Education

B.S., Chemistry, University of Notre Dame, 1972

M.S., Agronomy, The Ohio State University, 1977

Ph.D., Soil Science, Texas A&M University, 1981

Research Interests

• Effect of instructional techniques on learning;
• Phosphorus chemistry in agricultural soils;
• Intensive management effects on urban soils

Major Project Activities

My classroom research involves determining to what degree student perceptions of natural resources are affected by education about soil science. I am also interested in the effectiveness of different instructional approaches on learning. My soil science research consists of two principal areas: Reactions of phosphorus in soils, especially from biosolids; and how intensive management of urban soils affects their long-term quality and use. The objectives of my phosphorus work are to maximize the efficiency of phosphorus availability from organic sources such as sludges and manures, and minimize the possible negative environmental effects of such applications.

Courses Taught

• Soil Resources, PLAS/SOIL 153
• Soil Chemistry and Mineralogy, PLAS/SOIL 455 and AGRO/NRES/SOIL 855
• Agronomic Internship and Career Preparation, PLAS 201
• Urban Soil Properties and Management, PLAS/LARC/SOIL 453

Publications

• McCallister, D. (2015). Phosphorus adsorption and desorption in coarse-textured soils bordering recreational lakes. Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 46(15), 1934-1947. http://www.tandfonline.com/eprint/rru7yh6Pbds4XjpFqUja/full
• Mamo, M., D. Namuth-Covert, A. Guru, G. Nugent, L. Phillips, L. Sandall, T. Kettler, and D. McCallister. 2011. Avatars Go to Class: A Virtual Environment Soil Science Activity. J of Nat Res. Life Sci Ed. 40: 114-121.
• Mamo, Martha, James Ippolito, Timothy Kettler, Ronald Reuter, Dennis McCallister, Patricia Morner, Dann Husmann, and Erin Blankenship. 2011. Learning Gains and Response to Digital Lessons on Soil Genesis and Development. Journal of Geoscience Education. 59(4):194-204.
• Sewell, Sarah, Dennis McCallister, Roch Gaussoin, and Charles Wortmann. Lawn management practices and perceptions of residents in 14 sandpit lakes of Nebraska. 2010. Journal of Extension. 48(2). 
• Dennis L. McCallister, Jason A. Larson, Daniel T. Walters, David B. Marx, and Christina Gossin. 2010. Soil Phosphorus Distribution as Affected by Manure Compost Phosphorus Concentration and Incorporation. Comm. Soil Sci. Pl. Anal. 41(6): 721-734.
• Kettler, T., W. Zanner, M. Mamo, T. Kettler, J. Ippolito, R. Reuter, D. McCallister, P. Morner, and J. Soester. Soil Genesis and Development: Soil Profile Development. 2009. Journal of Natural Resources and Life Science Education. 38: 240
• McCallister, Dennis, Christoph Geiss, Martha Mamo, Timothy Kettler, James Ippolito, Ronald Reuter, Patricia Morner, Jody Soester. Soil Genesis and Development: Rocks and Minerals. Journal of Natural Resources and Life Science Education
• Mamo, M., T. Kettler, J. Ippolito, R. Reuter, D. McCallister, P. Morner, and J. Soester. Soil Genesis and Development: Processes of Weathering. 2009. Journal of Natural Resources and Life Science Education. 38: 238
• Ippolito, J., M. Mamo, M., T. Kettler, R. Reuter, D. McCallister, P. Morner, and J. Soester. Soil Genesis and Development: Soil Forming Factors. 2009. Journal of Natural Resources and Life Science Education. 38: 239
• Reuter, R., M. Mamo, T. Kettler, J. Ippolito, D. McCallister, P. Morner, and J. Soester. Soil Genesis and Development: Soil Profile Development. 2009. Journal of Natural Resources and Life Science Education. 38: 239
• Paschold, J.S., B.J. Weinhold, R.B. Ferguson, and D.L. McCallister. 2008. Soil N and P availability is similar for field applied slurry from swine fed traditional and low phytate corn diets. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 72:1096-1101.
