skip to the content

Readings and Articles

A drilling rig mounted to an all-terrain vehicle

This ATV mounted drilling rig was used by the IUPUI Department of Geology to obtain soil cores at Fort Harrison state park. (Photo Credit: IUPUI Earth Sciences)

For this section, please

  • Review Chapter 1 themes of Sustainability (pp 17-19) and Earth as a System: Environmental Unity (pp 23-24).
  • Read Chapter 3 “A Closer Look:  Weathering” (p 82) and “A Closer Look: Clay” (p 85).
  • Read Chapter 17: Soils and Environment:
    • Please pay attention to all case studies, Times Beach (5th edition, pp 588-589) and Maryland Sediment Pollution (5th edition, p 604). Identify how soils were degraded and remediated (cleaned up).
    • Read all of the sections except for Sections 17.11 (p 6.10) and Section 17.12 (pp 610 – 611).  We will cover these sections differently in the module.   You can also skip the section on “Soil Chronosequences” in Section 17.3 (pp 594 – 595).
    • CEMT and Environmental Science majors may be interested in the “A Closer Look: The Universal Soil Loss Equation” but it is not required reading.

Additional resources you may check out:
(These are optional resources, and are not required content for exams, quizzes, or homework.)

  • Marion County Soil and Water Conservation District. This organization is in charge of maintaining soil and water quality in Indianapolis. They maintain maps, records, and help educate the public on issues relevant to conservation in a suburban/urban area.
  • Indiana Department of Natural Resources Division of Soil Conservation. The website includes a listing of all soil and water conservation districts in Indiana. These officials ensure the protection, wise use and enhancement of Indiana's soil and water resources by coordinating implementation of the state's Soil and Water Quality Program.
  • Read about the Indiana State Soil! The U.S. Department of Agriculture determines a soil in each state which is representative of the average soil in the state. In Indiana, the “Miami” group of soils (which includes many subsoils) was chosen.
  • Explore the Purdue University Agronomy Department. The professors in this program research and improve soils and crop productivity in the state of Indiana. The department has professors who specialize in earthworms, alfalfa, and even popcorn. These people get very excited watching the grass grow.
« Page: 1 of 1 »