Soil and Water Resources (24 credits)

Program Requirements

This specialization will interest students who want to understand how soils and water interact within managed ecosystems such as urban or agricultural landscapes. The conservation and management of agricultural soils, issues affecting watershed management and decision making, and the remediation of contaminated soils will be examined. When taken with the Agro-Environmental Sciences Major and the specialization in Professional Agrology, this specialization conforms with the eligibility requirements for the Ordre des agronomes du Québec.

Specialization Coordinator: Professor Joann Whalen
Academic Adviser: Dr. Julie Major
Macdonald-Stewart Building, Room 2-082
Telephone: 514-398-8380

Required Courses (15 credits)

* Note: SOIL 335 and SOIL 445 are offered in alternate years.

• BREE 217 Hydrology and Water Resources (3 credits)

  Offered by: Bioresource Engineering (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

  Overview

  Bioresource Engineering : Measurements and analysis of components of the water cycle. Precipitation, evaporation, infiltration and groundwater. Analysis of hydrologic data. Hydrograph theory. Hydrologic estimations for design of water control projects; flood control and reservoir routing. Integrated watershed management and water conservation. Water management systems for environmental protection.

  Terms: Winter 2013

  Instructors: Shiv Prasher (Winter)

  • 3 lectures, one 2-hour lab
  • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken ABEN 217.
• SOIL 315 Soil Fertility and Fertilizer Use (3 credits)

  Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

  Overview

  Soil Science : Plant nutrients in the soil, influence of soil properties on nutrient absorption and plant growth, use of organic and inorganic fertilizers.

  Terms: Fall 2012

  Instructors: Joann Karen Whalen (Fall)

  • Fall
  • 3 lectures and one lab
  • Prerequisites: SOIL 210 or ENVB 210 or permission of instructor
• SOIL 326 Soils in a Changing Environment (3 credits)

  Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

  Overview

  Soil Science : Soil processes responsible for soil formation will be studied and the impact of changes to the physical and chemical environment will be discussed.

  Terms: Fall 2012

  Instructors: William H Hendershot (Fall)

  • Fall
  • 3 lectures and one 3-hour lab
  • Prerequisite: A previous course in soil science, geography, geology or permission of instructor.
• SOIL 335 Soil Ecology and Management (3 credits) *

  Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

  Overview

  Soil Science : The physical and chemical environment of soil organisms; survey of soil microflora and fauna; processes and optimal agronomic systems of management consistent with the goals of ecological agriculture.

  Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2012-2013 academic year.

  Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2012-2013 academic year.

  • Winter
  • 3 lectures and one 3-hour lab
  • Prerequisites: SOIL 210 or ENVB 210
• SOIL 445 Agroenvironmental Fertilizer Use (3 credits) *

  Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

  Overview

  Soil Science : A sustainable, agroenvironmental approach to nutrient management planning at the farm scale, consistent with guidelines and laws governing fertilizer use in Quebec and other jurisdictions.

  Terms: Winter 2013

  Instructors: Joann Karen Whalen (Winter)

  • Winter
  • Prerequisite: SOIL 315.

Complementary Courses (9 credits)

9 credits of complementary courses selected as follows:

3 credits from:

• AGRI 435 Soil and Water Quality Management (3 credits)

  Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

  Overview

  Agriculture : Management of soil and water systems for sustainability. Cause of soil degradation, surface and groundwater contamination by agricultural chemicals and toxic pollutants. Human health and safety concerns. Water-table management. Soil and water conservation techniques will be examined with an emphasis on methods of prediction and best management practices.

  Terms: Fall 2012

  Instructors: Chandra A Madramootoo, Nicolas Stämpfli (Fall)

  • Fall
  • 3 lectures and one 3-hour lab
  • This course carries an additional charge of $13 to cover the cost of transportation with respect to a field trip. The fee is refundable only during the withdrawal with full refund period.
• BREE 416 Engineering for Land Development (3 credits)

  Offered by: Bioresource Engineering (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

  Overview

  Bioresource Engineering : The engineering aspects of soil and water conservation, irrigation, water conveyance structures and canals, use of geosynthetics for soil protection, seepage and uplift. Students will produce an integrated development project.

  Terms: Fall 2012

  Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2012-2013 academic year.

  • 3 lectures and one 2-hour lab or design problems
  • Prerequisite: BREE 217 (formerly ABEN 217)
  • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken ABEN 416.

6 credits from:

• BREE 322 Organic Waste Management (3 credits)

  Offered by: Bioresource Engineering (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

  Overview

  Bioresource Engineering : An introduction to engineering aspects of handling, storage and treatment of all biological and food industry wastes. Design criteria will be elaborated and related to characteristics of wastes. Physical, chemical and biological treatment systems.

  Terms: Fall 2012

  Instructors: Grant Clark (Fall)

  • 2 lectures and one 2-hour lab
  • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken ABEN 322.
• BREE 327 Bio-Environmental Engineering (3 credits)

  Offered by: Bioresource Engineering (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

  Overview

  Bioresource Engineering : An introduction to how humans affect the earth's ecosystem and projections for the needs of food, water, air and energy to support the human population. Ecologically-reasonable coping strategies including biofuels, bioprocessing, waste management, and remediation methods.

  Terms: Fall 2012

  Instructors: Mark Lefsrud (Fall)

  • Restrictions: U2 students and above. Not open to students who have taken ABEN 305.
  • This course carries an additional course charge of $9 to cover transportation costs for field trips which may include a solar installation site and if registrations permit, a bio-ethanol plant. The fee is refundable only during the withdrawal with full refund period.
• ENVB 301 Meteorology (3 credits)

  Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

  Overview

  Environmental Biology : The physical processes underlying weather. Topics include: the atmosphere - its properties (structure and motion), and thermodynamics (stability, heat and moisture); clouds and precipitation; air masses and fronts; mid-latitude weather systems and severe weather.

  Terms: Fall 2012

  Instructors: Ian Brett Strachan (Fall)

  • Fall
  • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken NRSC 201
• ENVB 430 GIS for Natural Resource Management (3 credits)

  Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

  Overview

  Environmental Biology : Applications of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and spatial analysis techniques to the presentation and analysis of ecological information, including sources and capture of spatial data; characterizing, transforming, displaying spatial data; and spatial analysis to solve resource management problems.

  Terms: Fall 2012

  Instructors: Elena Bennett (Fall)

  • Fall
  • Prerequisites: At least one environmental science course and one ecology course or permission of instructor
  • Restrictions: U2 students and above. Not open to students who have taken GEOG 201, 306 or 307 or BREE/ABEN 430 or NRSC 430. Limited to 32 students.
• NRSC 333 Pollution and Bioremediation (3 credits)

  Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

  Overview

  Natural Resource Sciences : The environmental contaminants which cause pollution; sources, amounts and transport of pollutants in water, air and soil; waste management.

  Terms: Fall 2012

  Instructors: Lyle Whyte, William H Hendershot, Dina Schwertfeger (Fall)

  • Fall
  • 3 lectures
  • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken WILD 333
• SOIL 510 Environmental Soil Chemistry (3 credits)

  Offered by: Natural Resource Sciences (Agricultural & Environmental Sciences)

  Overview

  Soil Science : Soil chemical principles are presented in a series of problem sets covering basic concepts as well as applications to environmental and agricultural situations.

  Terms: This course is not scheduled for the 2012-2013 academic year.

  Instructors: There are no professors associated with this course for the 2012-2013 academic year.

  • Winter
  • Prerequisite: A course in Soil Science or permission of instructor
  • Restriction: Not open to students who have taken SOIL 410.