morainic landscape about 70 miles west of Lansing. We will join with them on their first introduction to the site (Friday, Sep 5) as well as on the last field day of the project, when they will report back to me (us) in the field. Incorporating YOUR field project, in some way, into their study area, might be a good idea for some of you.

Grading: A total of 500 points can be earned in this course. Final grades are based on a curve of the student's overall point total. Points are assigned as follows:

Exams: There will be a midterm and final exam in GEO 408. The midterm will stress essential concepts covered in the field, with a small component of material from lecture. On the final exam only, students will have access to information they choose to write (not type) on one side of a 4x6 inch notecard. The final exam is cumulative. Both exams will be of essay/short answer format, with some objective questions or definitions. Exams will include material from the readings.

Quizzes: Three quizzes will be given during the semester. The quizzes will be announced at lecture of the previous week. Each will occur at the beginning of class, and will cover the readings assigned for that particular lecture or material previously assigned.

Readings: Most of the readings will come from the course pack. Additionally, several research papers will be read during the term; these will be made available on the table outside my office (Rm. 413). Please do not remove these papers from the table area except to photocopy them! I expect everyone to have read the papers and text pages BEFORE the lecture for which they are assigned. Overachievers are especially invited to read regularly and repeatedly from the text and the papers.⁽¹⁾

General FIELD TRIP "RULES" for GEO 408:

1. Stay positive. Keep smiling despite rain, cold, mud, wet feet, cold feet, smelly feet, (apparently) dense, ditty, know-it-all, or obnoxious classmates, long drive-times, boredom, impatience, etc. No sourpusses or fussbudgets, and especially no weenies. Adhering to the above instructions will not only make the course more enjoyable, but you will learn more and earn more brownie points (see Grading above). Participation and discussion is an important part of this class/field experience. Questions are not only encouraged----they are expected.

2. Take diligent notes. Taking good field notes is a talent that is easy to acquire; it does not take a 160 IQ, only hard work. It will require you to work in the vehicle, rather than chit-chat with your classmates, sleep, or munch on Fritos. If you think you can write your notes when you return to Lansing, or at night after the trip is over, you are sorely mistaken. I strongly encourage everyone to take notes in an weatherproof field book, obtainable from most book stores. The notebook might, for example, contain notes on soils, soil profile descriptions, stratigraphy, summary tables and other items. Within the notebook, basic soils data will be recorded. For example, soil series and taxonomic classification, topographic position (Ruhe nomenclature) and drainage class, field textures of major soil horizons, depth to carbonates where appropriate, moist color of major horizons, including mottling where applicable, soil structure, evidence of erosion, current land use practice, landform, and other pertinent information. It is suggested that the student compile the views of the group regarding the genesis of the soil, and how the soil relates to similar soils (as in a catena or development sequence).

3. Prepare for the worst possible weather conditions, without bringing undue amounts of clothing. Better to have rain gear and not need it. Better to wear heavy shoes and stay dry than to take a chance with your Reeboks and regret it. Bring a hat. When conditions are at their worst and you have NOT prepared adequately, refer back to rule #1.

4. Brownie and attitude points (see Grading above) can be earned by:

always being on time (or early) for field trips, both at the main departure from Natural Science and at each individual stop,
paying for the field trips well before the stated deadline,
volunteering to dig or turn the auger, drive (where appropriate), navigate, or pack and load the vehicle,
maintaining a serious attitude about the field learning experience,
cheerfully awakening in the morning and not being the last one to be ready to depart,
not being so hung over that you are a liability to the class and yourself,
assisting the professor in picking up or dropping off the vans, etc.

5. Equipment. Field notebook, pen/pencil are required. If you have a non-folding pocket knife, bring it. (Some will be provided.) Cameras are OK.

Final field project: Each student will do a final project an a topic of their choice. The most likely project will consist of (1) intensive mapping and interpretation of the soils and sediments of a small area, somewhat similar to what the GEO 871 class is doing (2) a detailed analysis of soil survey maps and data in relation to landscape evolution and geomorphology, or (3) effects of some type of land use change on soils. Any good idea will be considered. Thesis/dissertation-related projects are acceptable, as long as they beyond what you would have normally done for your thesis research. Each student must receive approval of the topic by the professor prior to intensive field work, but some field work may be required before the topic is "broached" with the professor, and/or before final approval is given. Students that do not have access to transportation will find this component of the course more difficult to satisfy. The projects will be graded based on a short (generally < 6 pages of text, not including data tables, references and maps if appropriate) written report. Working with a GEO 408 partner is acceptable; such projects will be expected to be substantially larger in scope than individual ones. All units in the paper must be in the metric system. Spelling and grammar count! References need not be abundant, but some indication of a knowledge of the literature on the topic should be evidenced. Papers are due at the final exam. I will be happy to edit a draft copy of your paper.

