Course Description
Application of geology in the service of agriculture. Critically examine the methods and application of earth minerals and pyrolyzed waste biomass (black carbon) as natural alternatives to restore the health of soils for agro-farming, reforestation, and carbon sequestration.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Complete a written paper on a researched topic (laboratory or literature). Topics will be assigned by the instructor.
Athena Title
Agrogeology
Prerequisite
GEOL 1120 or GEOL 1120E or GEOL 1121 or GEOL 1121H or GEOL 1121E or GEOL 3010-3010L or GEOL 3020-3020L or GEOG 1125 or GEOG 1125E or GEOG 1111 or FANR(GEOG) 2200 or GEOG 2250H or CRSS(WASR) 1020 or permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Offered every year.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
Train the next generation of Agronomists, Climate Scientists, Ecologists, Geologists, and Soil Scientists on the application of locally available geological and recycled nutrient resources as sustainable alternatives to artificial fertilizer and to mitigate the effects of global climate change. Students will acquire skills needed to remineralize and restore nutrient depleted soils using selected earth minerals and recovered nutrients. The course content combines knowledge from multiple disciplines, including geology, soil sciences, agronomy, ecology, and environmental engineering to review potential innovations at the nexus of food, energy, and water systems (INFEWS). Alternative and emerging soil fertility restoration products and methods, such as pyrolyzed biomass (e.g., biochar) and agrominerals available to sustain food and biomass production will be identified and evaluated. Students will learn methods of evaluating the sustainability of locally available geological nutrient resources in agricultural production systems.
Topical Outline
- Biogeochemical cycling of carbon, potassium, and phosphorous in agricultural systems - Food-Energy-Water Systems (FEWS) in the context of chemical agriculture and climate change - Physico-chemical properties of fertile soils - Influence of parent material on soil development and soil properties - Agrominerals and the history of geological minerals used in agriculture - Remineralization of soils with whole rocks, minerals, and nutrient-infused black carbon • P sources * Other Macrominerals • K Sources * Microminerals - Remineralization and water quality - Methods of recovery and reuse of nitrogen and phosphorous in agriculture - Application of black carbon from pyrolyzed biomass in agriculture and reforestation - Social, economic, and environmental benefits of soil remineralization