Unit SOIL ASSESSMENT AND CONSERVATION

Course
Sustainable agriculture
Study-unit Code
A002208
Curriculum
Territorio e paesaggio
Teacher
Alberto Agnelli
Teachers
  • Alberto Agnelli
Hours
  • 54 ore - Alberto Agnelli
CFU
6
Course Regulation
Coorte 2022
Offered
2022/23
Learning activities
Caratterizzante
Area
Discipline della fertilità e conservazione del suolo
Academic discipline
AGR/14
Type of study-unit
Obbligatorio (Required)
Type of learning activities
Attività formativa monodisciplinare
Language of instruction
Italian
Contents
This course will provide advanced skills related to soil classification by the main international systems (USDA and FAO-WRB), land evaluation, and soil conservation techniques functional to the sustainable use and management of soil resources.
Reference texts
Slides of the lessons supplied by the lecturer
Certini G. e Ugolini F.C. - Basi di pedologia. Edagricole
Nyle C. Brady e Ray R. Weil - Nature and properties of soils. Prentice Hall. USA
Randall J Schaetzl e Sharon Anderson - Soils Genesis and Geomorphology. Cambridge University Press
Soil Survey Division Staff - Key to soil taxonomy. USDA (scaricabile gratuitamente da http://soils.usda.gov/technical/classification/tax_keys/) FAO - World Reference Base for Soil Resources (scaricabile gratuitamente da http://www.fao.org/ag/agl/agll/wrb/)
Educational objectives
The main objective of the course will be to provide students with the elements to 1) classify soils, 2) assess the attitude of soil and its ecosystem services 3) recognize the possible causes of degradation and 4) defend and conserve the soil resource.
The main knowledge acquired will be: soil classification (USDA and WRB); functional assessment of soils and their services; causes of soil degradation and desertification; sustainable practices for soil protection and conservation; soil survey and mapping.
The main skills will be related to the functional and attitudinal assessment of soils and the identification and use of practices aimed at an optimal and sustainable management of soils and landscape.
Prerequisites
In order to better understand the topics covered in teaching the student should have attended the Pedology course.
Teaching methods
The course is organized as follows:
-lectures in the classroom
-practical training in the field: opening of the soil profile, soil description, data interpretation morphological, classification, functional soil assessment
Other information
Attending the lessons is optional, but strongly advised
Lesson will be held at the Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, Borgo XX Giugno 74, Perugia.
Other info at http://dsa3.unipg.it
Learning verification modality
The evaluation will be carried out by means of a final oral examination focusing on theoretical lessons and exercises and will last approximately 40 minutes.
Extended program
The soil system: basic soil concepts
Soil Classification
USDA Soil Taxonomy
FAO-World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB) Land evaluation and thematic maps
Soil ecosystem services
Chemical and physical soil degradation processes Visual soil assessment
Soil protection and conservation
Case studies in the field
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