LECTURE AND FIELD TRIP OUTLINE
DATE TOPICS READINGS (CP=Coursepack)

Aug 27 Introduction, soil characteristics and concepts Paper 1; CP pages 2.1 - 2.10

Functional-factorial model of soil development CP pages 12.1-12.7

Sep 3 Process-systems model of soil development, soil horizonation, Paper 2; CP pages 12.19 - 12.23

TRIP 1: Introduction to the GEO 871 field site and soils (FRIDAY, Sep 5) CP pages 3.1 - 3.18

Sep 10 The first soil processes: Melanization, leucinization, acidification CP pages 13.1 - 13.14

Sep 17 Next: lessivage and Bt horizon formation CP pages 13.14 - 13.21

Sep 24 Podzolization Papers 2, 3 & 9

CP pages 13.63 - 13.72

TRIP 2: Soils of SW Michigan and the SE Michigan interlobate area (FRIDAY Sep 26)

Oct 1 Gleization, redox processes, ferrolysis CP pages 13.26 - 13.28

CP pages 14.13 - 14.24

Oct 8 Hydroconsolidation and fragpian formation, pedogenic processes Papers 7, 8 & 10

in dry environments CP pages 13.21 - 13.13.26

CP pages 13.40 - 13.51

CP pages 13.59 - 13.63

TRIP 3: Podzolization, soil geomorphology of northern lower Mich (THURSDAY through SUNDAY Oct 9-12)

Oct 15 Midterm exam

Oct 22 Soil development, dating and soil chronosequences Paper 4; CP pages 15.23 - 15.28

TRIP 4: Soil-landform relationships on and near the Saginaw lake Plain

(TWO day trip, Friday-Saturday, Oct 24-25)

Oct 29 Soils and the dating of geomorphic surfaces, quantifying pedogenesis CP pages 14.1 - 14.3

CP pages 15.1 - 15.21

CP pages 15.28 to end of chapter

Nov 5 Models of soil and landscape evolution CP Pages 12.1 - 12.45

TRIP 5: Final field report from the GEO 871 class (SUNDAY Nov 9)

Nov 12 Catenas and the effects of topography on soil development CP pages 14.3 - 14.13; Table 14.2

CP pages 14.24 - 14.28

Nov 19 Soil classification and mapping, use and interpretation of NRCS Soil Surveys

CP pages 8.1 - 8.14

Don't forget the tables at the end!!!

Nov 25 (TUESDAY - note day change)

Pedoturbation and lithologic discontinuities Papers 5 & 6; CP pages 11.1-11.23

CP pages 11.29- end of chapter

CP pages 14.40 - 14.46

Dec 3 Paleopedology; use of soils in paleoenvironmental reconstruction CP Chapter 16

Dec 10 FINAL EXAM (8:00 pm, in Rm 409)

Research papers due!

REQUIRED PAPERS

Paper 1: Hole, F.D. 1997. The Earth beneath our feet: Explorations in community. Soil Survey Hor. 38:40-53.

Paper 2: Richter, D.D. and D. Markewitz. 1995. How deep is soil? Bioscience 45:600-609.

Paper 3: Schaetzl, R.J. and S.A. Isard. 1991. The distribution of Spodosol soils in southern Michigan: a climatic interpretation. Annals Assoc. Am. Geogs. 81:425-442.

Paper 4: Arbogast, A.F., Scull, P., Schaetzl, R.J., Harrison, J., Jameson, T.P., and S. Crozier. 1997. Concurrent stabilization of some interior dune fields in Michigan. Phys. Geog. 18:63-79.

Paper 5: Johnson, D.L., Watson-Stegner, D., Johnson, D.N., and R.J. Schaetzl. 1987. Proisotropic and proanisotropic processes of pedoturbation. Soil Sci. 143:278-292.

Paper 6: Schaetzl, R.J. 1998. Lithologic discontinuities in some soils on drumlins: Theory, detection, and application. Soil Sci. 163:570-590.

Paper 7: Smeck, N.E., Thompson, M.L., Norton, L.D., and M.J. Shipitalo. 1989. Weathering discontinuities: A key to fragipan formation. In: Fragipans: Their Occurrence, Classification, and Genesis. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. Spec. Publ. 24:99-112.

Paper 8: Bryant, R.B. 1989. Physical processes of fragipan formation. In Fragipans Their occurrence, classification, and genesis. N.E. Smeck and E.J. Ciolkosz (eds.). SSSA Spec. Publ. 24. pp. 141-150.

Paper 9: Schaetzl, R.J., Krist, F., Rindfleisch, P., Liebens, J., and T. Williams. 2000. Postglacial landscape evolution of northeastern lower Michigan, interpreted from soils and sediments. Annals Assoc. Am Geog. 90:443-466.

Paper 10: McFadden, L.D., Wells, S.G., and Jercinovich, M.J. 1987. Influence of eolian and pedogenic processes on the origin and evolution of desert pavements. Geology 15:504-508.

1. Gross underachievers are not required to attend class or to read anything.