This course is intended to provide students with interest in the ecological, environmental, and agricultural fields with an understanding of the role of soil in plant growth. This course addresses the underlying mechanisms which control the interaction between plants and soil, rather than providing a purely descriptive account. Practical sessions and assignments provide opportunities to analyse soil characteristic and plant growth data. Key concepts covered in this course are the mechanisms through which soils supply water and nutrients to plants, the role of soil as an environmental buffer, and the essential processes carried out by the diverse microbial inhabitants of soils.
“Soil Plant Relationships” is intended to provide you with an understanding of the inter-relationships between soil and plant growth.ﾠKey aspects are the processes by which plants obtain their nutrients and water, the root environment (rhizosphere), and constraints to plant growth in soil such as soil acidity, salinity and the presence of toxic contaminants in the soil.
The learning structure is as follows:
It is not compulsory, but if you would like anﾠintroductory textbook, there are many available. We would recommend "Weil and Brady 2017, The Nature and Properties of Soils. Pearson Education Limited, Essex, England. pp. 1086". It is available electronically through the UQ Library.
This course is the second layer in a spiral curriculum in soil science.ﾠ We assume that you have some basic understanding of soil science, chemistry and of plant structure and function.ﾠ Nevertheless, many students have successfully completed LAND3005 without prior study of soil science.ﾠ If you have not previously studied soil science, we will provide you with appropriate introductory material to address this deficiency.
We recommend completing the following courses before enrolling in this one:
LAND2003
This course is jointly-taught with:
LAND3005 is taught at St Lucia, Gatton, and Externally. External students join lectures by Zoom. In-person lectures alternate approximately weekly between St Lucia and Gatton, with the other campus joining by Zoom for that week.
I have offices at both St Lucia (83-N222) and Gatton (8117A-302). I can meet with you at either campus, but please contact me to determine which day I will be at your preferred location. I am also available by phone, email, or Zoom.
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Please refer to Section 1.2 for theﾠlearning structure for this course.
“Soil Plant Relationships” is intended to provide you with an understanding of the inter-relationships between soil and plant growth. The subject material is handled in a broad manner to provide students with interests in ecological, environmental, and agricultural areas an understanding of the role soil plays in plant growth. Key themes developed are how soils supply water and nutrients to plants, the role of soil as an environmental buffer, and the essential processes carried out by the diverse microbial inhabitants. However, the course is structured to provide students with an understanding of the underlying mechanisms which control the interaction between plants and soil, rather than providing a purely descriptive account. Our understanding and management of soil resources is one of the great challenges of the 21st century. ﾠ Issues of chemical, physical and biological fertility are considered, and the course aims to integrate these various sub-disciplines into a description of plant growth in soil. This aim is enhanced through the use of a substantial practical component where students undertake glasshouse plant growth experiments. The practical component draws on the lecture material, providing students with the opportunity to “see” the effects of different soil treatments on plant growth, and the opportunity to develop their understanding of the subject through informal interaction with the lecturers and tutors. ﾠ Supply of plant nutrients is considered from the perspective of the various reservoirs of plant nutrients in the soil (organic matter, precipitated nutrient forms, exchangeable nutrients, adsorbed nutrients). Individual nutrients are considered to provide an example of the behaviour of a broader class of nutrient elements; for example the behaviour of nitrogen in the soil plant system is developed to describe the soil organic matter as a pool of plant nutr
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Illustrate the processes by which the solid-phase regulates the availability of nutrients/toxins in the soil solution.
LO2.
Illustrate the importance of biological organisms in cycling nutrients in soil.
LO3.
Illustrate the importance of the physical properties of the soil (such as texture, structure and water holding capacity) for the growth of plants.
LO4.
Evaluate the major problems facing Soil Scientists in Australia and throughout the world (such as salinity and acidity) by applying the underlying theory gained through the course.
LO5.
Demonstrate core practical skills in Soil Science using laboratory and glasshouse techniques.
LO6.
Solve a range of soil science problems, both individually and as part of a team.
