Nature and organization of the soil system.
Soil formation as a part of geomorphic and geochemical processes. Main soil minerals.
Soil-forming processes and soil classification essentials.
Soil genesis and geography; soil-landscape relations and models of soil formation.
Soil in stratigraphy; identification and description. Geological interpretation of soil. Soil as an archive, soil dating.
Lecture notes from the teacher.
Driessen, P. (ed.): Lecture Notes on the Major Soils of the World. World Soil Resources Reports 94; FAO, Rome, 2001; ftp://ftp.fao.org/agl/agll/docs/wsrr94e.pdf
Learning Objectives
Knowledge acquired: understanding of the nature of soil and its functions in Earth system dynamics; understanding of soil-forming processes and of their observable evidence
Competences acquired: ability to identify soils, to describe them in standard form, to read soil maps
Skills acquired: ability to make good use of soil evidence in geological investigations, at consulting, applied research and general research levels
Prerequisites
None
Teaching Methods
Lectures, seminaries and field workshops
Type of Assessment
Oral exam; agreed bibliographic research by students or small groups accepted.
Course program
Soil as the interaction product of Earth crust, atmosphere, biosphere. Internal organization of the soil system: soil structure and porosity, soil-water relations.
The soil in Earth system dynamics. Pedogenesis as part of geomorphic processes; soil hydrology and soil erosion.
Pedogenesis as part of the geochemical cycle: weathering and element mobility in soil. The main soil minerals.
Soil-forming processes: weathering, pedoplasmation, organic matter input and transformations, eluviation and illuviation, solute translocations, formation of persistent soil horizons; diagnostic horizons and bases of soil classification.
Soil genesis, soil-landscape relations, soil geography and soil genesis models.
Soil in stratigraphy; identification and description. Interpretation of soil evidence in geological investigations.
The soil as an archive; geological and palaeo-environmental record in soils; dating of soils.