SOIL&WAT 7027WT - Soil & Water: Management and Conservation

Waite Campus - Semester 1 - 2024

This course covers topics in soil and water management and conservation important to students of agricultural, viticultural, and environmental sciences. Processes that degrade the soil and water resources of Australia (e.g. erosion, salinity, alkalinity and sodicity, as well as acidification, water repellence, and degradation of soil structure) are examined, and their measurement, avoidance and management discussed. There is a strong focus on quantitative theory and practice of measuring and managing soil water using commercially available technology, particularly in relation to interception, storage and movement of water in dryland and irrigated agro-ecosystems. Broader issues in soil and water conservation (e.g. State and Commonwealth legislation) are also covered. Practical classes consist of laboratory, computer and field exercises designed to illustrate the concepts covered in lectures.

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Course Details

Course Code	SOIL&WAT 7027WT
Course	Soil & Water: Management and Conservation
Coordinating Unit	Agricultural Science
Term	Semester 1
Level	Postgraduate Coursework
Location/s	Waite Campus
Units	3
Contact	Up to 6 hours per week, plus fieldwork
Available for Study Abroad and Exchange	Y
Prerequisites	SOIL&WAT 7003WT or SOIL&WAT 2500 or SOIL&WAT 2500WT
Assessment	Exam, practical reports, quizzes

Course Staff

Course Coordinator: Dr Han Weng

Dr Han Weng
Email: han.weng@adelaide.edu.au
Room 308, Prescott Building, Waite Campus, Urrbrae, SA 5064

Course Timetable

The full timetable of all activities for this course can be accessed from Course Planner.

Course Learning Outcomes

Successful students will learn:
1. Theory & measurement of soil water content, movement, storage & plant availability.
2. How to manage and measure salinity and sodicity in irrigated agricultural systems.
3. How to solve quantitative problems in soil water management, specifically how to:
* conduct simple calculations of water content, porosity, density and hydraulic conductivity.
* analyse and interpret data on infiltration, available water, and storage of water.
4. How to work effectively in small groups in the lab and in the field.

Successful students will be able to understand:
5. The primary causes and consequences of a wide range of soil degradation problems, including soil acidity and alkalinity, erosion, salinity and sodicity, and nutrient loss.
6. The impact of soil management on soil organic matter, soil structural stability, water quality and other important soil properties.
7. Where soil conservation and management fit into the broader context of the South Australian Natural Resource Management Act.

and to:
8. Develop an ability to collect and evaluate data in practical classes.
9. Develop writing skills through essay and report writing.
10. Learn how to provide and respond to “peer-review” feedback on a draft essay.

University Graduate Attributes

This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attribute(s) specified below:

University Graduate Attribute	Course Learning Outcome(s)
Attribute 1: Deep discipline knowledge and intellectual breadth Graduates have comprehensive knowledge and understanding of their subject area, the ability to engage with different traditions of thought, and the ability to apply their knowledge in practice including in multi-disciplinary or multi-professional contexts.	1,2,3,5,6
Attribute 2: Creative and critical thinking, and problem solving Graduates are effective problems-solvers, able to apply critical, creative and evidence-based thinking to conceive innovative responses to future challenges.	3,8
Attribute 3: Teamwork and communication skills Graduates convey ideas and information effectively to a range of audiences for a variety of purposes and contribute in a positive and collaborative manner to achieving common goals.	4,9,10
Attribute 4: Professionalism and leadership readiness Graduates engage in professional behaviour and have the potential to be entrepreneurial and take leadership roles in their chosen occupations or careers and communities.	1,2,3,5,6,7,10
Attribute 5: Intercultural and ethical competency Graduates are responsible and effective global citizens whose personal values and practices are consistent with their roles as responsible members of society.	4,7,10
Attribute 8: Self-awareness and emotional intelligence Graduates are self-aware and reflective; they are flexible and resilient and have the capacity to accept and give constructive feedback; they act with integrity and take responsibility for their actions.	4,10

Learning & Teaching Activities

Learning & Teaching Modes

This course will be delivered by the following means:

2 x 1 hour lectures consecutively on the same day in weeks 1-12

2 x 1 hour tutorial sessions in week 1 to introduce the essay exercise, including assessment and system of peer feedback

6 x 4 hour practical sessions

3 x 1 hour tutorial session in which quizzes will be held in week 6, 9 and 12, each followed by 1 hour tutorial session for feedback on quiz

4 x 1 hour tutorial sessions in same week as quizzes related to the essay (discussing progress, review and feedback)

2 x 1 hour tutorial sessions in week 12 on exam review

Lectures include the opportunity for open discussion, questions and problem solving activities with support materials provided online.

Practicals will be used to develop and support material covered in lectures as well as providing a forum for acquiring skills and knowledge necessary to complete assessment tasks. Practicals particularly provide an opportunity to acquire hands-on skills, to develop teamwork skills, to integrate information from different modules in the course and to increase understanding of concepts.

Quizzes will test student understanding of material from lectures and practicals held during the semester. Each quiz will deal with material covered in the preceding weeks.

Workshops sessions will directly follow the quiz. During these sessions feedback will be specifically provided on the quiz questions. Further, these sessions will provide an opportunity for students in groups or individually to follow up specific issues regarding practical assignments.

Workload

The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

The information below is provided as a guide to assist students in engaging appropriately with the course requirements.

A student enrolled in a 3 unit course, such as this, should expect to spend, on average 12 hours per week on the studies required. This includes both the formal contact time required to the course (e.g., lectures and practicals), as well as non-contact time (e.g., reading and revision).