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper/ Report/ Annotation | Practicals [Report 1: Soil carbon + Report 2: Water Use by Plants + Report 3: Fertility Status of Soil + Participation in Practical Sessions] | 35% - Report 1 (10%) Report 2 (10%) Report 3 (15%) Participation (Pass/Fail) |
Report 1 (Soil Carbon, 10%) 2/05/2025 2:00 pm Report 2 (Water Use, 10%) 30/05/2025 2:00 pm Report 3 (Fertility Status, 15%) 30/05/2025 2:00 pm Participation (Pass/Fail) 30/05/2025 2:00 pm |
| Essay/ Critique | Review of selected topic | 15% Individual report |
9/05/2025 2:00 pm |
| Examination |
Final Examination
|
50% |
End of Semester Exam Period 7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025 |
A hurdle is an assessment requirement that must be satisfied in order to receive a specific grade for the course. Check the assessment details for more information about hurdle requirements.
Report 1 (Soil Carbon, 10%) 2/05/2025 2:00 pm
Report 2 (Water Use, 10%) 30/05/2025 2:00 pm
Report 3 (Fertility Status, 15%) 30/05/2025 2:00 pm
Participation (Pass/Fail) 30/05/2025 2:00 pm
The practical exercise is a major part of this Course, and the written reports you prepare will draw upon what you do in the practical, but also what you have learned in the lectures and from your own reading. The practical component is worth 35% of the course total. For the practicals, the class will be split into groups of 3-5 people.
Report 1: Soil carbon
This report will be written and submitted individually.
Report 2: Water Use by Plants
This practical report is completed as a group. How the workload is divided amongst your group is up to each group to decide. In this Practical Report, you need to focus on Water related practical exercises (Lysimeters, Aggregates, Hydraulic Conductivity, and soil water characteristics).
Report 3: Fertility Status of Soil
This particular practical report is completed as a group. How the workload is divided amongst your group is up to each group to decide.
Participation in Practical Sessions
The practical exercise is a major part of this course and provides a hands-on understanding of the theoretical knowledge you will gain through the lectures. Participation in the Practicals is compulsory.
These sequential assessment tasks evaluate students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
All reports (both group and individual) must be submitted to Turnitin via BlackBoard. You must also complete the Peer Assessment Exercise on BlackBoard when submitting the reports. Files must be uploaded as PDF or DOC - other files cannot be opened and will not be marked.
You should also retain an electronic copy of every piece of assessment you submit.
Legal Declaration
By submitting your work via this website, you formally declare that (1) it is your own original work, and no part of the work has been copied from any other source or person except where due acknowledgement is made; (2) no part of the work has been previously submitted for assessment in this or any other institution; and (3) you have read the UQ Academic Integrity and Plagiarism Policy and understand its implications.
You may be able to apply for an extension.
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
9/05/2025 2:00 pm
You are required to review the literature and critically summarise information on one of the two topics listed below. Once you have made your selection, you are then required to prepare an analysis of that topic.
Choose ONE of the following two topics:
Nitrogen cycling and fertilisation in soil systems. Give consideration to:
OR
Biofuel production from soil. There is increasing pressure on soils, not only because we need to produce more food for a growing human population, but also because of competing uses of soils, such as for the production of biofuels.
Begin by reading all relevant material thoroughly. As you read, make notes of the important ideas and concepts. When writing the analysis, consider the following suggested structure:
Length: 2000 words +/- 10% (excluding references and any appendices)
This assessment task evaluates students' abilities, skills and knowledge without the aid of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT). Students are advised that the use of AI or MT technologies to develop responses is strictly prohibited and may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submit online (via BlackBoard). Files must be uploaded as PDF or DOC - other files cannot be opened and will not be marked.
You should also retain an electronic copy of every piece of assessment you submit.
Legal Declaration
By submitting your work via this website, you formally declare that (1) it is your own original work, and no part of the work has been copied from any other source or person except where due acknowledgement is made; (2) no part of the work has been previously submitted for assessment in this or any other institution; and (3) you have read the UQ Academic Integrity and Plagiarism Policy and understand its implications.
You may be able to apply for an extension.
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
End of Semester Exam Period
7/06/2025 - 21/06/2025
The final examination will be marked solely on the basis that the answers demonstrate an understanding of the subject matter. The examination delivers a single mark that is used in the calculation of your final grade.
The exam will be an on-campus exam. Have your UQ student ID card available for all your exams.
Students enrolled in Internal delivery must attend the exam in-person.
