About the Course

The department of Soil Science has addressed the demands of lifelong education and training to meet the needs of potential students who are practicing professionals in cooperative extension, industry and other organizations by proposing a new distance education degree program, Master of Soil Science. Students that enroll in this program are required to complete a set of core courses, which includes SSC 532 Soil Microbiology.

This course was designed as a basic introduction to soil microbiology. Our goal is to attract students from a number of backgrounds such as agricultural engineering, animal science, biological science, crop science, forestry, geology, horticulture, natural resource management and of course soil science.  This course will address how the microscopic life in soil influences virtually everything in our lives from the water we drink, the food we eat, and the air we breathe.

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

• define basic terms and describe concepts and ideas on the interactions between microorganisms and soils.
• discuss important microbial functions involved in organic and inorganic transformation processes such as the cycling of carbon, nitrogen, sulfur, or phosphorus.
• analyze how soil’s physical, chemical, and biological factors influence microbial occurrence, distribution and activity.
• identify key determinants that are responsible for microbial activities and function in relation to specific land uses and agricultural management systems.
• assess direct and indirect impacts of soil microbial activities and functions on sustainable use of soils and agricultural production.
• integrate effectively a knowledge of environmental soil microbiology to real-life issues and problems.