Soil Ecology

3 credits · Graduate

This course takes an ecological approach to the role of soil organisms in energy flow and biogeochemical cycling, and the contributions of soil organisms and associated processes to ecosystem productivity, sustainability and environmental quality. The habitat, interactions, adaptation and function of organisms in the forest floor, mineral horizons, and at the root-soil interface are studied. Students conduct a research project that employs modern methods to investigate the role of soil organisms in an area pertinent to the course. Prerequisite(s): Permission of the instructor