1. Schaetzl and Anderson, 2005. Soils: Genesis and Geomorphology. Cambridge Univ. Press. 832 pp.

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

Print one out, laminate it or somehow weatherproof it, bind it and have it with you in class and in the field!

Or, at the same URL you can find out how to purchase the book. I urge you to get an actual copy of the book if you have any

Prerequisites (and they will be enforced): a grade of 2.0 or higher in any ONE or more of the following (or their equivalents elsewhere): CSS 210 (Intro Soil Science) or GEO 306 (Geomorphology) or GLG 201 (Intro Geology) or GLG 412 (Glacial Geology) or ISP 203 (Geology of the Human Environment), 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 end by early November to allow time for work on individual 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 eight days of field trip are required. 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. The trips are long, 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 partying at night such that you are dragging the next day, or by maintaining a lazy, 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 (and some of the meal) expenses. Likely amount: $100 per person.

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:

Midterm exam	100 pts
Final exam	140 pts
Three unannounced quizzes (at the start of a class period)	60 pts
First soil landscape project	40 pts
Second soil landscape project	80 pts
Attitude, class and field trip participation, effort, brownie points, etc.	80 pts
TOTAL	500 points

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 (but significant) component of material from lecture. The final exam is more lecture-text based in its approach. 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, and are mostly short answer and essay format.

Quizzes: Three surprise quizzes will be given during the semester. Each will occur at the beginning of class. Quizzes will cover the readings assigned for that particular lecture, as well as the lecture material covered in the previous class period. Makeup quizzes are not given.

Readings: Most of the readings will come from the text. Additionally, however, several research papers will be read during the term; these will be placed on reserve in the Main Library. 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. 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. I WILL be calling on you for questions during the field trips (translation: putting you on the spot in front of your peers). If you look dazed, bored or otherwise disinterested the likelihood that I will be calling on you increases substantially.

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 a 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, 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.

▪ always being on time (or early) for field trips, both at the main departure from the Stock Pavillion parking lot, and at each individual stop,

▪ volunteering to dig or turn the auger, drive (where appropriate), navigate, or pack and

▪ cheerfully awakening in the morning and not being the last one to be ready to depart,

▪ not being hung over such that you are a liability to the class and yourself,

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

Soil-landscape projects: In GEO 408 students will do research and write a report on two soil landscapes, using NRCS Soil Surveys as their main source of information. Essentially, each project is an application of the skills learned in class, to the soil landscape at large. Each report will center on a major soil association, initially depicted in a county soil survey but much expanded upon in the report.

Project 1: I will assign the soil associations and determine the two- or three-person teams that will work on each. Fieldwork is not expected for this project.

Project 2: NEW teams of two or three will be proposed by the class (I retain the power of final refusal) and each (after it has been approved) will request a soil association to work on. Fieldwork is suggested for Project 2. The report for Project 2 should be “better” and more in depth than for Project 1, because of the likely addition of fieldwork, but also because you will be better dirt people by then, and you will have be able to aplly the skills you learned from Project 1 to Project 2.

1. a block diagram of the soil association (using the one in the survey is acceptable; drafting a new one or editing the existing one is viewed as a plus).

2. typical profile descriptions for the major soils of the association, with an explanation of the reasons why the soils have the morphology that they do.

3. soil and/or topographic maps (DEMs are OK) of typical landscapes in which this soil association dominates.

4. an in-depth discussion of the soil parent materials and their pedogenesis, and how the pedogenic state factors have come together to form this association.

3. inclusion of references to scientific papers that have studied these soils, and discussion of said papers in the context of your soil association.

For each Project, members of the team will receive the same point total (grade).

Sep 7 Process-systems model of soil development, soil horizons and horizonation Chapter 2

Sep 14 The first soil processes: melanization, leucinization, acidification pp. 347-361

TRIP 2: Podzolization and oxidation-reduction processes; organic vs mineral soil; soil geomorphology case study example: Buckley Flats (SATURDAY-SUNDAY Sep 24-25)

Oct 5 Gleization, redox processes, ferrolysis; soil drainage classes pp. 380-385; 486-501

TRIP 3: Podzolization; three soil geomorphology case study examples from northern lower Michigan and the eastern UP (THURSDAY through SUNDAY Oct 6-9)

Oct 12 Hydroconsolidation and fragpian formation, pedogenesis in dry environments pp. 373-380; 402-439

Oct 26 Soil classification and mapping, use and interpretation of NRCS Soil Surveys Chapter 7

TRIP 4: Soil-landform relationships on and near the Saginaw lake Plain (SUNDAY, Oct 23)

Nov 9 Dating of geomorphic surfaces; soil chronosequences; quantifying pedogenesis pp. 460-461; Chapter 14

TRIP 5: Miscellaneous soil-y things: Soil-landform relationships in the valley of the Red Cedar River, and on the outwash plains of SW Michigan (FRIDAY, Nov 12)

Nov 22 (TUESDAY - note day change) Catenas and the effects of topography pp. 456-460

Nov 30 Pedoturbation and lithologic discontinuities; stone lines and landscape evolution Chapter 10; pp. 501-506

Dec 7 Paleopedology; use of soils in paleoenvironmental reconstruction Chapters 15 and 16