SOQ-22803 Soil 2

Course

Credits 3.00

Language of instruction:

Dutch

Assumed knowledge on:

Soil 1.

Continuation courses:

SOQ-22306 Chemical Processes in Soil, Water, Atmosphere; SOQ-21806 Soil Quality; SOQ-21306 Soil Pollution and Soil Protection; SGL-33306 Geology and landscapes of the world, and SLM-21306 Subsurface Solute Transport.

Contents:

This course focusses on soil processes and land evaluation. The soil is characterized as a buffering system with water and reactive soil particles affecting mobility and bioavailability of nutrients and contaminants. This affects soil organisms, plants and groundwater and thus soil quality. Processes like water flow, leaching, adsorption, precipitation and biodegradation are introduced. Also soil inventarisation (inventory), soil classification (FAO-system), making soil maps and land evaluation are dealt with. Tutorials support the lectures with assignments. Practical's improve relevant practical skills and illustrate important topics.

Learning outcomes:

After successful completion of this course students are expected to be able to:
- identify and explain the basic physical, chemical and biological processes in soils;
- describe and apply basic approaches in soil quality and land evaluation;
- describe and quantify (analyse) important soil characteristics and soil processes.

Activities:

- prepare and attend lectures and tutorials;
- answer assignments in textbook and tutorials;
- actively participate in the practicals.

Examination:

- written closed book test;
- partly multiple choice questions;
- partly open questions and simple calculations;
- practicals are obligatory to pass the exam. Successful practicals remain valid for a period of 6 years.

Literature:

Textbook: Inleiding Bodem (3 delen), available: WUR-shop and www.wur.nl/waterenbodem/inleidingbodem).