Soil functions. Soil profile description. Introduction to the soil survey. Soil-landscape relations. Soil mapping and cartographic processing. Land capability classification. Forms of degradation of agricultural soil and mitigation measures. Soil working: pros and cons. Types of land management.
1. Learning to describe the soil profile
2. Becoming able to read a soil map
3. Acquiring the bases for mapping soils at farm level
4. Knowing how to evaluate the soil capability
5. Learning to identify the most suitable soil management on the basis of the assessed soil properties
Prerequisites
None
Teaching Methods
Hours reserved to private study and other indivual formative activities: 144
Contact hours for: Lectures (hours): 48
Contact hours for: Field trips and laboratory activities (hours): 22
Seminars (hours): 2
Further information
The participation to lessons and field trips is not mandatory, but highly recommended
Teaching tools:
Personal computer and video projector
Type of Assessment
Spoken examination on the subjects treated during lectures and field trips.
Verification of learning of the basic concepts; reasoning skills on real cases; command of technical-scientific language
Course program
Soil functions. Soil profile description. Introduction to the soil survey. Soil-landscape relations. Soil mapping and cartographic processing. Land capability classification. Forms of degradation of agricultural soil and mitigation measures. Soil working: pros and cons. Types of land management.
Contents of practice exercises: Visits to farms, with interpretation of the main soil characteristics. Examples of conventional and conservation agriculture.
Laboratory exercise: preparation of a soil sample for the analysis and measurement of some basic characteristics of the soil (pH, texture, organic substance)