Learning Activities Summary

Lectures will focus on: (i) the theory behind and measurement of soil water content, potential and movement; (ii) causes of and management of the key soil limiting chemical conditions of sodicity, alkalinity and acidity; (iii) the importance and management of soil structure and structural stability, including the influence of soil carbon and sodicity; (iv) the importance and management of water repellence; (v) management of soils and water on the landscape scale; and (vi) soil and water conservation in relation to the SA Natural Resources Management Act.

Practicals will focus on the measurement (both in the laboratory and in the field) of soil properties directly related to the management issues covered in the lectures, including: (i) rates of water infiltration and how they relate to properties such as texture and structure; (ii) measurement of rates of water infiltration in the field; (iii) soil pH and pH buffering capacity; (iv) the influence of slope and cover on water erosion; and (v) the effect of management on soil structural stability

Tutorial sessions in the afternoon timeslot will be related to either feedback on quizzes or the essay assessment exercise, which includes peer review and feedback.

The University's policy on Assessment for Coursework Programs is based on the following four principles:

Assessment must encourage and reinforce learning.
Assessment must enable robust and fair judgements about student performance.
Assessment practices must be fair and equitable to students and give them the opportunity to demonstrate what they have learned.
Assessment must maintain academic standards.

Assessment Summary

Assessment Task	Type of assessment	Percentage of total assessment for grading purposes	Hurdle: Yes or No	Outcomes being assessed/achieved	Approximate Timing of Assessment
Practical exercise X5	Formative & Summative	30%	No	1-7, 9-11	Wks 4,6,8,10,12
Quizzes X3	Formative & Summative	20%	No	1-3,5-10,14	Wks 4,8,12
Essay	Formative & Summative	20%	No	12,13	Wks 3,7,10
Examination	Summative	30%	No	1-3,5-10,14	Examination period

Assessment Related Requirements

None

Assessment Detail

Practicals (30% total assessment):

Five practical exercises (field or laboratory) will be completed during class time over six weeks. Each exercise will be undertaken in small groups (2-3 students) and will be written up individually as a short report (approximately 2 pages) outside of class time. Each practical exercise will be equally weighted (6% of total assessment). Prompt feedback (within 1-2 weeks) will enable early identification of any problems a student may be encountering in the area of practical skills for soil assessment or the reporting of these tasks, and give an opportunity to address these.

Quizzes (20%)

Three 1 hour quizzes (6.7% total assessment each) will occur during the semester. These will consist of a series of multiple choice questions to be answered online with feedback for students provided immediately after the quiz. These quizzes will allow students to continuously monitor their retention of important course material and highlight problem areas that can be addressed in the tutorial sessions following the quizzes.

Essay (20%)

The essay will require students to explain the importance of one key scientific law (i.e. one that can be expressed as a simple equation) to soil management and conservation in 500-600 words. Draft essays will be required by Week 4 and these will undergo review by both peers (double-blind review by other class members) and staff. Students will have an opportunity to revise their essay before it is marked by staff.

Final Exam (30%)
The final exam is a summative assessment and allows the student to demonstrate retention of basic information taught during the semester as well as the ability to integrate the information obtained throughout the course. Exam questions will include a series of short and long written answers, calculations based on real life examples, multiple choice, and true/false answers.

Submission

If an extension is not applied for, or not granted then a penalty for late submission will apply. A penalty of 10% of the value of the assignment for each calendar day that the assignment is late (i.e. weekends count as 2 days), up to a maximum of 50% of the available marks will be applied. This means that an assignment that is 5 days late or more without an approved extension can only receive a maximum of 50% of the marks available for that assignment.

Course Grading

Grades for your performance in this course will be awarded in accordance with the following scheme:

M10 (Coursework Mark Scheme)
Grade	Mark	Description
FNS		Fail No Submission
F	1-49	Fail
P	50-64	Pass
C	65-74	Credit
D	75-84	Distinction
HD	85-100	High Distinction
CN		Continuing
NFE		No Formal Examination
RP		Result Pending

Further details of the grades/results can be obtained from Examinations.

Grade Descriptors are available which provide a general guide to the standard of work that is expected at each grade level. More information at Assessment for Coursework Programs.

Final results for this course will be made available through Access Adelaide.

Student Feedback

The University places a high priority on approaches to learning and teaching that enhance the student experience. Feedback is sought from students in a variety of ways including on-going engagement with staff, the use of online discussion boards and the use of Student Experience of Learning and Teaching (SELT) surveys as well as GOS surveys and Program reviews.

SELTs are an important source of information to inform individual teaching practice, decisions about teaching duties, and course and program curriculum design. They enable the University to assess how effectively its learning environments and teaching practices facilitate student engagement and learning outcomes. Under the current SELT Policy (http://www.adelaide.edu.au/policies/101/) course SELTs are mandated and must be conducted at the conclusion of each term/semester/trimester for every course offering. Feedback on issues raised through course SELT surveys is made available to enrolled students through various resources (e.g. MyUni). In addition aggregated course SELT data is available.
Student Support
Policies & Guidelines
This section contains links to relevant assessment-related policies and guidelines - all university policies.
Fraud Awareness

Students are reminded that in order to maintain the academic integrity of all programs and courses, the university has a zero-tolerance approach to students offering money or significant value goods or services to any staff member who is involved in their teaching or assessment. Students offering lecturers or tutors or professional staff anything more than a small token of appreciation is totally unacceptable, in any circumstances. Staff members are obliged to report all such incidents to their supervisor/manager, who will refer them for action under the university's student’s disciplinary procedures.

The University of Adelaide is committed to regular reviews of the courses and programs it offers to students. The University of Adelaide therefore reserves the right to discontinue or vary programs and courses without notice. Please read the important information contained in the disclaimer.

Authorised by:	Deputy Vice-Chancellor and Vice-President (Academic)
Maintained by:	Course Outlines Administrator