Oct 05, 2024
OHIO University Undergraduate Catalog 2024-25
PBIO 4380 - Soil Properties and Ecosystem Processes
This course emphasizes ecological theory and emerging paradigms, providing a seamless hands-on laboratory experience for hypotheses testing. It integrates fields such as soil science, forestry, chemistry, geology, ecology, environmental science, microbiology, and plant physiology. Laboratory results are analyzed, interpreted, synthesized, and presented as a poster presentation.
Requisites: 12 hours in PBIO, BIOS, CHEM
Credit Hours: 4
OHIO BRICKS: Bridge: Learning and Doing, Capstone: Capstone or Culminating Experience
Repeat/Retake Information: May be retaken two times excluding withdrawals, but only last course taken counts.
Lecture/Lab Hours: 2.0 lecture, 4.0 laboratory
Grades: Eligible Grades: A-F,WP,WF,WN,FN,AU,I
Learning Outcomes:
- Students will be able to connect soil and vegetation analysis to their knowledge of ecosystem ecology.
- Students will be able to see how an array of physical and life sciences connects to the emergent properties of ecosystems.
- Students will be able to apply ecological theory to analyze and interpret data on soil properties to assess ecosystem function in a changing climate.
- Students will be able to complete a synthesis paper and poster to enhance meaning of course topics.
- Students will be able to demonstrate a developing sense of self as an ecologist and build on prior experience to respond to new and challenging contexts.
- Students will be able to critically evaluate how ecosystem composition and function can change based on the five state factors.
- Students will be able to use the scientific method and procedures to investigate soil quality and ecosystem function.
- Students will be able to interpret and evaluate data gathered in the field to assess how abiotic and biotic factors influence ecosystem type and function.
- Students will be able to use knowledge of soil properties to explain ecosystem function.
- Students will be able to explain the feedbacks between plant-soil-microbial interactions mediating ecosystem processes across multiple temporal and spatial scales in a changing climate.
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