2016 Nationals: Manhattan, KS - Day #5

Today our team traveled to Rannells Prairie (KSU property - unplowed prairie) to describe 4 Argiustoll pits: one on a summit, two on backslopes and a fourth on a footslope. We started our descriptions just as the sun was rising, it was extremely windy all day - and tomorrow is supposed to be even windier! 

Nick Vetsch, Luke Ratgen, Andrea Williams and Rusty Zimmerman looking for slickensides in an Argiustoll

Judging as the sun comes up (from left): Luke Ratgen, Amanda Wolff, Sondra Larson, Teng Vang, Rusty Zimmerman

Rannells Prairie Landscape

2016 Nationals: Manhattan, KS - Day #4

The team had the opportunity to describe 5 practice pits today, four of which were just a short drive from our hotel at the KSU Agronomy Farm North on the outskirts of Manhattan. At this site, the contest organizers had prepared a nice set of 4 pits along a catena (a Paleustoll on a summit, two Argiustolls on a backslope/footslope, and a Haplustoll on a stream terrace):

KSU Agronomy Farm North Catena

Sondra Larson completing an individual description sheet

Platy structure in an Ap horizon

Our day along this catena was split by a visit to another pit ~ 20 minutes away - an Ustipsamment with lamellae formed in reworked outwash (dune sand). We shared this pit with ISU - both team immediately started looking for lamellae thanks to their experience at Regionals in Grand Rapids this past fall.

Region V Reunited: Iowa State (foreground - in pit) and Minnesota (background left) share an Ustipsamment pit. Thanks to Amber Anderson-Mba (ISU) for timing this one!

We then headed back to the KSU Agronomy Farm North to complete our descriptions along the catena before linking up with the rest of the teams to go on a bus tour of the Bison enclosure at Konza prairie LTER:

Bison and wallow (foreground), Konza Prairie LTER

2016 Minnesota National Soil Judging Team (from left): Top Row - Nick Vetsch, Bri Egge, Sondra Larson, Stefan Swenson, Andrea Williams, Allison Harvey. Bottom Row - Rusty Zimmerman (Captain) Teng Vang, Mekuria Zemede, Luke Ratgen, Amanda Wolff

2016 Nationals: Manhattan, KS - Day #3

Today the team traveled northeast out of Manhattan to Pottawatomie County, KS, our first look at a Pre-Illinoian glacial landscape. Along the way, we crossed stream terraces, outwash sediments and dunes, and finally up onto a till mantled landscape. This Pre-Illinoian till mantle was expressed most strongly on summit positions, and eroded or mixed/incoporated into colluvial/pedisediment-like material on backslopes. The team described four pits (all Argiustolls): Two pits on backslopes formed in colluvium/pedisediment over residuum, one on a backslope formed in glacial till over residuum, and finally a summit pit formed in glacial till:

Minnesota Team A completing a team description of an Argiustoll on a summit

Minnesota Team B completing a team description

Panoramic view of four pits on the Brunkow Farm site

Argiustoll pits at the Brunkow Farm site

The character of the Pre-Illinoian till that the students encountered was different from much of what we see further north, but unmistakably till in its unsorted textures (Clay Loams), and presence of coarse fragments of varying lithologies and sizes.

Sioux Quartizite erratics and sedimentary coarse fragments from spoil pile

The surface was exposed and eroded on a pasture just across the fence from pit P-17, showing us the quartzite erratics and other coarse fragments present in the till:

Exposed and eroded surface in pasture showing coarse fragments present in till (note quartzite erratic in foreground).

The team also had their first look at some Kansas slickensides, well developed clay films, prismatic structure, and many forms of secondary carbonates:

Slickensides

Secondary carbonate accumulations

Prismatic structure with slickensides (top and bottom) and clay films from a Btss horizon

The following video is for my Basic Soil Science students (if you are even reading this ;)): What is happening in this video?:

2016 Nationals: Prelude - Day #2

The team spent the first part of a bright and sunny day by describing three pits: Two Paleudalfs (a shoulder and a terrace) on the broad upland landscape of the Springfield Plateau, followed by an Argiduoll in a floodplain, all at Missouri State University's Southwest Research Center (thanks Tom!) just outside of Mt. Vernon, MO.

Several characteristics of these soils that were novel for our students are the large amount of coarse fragments in the cherty/dolomitic residuum, and the deep reds in some of the subsoil horizons. Ever used the 10R page? Our team has now! Ever scavenged the fine earth from between coarse fragments to get enough material to texture? 

10R soil material formed in dolomitic/cherty residuum under pedisediment.

Andrea Williams, Teng Vang, Sondra Larson, and Nick Vetsch compare estimates of soil texture.

A Paleudalf on a shoulder position

Our team geologist, Amanda Wolff, immediately set to work with a rock hammer, patiently describing to her peers the difference between limestone and dolomite as well as their field characteristics and identification.

A Paleudalf on a terrace

Lastly, the team described something more familiar to our Minnesota tastes - an Argiduoll with a buried A horizon formed in alluvium on a floodplain - 10YR colors ;).

We left Mt. Vernon and made the final leg of our journey to Manhattan, KS. We ate dinner, bought groceries for the week, and had a team meeting before packing the vans for tomorrow's first practice pits. So we have reached the end of the beginning. We are at one with our textural triangles.

2016 Nationals: Prelude - Day #1

After a pre-dawn link-up outside of Borlaug Hall, the team hit the road full of energy. Although you may not be able to see it in the picture below, Minnesota gave us some snow as a fitting send-off!

