LPhD170 Getting the Right Sample: Classification, Mapping and Sampling of Soils - Module A

Details
Responsible DepartmentLIFE Graduate School   20 %
Department of Basic Science and Environment   20 %
Forest & Landscape   20 %
Department of Geography and Geology, UCPH-SCIENCE   20 %
GPS Agro   20 %

Course Dates20-24 August 2012: Preparation at home. 27-31 August 2012: Lectures, excursions and exercises at SCIENCE.
 
Course AbstractThis course provides the participants with the theoretical foundation for planning and conducting field studies where a detailed knowledge on soils are required. The participants will learn to assess the variation in soils and use this knowledge for making soil maps and evaluation of soil and environmental data. The participants will also receive a solid introduction to the geomorphology of Denmark and Northern Europe.
 
Course RegistrationBy email to Lars Holm Rasmussen: LHR@LIFE.KU.DK
 
Deadline for Registration1 July 2012
 
Credits4 (ECTS)
 
Level of CoursePhD course
 
Organisation of TeachingYou will work at your place of work for the first week of the course (reading and preparation of precourse assignment). The second week includes lectures at Frederiksberg Campus and excursions to field sites at Zealand.
 
Language of InstructionEnglish
 
Restrictions20 (min. 15)
 
Course Content
The participants are introduced to the basic statistical techniques applied to handle spatial variation at field and catchment levels. Practical planning, carrying out and presentation of soil sampling at field and catchment levels are also included in the course.

Tentative program:
20-24 August 2012: Preparation at home (reading and precourse assignment).
27 August: Introduction, spatial variation at field level, course dinner.
28 August: Basic statistical techniques, excercises (soil maps).
29 August: Exercises, soil mapping in Denmark, geomorphology of Denmark, excursion.
30 August: Spatial variation at catchment level, soil texture, EM38 measurements, excursion.
31 August: Intrinsic variability in soil profiles, re-measurements over time.

The participants must expect to participate in group work and excursions until 9 PM 28-30 August. The course dinner will take place 27 August at 6-9 PM.

The participants will have to spend 2½ day on a course assignment after the course. The deadline will be settled at the course.
 
Teaching and learning Methods
Pre-course assignment: The participants will have to prepare a oral presentation, which are to be presented at the course. The topic will be chosen in agreement with the teachers. The participants will receive proposals for literature and guidelines for the presentation. The presentations will focus on soil processes and soil types and relate to the lectures. Lectures and exercises: The participants will have lectures by well-known specialists in their field from University of Copenhagen, Aalborg University, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and the private company GPS Agro. The partipants will work in groups in different exercises. The approach is case-based learning. Excursions: Two excursions are included in the course. The participants will be introduced to the spatial variation of soils in typical Danish landscape and have a demonstration of different equipment used for soil mapping (e.g. EM38 and NIR).
 
Learning Outcome
The course provides the participants with the theoretical foundation for planning and conducting field studies.

After completing this course, the participant will have knowledge of:

. The variation of sois in relation to the landscape.
. The internal variability in soil profiles.
. The intrinsic variability in soil horizons.
. How to take representative soil samples.
. How to produce and interpret soil maps.

in addition, the participant will also have knowledge of commonly occurring soil types in Denmark and Northern Europe.

The participants can improve their skills by participating in Module B of this course, which gives participants the practical skills required to individually carry out field studies in Denmark or aboad.
 
Course Material
The participants will receive a compendium of selected papers on soil mapping, sampling strategy, soil formation, soil-forming processes, the geology of Denmark/Northern Europe/Zealand. Supplementary material will be send to all participants in relation to the pre-course assignments.
 
Course Coordinator
Lars Holm Rasmussen, lhr@life.ku.dk, Study and Students Affairs, Phone: 353-32659
Ole K. Borggaard, okb@life.ku.dk, Department of Basic Sciences and Environment, Phone: 353-32419
Lars Vesterdal, lv@life.ku.dk, Forest & Landscape Denmark/Applied ecology, Phone: 353-31672
 
Other Lecturers
Professor Henrik Breuning Madsen, UCPH-SCIENCE. Director Casper Szilas, PhD, GPS Agro. Researcher Erik Karltun, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences. Associate professor Thomas Balstrøm, Aalborg University.
 
Course Fee
Free for PhD students from University of Copenhagen, PhD students from Open Market partners and NOVA universities. Others: Contact the secretariat for information.
 
Course Costs
None.
 
Type of Evaluation
2½-day course assignment after the course (self-chosen topic in relation to mapping and sampling of representative soil samples). The participants are evaluated pass/no-pass.
 
Work Load
preparation40
lectures15
theoretical exercises15
Excursions15
project work20

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