This assessment task is to be completed in-person. The use of generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or Machine Translation (MT) tools will not be permitted. Any attempted use of AI or MT may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
| Planning time | 10 minutes |
|---|---|
| Duration | 120 minutes |
| Calculator options | (In person) Casio FX82 series only or UQ approved and labelled calculator |
| Open/closed book | Closed Book examination - no written materials permitted |
| Exam platform | Paper based |
| Invigilation | Invigilated in person |
You may be able to defer this exam.
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Cut off Percent | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) | 0 - 34 |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 0 - 34% |
| 2 (Fail) | 35 - 46 |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 35 - 46% |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) | 47 - 49 |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: 47% - 49% OR failure to meet course hurdle requirement. |
| 4 (Pass) | 50 - 64 |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 50% - 64% |
| 5 (Credit) | 65 - 74 |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 65% - 74% |
| 6 (Distinction) | 75 - 84 |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 75% - 84% |
| 7 (High Distinction) | 85 - 100 |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 85% - 100% |
COURSE GRADING RULES AND ASSESSMENT HURDLES
Students are required to achieve a pass in the final exam in order to pass the course. If a student obtains an overall percentage greater than the cut-offs set to achieve a 4 or higher for the course based on marks from a combination of progressive assessment and the final exam and the student does NOT score a passing mark for the Final Exam, they are unable to achieve a grade higher than a 3 (failing grade) for the course.
In addition to any other hurdles, a student must achieve a pass on the 'Participation in Practical Sessions' assessment in order to achieve a grade of 4 or higher.
You must address any additional assessment requirements identified in this eCP.
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Assignment writing
You must not re-use past work from previous assessments in your assignments. You are encouraged to:
Turnitin Assignments
Assignments that are required to be submitted through TurnItIn, must only be uploaded to the assessment specific Turnitin link on the relevant course Blackboard site. ﾠIf you submit any version of your assessment item to any other Turnitin link, this is considered cheating, and you will be held liable for this action.
Release of marks
Unless specifically indicated by the course coordinator, every attempt will be made to have the results for progressive assessment available within 3 weeks of submission. For items of assessment submitted in the last 2 weeks of the semester, the results will not be available until grades release day. Results and feedback availability will be advised to you by email or announced via the course Blackboard site.
Re-mark Applications – refer to the University's Re-mark Policy to check your eligibility.
Remark applications will not be considered without first having contacted your Course Co-ordinator.
Information for students can be found at : https://my.uq.edu.au/information-and-services/manage-my-program/exams-and-assessment/querying-result
Deferred and Supplementary assessment (including Deferred Examinations)
Deferred and Supplementary information can be located on the my.UQ website
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
The course is delivered as online learning resources (videos and notes) supported by tutorials and practical sessions. Written learning modules are available to support all portions of the course on BlackBoard. There are no required texts/resources for this course but students are expected to access several large reports and other documents on the internet.
The course has its own eLearning (BlackBoard) site which will provide the main means for communication. The Course Coordinator will post any messages on a central notice board to keep students informed of any developments.
http://learn.uq.edu.au, which can be accessed through my.UQ (my.uq.edu.au)
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Multiple weeks From Week 1 To Week 13 |
Practical |
Practical Methods for Examining Soil Properties A series of practicals designed to encourage students to develop a practical understanding of the methods used to measure and asses important chemical, biological, and physical properties of soil Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L03, L04, L05, L06 |
Multiple weeks From Week 1 To Week 2 |
Lecture |
Module 1: Introduction and Soil Constituents Introduction: soil as a valued resource Learning outcomes: L01, L02, L04 |
Multiple weeks From Week 2 To Week 4 |
Lecture |
Module 2: Soil Processes Controlling Nutrients Surface charge Learning outcomes: L01, L04 |
Multiple weeks From Week 5 To Week 7 |
Lecture |
Module 3: Plant Nutrients Nitrogen dynamics in soil and environmental importance Learning outcomes: L01, L02 |
Multiple weeks From Week 8 To Week 9 |
Lecture |
Module 5: Environmental Soil Science Soil Acidity Learning outcomes: L01, L04 |
Multiple weeks From Week 11 To Week 12 |
Lecture |
Module 4: Soil Physics and plant growth Soil texture Learning outcomes: L03, L04, L05 |
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.