UMN Soil Judging Team packed and ready to roll outside of Borlaug Hall

We have big pre-contest plans...the team is using Friday and Saturday to look at soils throughout the region, in Iowa and Missouri, prior to arriving at KSU on Saturday afternoon. This is a critical learning experience and will enable the team to put the soils they will see in Kansas in a broader, regional context. We made our way south through the Des Moines Lobe till plain to our first stop mid-morning in Ames, IA, where we shook the rust off by describing a Hapludoll (individual) and Hapludalf (team) at the ISU Reactor Woods site (thanks Amber!):

Hapludoll on a summit position - ISU Reactor Woods site.

Hapludalf (Lester!), with an assist from Goldy.

The team immediately set to work and was eager to finally get their hands on some "real" soils (not the domesticated kind we keep around Borlaug) after a winter out of the field:

Minnesota A members Andrea Williams, Nick Vetsch, and Luke Ratgen in the pit while others contemplate major horizon boundaries and landscape context.

Minnesota B members Stefan Swenson and Mekuria Zemede evaluating structure type and grade.

Once the team completed their descriptions we had discussions about genesis, landscape variability, and geomorphology before hitting the road. After a brief dinner stop just south of Kansas City, Missouri, we arrived in Mt. Vernon, Missouri for the night. Tomorrow's agenda - more warm-up soils and a much anticipated arrival in Manhattan, KS! 

Kick the Tires and Light the Fires - We're Headed to Kansas!

Early on Friday morning the University of Minnesota Soil Judging team will leave on our journey to Manhattan, Kansas from Borlaug Hall. Along the way, we will be making stops to look at soils in Iowa and Missouri to provide a broader, regional context for the soils that our students will see in Kansas.

Dr. Mickey Ransom and many others at Kansas State have already done an excellent job in organizing this year's contest. Our students will have an opportunity to describe 17 practice pits in addition to the contest pits over the course of 6 days! - an invaluable experience for future professionals and independent thinkers.

The irreplaceable field experience that our Soil Judgers gain during these trips separates them from their peers. Their dedication and willingness to apply their classroom knowledge represents the very heart and soul of the University of Minnesota and the Land Grant mission.

Thank you to all of the individuals and organizations who have supported the team this year. Your gifts have allowed 11 students to participate in this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and all are deeply appreciative.

The students traveling to Kansas are: Rusty Zimmerman (Captain), Bri Egge, Allison Harvey, Sondra Larson, Luke Ratgen, Stefan Swenson, Teng Vang, Nick Vetsch, Andrea Williams, Amanda Wolff, and Mekuria Zemede.

Thank you all - check back early and often for updates on our trip. We are at one with our textural triangles.

Respectfully,
Nic

Psst...check out our video!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=LomCXAq1Cdc

Organizer's Wrap-Up: 2015 Region V Soil Judging Contest, Grand Rapids, MN

2015 Region V Soil Judging Contest Organizers, Faculty, Assistant Coaches and Students at the Sawmill Inn, Grand Rapids, MN. September 25th, 2015.

Serving as the organizer for this year's Region V Soil Judging contest was a unique and rewarding experience. It allowed me to work closely with many of our partners within the state (the U.S. Forest Service, USDA-NRCS, and the Minnesota Association of professional Soil Scientists) and deepen our relationships to form a foundation for future success in our joint research, outreach and education efforts.

For those of us who are passionate about Soil Science we find ourselves at a crucial crossroads. Soils information is in higher demand than it has ever been, with food security, resource management and climate change at the top of almost every agenda. This, while at the same time the number of strictly soil-oriented faculty and students continue to shrink shows the major challenges facing our discipline.

Fortunately, major opportunities lie on the horizon. Students with a technical background in soils (even as a minor) are in ever higher demand than their counterparts and can contribute in a more meaningful way to the missions of their organizations. And getting students into the field to experience and explore the land through the lens of Soil Science crosses all disciplinary boundaries, which opens major opportunities for growth in education, research and outreach.

Soil Judging remains one of the most important experiential opportunities for our students and will continue to serve as an anchor upon which the foundation of the future of the educational portion of our discipline rests. I challenge anybody to find a group who is more excited, inquisitive and determined to apply real knowledge in the field than these students. They are not afraid to get wet, get dirty, smell, and even taste soil in order to gain more experience. This is what will set these students apart as they begin their careers in whatever field and whatever locale they may find themselves. It is what will allow them to connect to others through a shared love of the land, and through that they reflect the true core of the United States Land Grant mission.

The support from partners and participants which made this year's competition happen was overwhelming. A huge thank you goes out to all of the faculty members, assistant coaches and students who participated; to USDA-NRCS for providing a backhoe, logistical support and technical assistance for the practice and contest pits; thanks to the U.S. Forest Service, particularly Dr. Randy Kolka and Jim Gries, for providing facilities and logistical assistance for contest day and practice days; the University of Minnesota's North Central Research and Outreach Center for their assistance in providing a practice site; and finally many members of the Minnesota Association of Professional Soil Scientists for volunteering their time in support of this contest.

Official Results and Award Winners:
Individual Judging:
1st  - Erin Bush, Kansas State University
2nd - Casey Campbell, Iowa State University
3rd - Matt Levan, Iowa State University
4th - Chris Weber, Kansas State University
5th - Sondra Larson, University of Minnesota

Group Judging:
1st - South Dakota State University
2nd - Iowa State University (by tiebreaker)
3rd - University of Minnesota (by tiebreaker)

Overall:
1st - University of Minnesota
2nd - Iowa State University
3rd - Kansas State University*

*NOTE: Because Kansas State University is hosting the 2016 National Soil Judging Contest, they are not eligible to compete. Therefore Region V will be sending The University of Minnesota, Iowa State University and South Dakota State University to the National Contest. The University of Nebraska will be the Alternate Team for the National Contest from Region V.

Thank you everyone for your assistance, motivation and dedication. Kick the tires and light the fires…we'll see you in the pits!!

Respectfully,
Nic Jelinski