230020 Pedology

Detaljer
Inst. for Grundvidenskab
Tidligst mulig placeringBachelor 3. år til Kandidat 2. år
VarighedEn blok
 
Pointværdi7.5 (ECTS)
KursustypeFælleskursus
 
EksamenSluteksamen

skriftlig prøve


Skriftlig auditorieeksamen

Alle hjælpemidler tilladt

Beskrivelse af eksamen: Evaluation 4 hours written exam.

13-skala, intern censur

Eksamensdatoer:
03 November 2006
 
Forudsætninger for indstilling til eksamenAt least 3 of the 4 possible reports on excursions and laboratory results and the project report must be submitted and approved before the exam.
 
Rammer for undervisningIntegration of lectures, problems solving, excursions, laboratory exercises and report writing.
 
BlokplaceringBlock 1
Ugestruktur: A
Field excursions will be followed by laboratory analyses on soil samples from excursion sites.

 
UndervisningssprogEngelsk
 
Anbefalede forudsætningerJord, vand og planter or equivalent. Arealanvendelse, stofbalancer og miljøpåvirkning.
 
Kompetenceområder
Basic Science
Comprehend spatial and temporal variability of soils
Comprehend the importance of soils as part of ecosystems
Conduct and evaluate soil classification by the American Soil Taxonomy system
Understand and comprehend the molecular mechanisms controlling soil formation in a global context
Understand global soil distribution

Applied Science
Understand soil description and sampling in the field
Comprehend and evaluate soils and soil classification in relation to plant growth and environmental protection
Understand and comprehend mechanisms of soil degradation and measures of soil amendments/remediation
Understand and evaluate soil quality and sustainability under different global conditions

Ethics & Values
Ability to discuss the criteria underlying key terms such as "soil quality", "soil sustainability", "soil degradation", "soil suitability", "soil variability"
Awareness of soils as an indispensable but vulnerable and limited resource
 
Kursets målsætning
In a global perspective, the course objectives are to comprehend i) how soils form in response to the soil forming factors and processes, ii) how soil composition determines quality and properties of soils, and iii) how soils are described, sampled and classified as well as to understand potentials and limitations of different soils in relation to plant growth and environmental protection
 
Kursusindhold
Soil spatial and temporal variability is overviewed. Structure, chemical composition and properties of soil minerals and humic matter. Interactions between abiotic and soil biochemical processes. Sampling, fractionation and analysis of soil solutes in relation to land use and soil properties. Sampling, description, properties and notation of soil profiles and horizons. Diagnostic horizons and properties, and overall principles used in classification. Introduction to soil distribution and geography. Soil forming factors and soil forming processes with emphasis on acidification, mineral weathering, humification/mineralization, clay migration, podzolization, redox processes and leaching.
Concentration on soil formation, development and classification in order to understand relationships between the soil forming factors, soil properties and sustainable soil use in a global perspective. Occurrence, quality and properties of various soil types are highlighted and exemplified, and their suitability for various land uses such as conventional and ecologic agriculture, horticulture and forestry is evaluated in relation to plant growth and environmental protection. Emphasis is put on training soil classification by the American Soil Taxonomy system as a tool for understanding soil composition and properties under current and changing external conditions. The consideration of the soil forming factors (parent material, climate, topography, vegetation, human influence, time) and the soil forming processes (acidification, clay migration, erosion, gleization, humification, podzolisation, salinization, weathering) in soil classification and evaluation is taught.
 
Undervisningsform
Lectures, theoretical exercises and case studies are integrated. Four half-day excursions will be arranged followed by laboratory exercises resulting a report on classification and evaluation of each soil. At the excursions, soils with different composition and properties because of natural and anthropogenic factors are studied in situ, and samples are taken and analysed in the laboratory. Lectures are based on the textbook used. The topics of the theoretical exercises/cases run in parallel with the topics treated in the lectures. Groups of students work together to discuss and solve the selected problems. The aims of the project work are to train soil classification and interpretation in relation to sustainable soil use globally. The project work is carried out by groups of 2 students based on given data (soil profile description and laboaratory results). The project report is submitted to the teacher 4 days before the written exam.
 
Litteraturhenvisninger
Borggaard, O.K. & Elberling, B. (2004). Pedological Biogeochemistry. Paritas Grafik A/S, Brøndby.
Handout notes.
 
Kursusansvarlig
Ole Kragholm Borggaard, okb@life.ku.dk, Institut for Grundvidenskab/Jordbunds- og miljøkemi, Tlf: 35332419
 
Deltagerbetaling
None except 100 DDK for excursions
 
Studienævn
Studienævn NSN
 
Kursusbeskrivelsesomfang
forelæsninger36
teoretiske øvelser36
praktiske øvelser20
forberedelse82
eksamen12
ekskursioner20

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