SOQ-21806 Soil Quality

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Studiepunten 6.00

OnderwijstypeContacturen
One day excursion8
Lectures24
Practical extensively supervised20
Practical intensively supervised20
Tutorial12
Course coordinator(s)prof. dr. TW Kuyper
Lecturer(s)prof. dr. TW Kuyper
ir. MG Keizer
Examiner(s)prof. dr. TW Kuyper
ir. MG Keizer

Language of instruction:

English

Assumed knowledge on:

Introductory level course on Ecology (for instance NCP-10503), Soil Science (for instance Soil and Water I LAD-10806), Chemical Processes in Soil, Water, Atmosphere (SOQ-22306)

Continuation courses:

SOQ-32806 Biological Interactions in Soil; SOQ-34806 Applications in Soil and Water Chemistry; SOQ-31806 Nutrient management; LAD-32806 Landscape Properties and Variability; The Carbon Dilemma (SOQ-35306)

Contents:

The dynamics of nutrients and contaminants within the terrestrial ecosystem including the groundwater and their relationship with soil biota are explained and related to actual environmental issues such as mobility, bioavailability, soil quality assessment, soil remediation, and nature restoration. Soil quality aspects are discussed with a focus on nature, agriculture and the environment. Actual environmental issues regarding nutrients (in surplus as well as limiting supplies) and contaminants are presented and explained. Soil quality standards are discussed in relation to chemical compound behaviour, risk assessment protocols, and fertilizer recommendations. An outline is given of the policy legislation.

Learning outcomes:

After this course the students should be able to:
- explain the concept of biological, chemical and physical soil quality and their interrelations;
- translate the concept of soil quality into the (inter-)national soil policy domains;
- give examples of indicators for soil quality;
- discuss advantages and disadvantages of the use of various indicators;
- understand and apply the concept of nutrient and contaminant (bio-)availability and mobility;
- execute and analyse scientific experiments on contaminant (bio-)availability and mobility and interpret the results in the framework of soil quality.

Activities:

The lectures provide students with pertinent knowledge. During two half-day excursions interactions between the various actors within the field are demonstrated in real-life cases. In the practical a selection of techniques used in soil chemical and biological research is demonstrated and applied. In the tutorials hands-on exercises will be used to show their contribution to desk studies.

Examination:

Written exam, participation in tutorial exercises, participation in excursion.

Literature:

Reader Soil Quality (7303121) and Practical manual Soil Quality (7303221).

OpleidingFaseSpecialisatiePeriode
Verplicht voor: BSWSoil, Water, AtmosphereBSc5MO
Keuze voor: MESEnvironmental SciencesMSc5MO
MinorPeriode
Keuze voor: WULEABSc Minor Living Earth5MO