Unit PEDOLOGY
- Course
- Geology
- Study-unit Code
- 55A00009
- Location
- PERUGIA
- Curriculum
- In all curricula
- Teacher
- Alberto Agnelli
- Teachers
-
- Alberto Agnelli
- Hours
- 42 ore - Alberto Agnelli
- CFU
- 6
- Course Regulation
- Coorte 2020
- Offered
- 2022/23
- Learning activities
- Affine/integrativa
- Area
- Attività formative affini o integrative
- Academic discipline
- AGR/14
- Type of study-unit
- Opzionale (Optional)
- Type of learning activities
- Attività formativa monodisciplinare
- Language of instruction
- Italian
- Contents
- The main objective of the course is to provide the students with the basic knowledge on the fundamental processes of soil genesis, the relationships between soil and environmental factors, the soil classification and the study of the soil in the field.
- Reference texts
- Certini G., Ugolini F.C. - BASI DI PEDOLOGIA - cos’è il suolo, come si forma, come va descritto e classificato”. Edagricole
Nyle C. Brady e Ray R. Weil - Nature and properties of soils. Prentice Hall. USA
Soil Survey Division Staff - Key to soil taxonomy. USDA (free download at http://soils.usda.gov/technical/classification/tax_keys/)
FAO - World Reference Base for Soil Resources (free download at http://www.fao.org/ag/agl/agll/wrb/) - Educational objectives
- The course takes into consideration the basic elements which constitute the soil resource and its functioning. The main objective is to provide the students with all the elements to manage the soil in a sustainable way. The main acquired knowledge will be: factors of soil formation, chemical and physical alteration of minerals, role of soil biota, soil organic matter cycle, pedogenetic processes, method of soil classification, soil degradation processes
At the end of the course, the students should be able to recognize a soil type and to interpret the morphological and analitycal information useful to evaluate the soil quality and the environmental sustainability of a given soil use. - Prerequisites
- In order to better understand the topics covered in the course, the student must have knowledge of general and organic chemistry and mineralogy.
- Teaching methods
- The course is organized as follows:
-lessons in the classroom on all the topics of the program
-practical training in the field: opening of soil profiles, soil description, interpretation of the morphological data, classification - Other information
- Attending the lessons is optional, but strongly advised.
Lessons will be held at the Department of Physic and Geology.
The examination will be held at the Unit of Pedology, Dept. Of Agriculture , Food and Environmental Science, Borgo XX Giugno 74, Perugia - Learning verification modality
- The final examination consists of an oral discussion lasting about 40 minutes aimed at ascertaining the level of knowledge and understanding achieved by the student on the theoretical and methodological topics listed in the program (soil formation, alteration of minerals, soil organic matter cycle, physical and chemical properties of the soil, different types of soil, methods of soil classification, environmental role of the soil, soil conservation). The examination will also test the communication skill of the student.
- Extended program
- Role of the soil in the environment
Name and description of the soil horizons
Factors of soil formation; physical and chemical weathering; proton donor's theory
Soil physical properties (texture, structure and porosity), air and water in soil
Soil mineralogy
Characteristics and dynamic of the soil organic matter
Principal pedogenetic processes
Soil classification (US Soil Taxonomy; World Reference Base for Soil Resources)
Soil Degradation
Soil and climate change