• Paschold, J.S., B.J. Weinhold, D.L. McCallister, and R.B. Ferguson. 2008. Crop N and P utilization following application of slurry from swine fed traditional and low phytate corn diets. Agron. J. 100:997-1004.
• Kyaw, T., R.B. Ferguson, V.I. Adamchuk, D.B. Marx, D.D. Tarkalson, and D.L. McCallister. 2008. Delineating site-specific management zones for pH-induced chlorosis. Precision Agriculture 9(1-2):71-84.
• Renken, Roger R., Dennis L. McCallister, David D. Tarkalson, Gary W. Hergert, and David B. Marx. 2006. Barley seedling growth in soils amended with fly ash or agricultural lime followed by acidification. Soil Science. 171:414-422.
• McCallister, D.L., D.J. Lee and S.C. Mason. 2005. Student numbers in agronomy and crop science in the United States: History, current status, and possible actions. NACTA J. 49(3):24 -29.
• Mamo, Martha, Daniel Ginting, William Zanner, Dennis McCallister, Roger Renken, Charles Shapiro, and Bahman Eghball. 2005. Stratification of Soil Phosphorus and Increased Potential for Runoff Loss After Long-term Manure Application. J. Soil and Water Cons. 60:243-250.
• Tarkalson, D.D., G.W. Hergert, W.B. Stevens, D.L. McCallister, and S. Kachman. 2005. Fly ash as a liming material for corn production. Soil Science. 170:386-398.
• Akhtar, M., D.L. McCallister, D.D. Francis, and J.S. Schepers. 2005. Manure source effects on soil phosphorus fractions and their distribution. Soil Science. 170:183-190.
• Mamo, M., T. Kettler, D. Husmann, and D. McCallister. 2004. Assessment of an On-line Erosion Lesson as a Teaching Tool in Introductory Soil Science. NACTA J. 48(3):47-52.
• M. Akhtar, D.L. McCallister, and K.M. Eskridge. 2002. Availability and fractionation of phosphorus in sewage sludge-amended soils. Commun. Soil Sci. Pl. Anal. 33:2057-2068.
• D.L. McCallister, M.A. Bahadir, and J.M. Blumenthal. 2002. Phosphorus partitioning and phosphatase activity in semi-arid region soils under increasing crop growth intensity. Soil Science. 167:616-624
• Dennis L. McCallister, Kenneth D. Frank, W. Bart Stevens, Gary W. Hergert, Roger R. Renken, and David B. Marx. 2002. Coal fly ash as an acid-reducing soil amendment and its side-effects. Soil Science. 167:811-820
• McCallister, Dennis L., Betsy K. Dierberger, and Robert C. Sorensen. 2001. A land use planning exercise using soil survey reports. NACTA J. 45(4):55-61. Click here to go to DEVELOPING A SOIL USE PLAN, Module 15.
• D.L. McCallister and W.L. Chien. 2000. Organic carbon quantity and forms as influenced by tillage and cropping sequence. Comm. Soil Sci. Pl. Anal. 31:465-479.
• Jenks, Brian, Fred W. Roeth, Alex R. Martin, and Dennis L. McCallister. 1998. Influence of surface and subsurface soil properties on atrazine sorption and degradation, Weed Science. 46:132-138.
• Duffy, C.C., D.L. McCallister, and R.R. Renken. 1997. Carbon tetrachloride retention by modern and buried soil A horizons. J. Environ. Qual. 26:1123-1127.
• McCallister, D.L., L.A. Jawson, and M.D. Jawson. 1997. Soil temperature and fumigation effects on plant phosphorus uptake and related microbial properties. J. Plant Nutr. 20:485-497.
• Verstraeten, I.M., D.T. Lewis, D.L. McCallister, A. Parkhurst, and E.M. Thurman. 1996. Relation of landscape position and irrigation to concentrations of alachlor, atrazine, and selected degradates in regolith in northeastern Nebraska. pp 178-197. In. M.T. Meyer and E.M. Thurman (ed.). Herbicide metabolites in surface water and groundwater. American Chemical Society. Washington, D.C.
• Eghball, B., L.N. Mielke, D.L. McCallister, and J.W. Doran. 1994. Distribution of organic carbon and inorganic nitrogen in a soil under various tillage and cropping sequences. J. Soil Water Cons. 49:201-205.
• Stolpe, N.B., D.L. McCallister, P.J. Shea, D.T. Lewis, and R. Dam. 1993. Mobility of aniline, benzoic acid, and toluene in four soils and correlation with soil properties. Environ. Pollut. 81:287-295.