LEARNING OUTCOMES

The teaching aims to provide the basic knowledge to: describe a soil profile, II) understand the soil formation processes, III) classify a soil and IV) understand the application of pedology in geological research.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Attendance and participation in the planned educational activities (lectures and laboratory activities) will allow the student to acquire the necessary knowledge to deal with pedological survey and classify a soil.

Specifically, the student will be able to:

1.      know the descriptive techniques of a soil profile
2.      interpret the main horizons physico-chemical properties and deduce the formation processes
3.      know how to distinguish the main soil groups
4.      learn about the main applications of pedology

PREREQUISITES

The student must not have acquired specific preliminary knowledge. Attendance at "Mineralogy" and "Geomorphology" courses is recommended

TEACHING METHODS

The course is articulated in lectures conducted by the teacher and a part of theoretical-practical laboratory and exercise on the filed. The laboratory and exercises on the field will be held by the teaching professor, assisted by a laboratory tutor. The laboratory will allow students to observe the constituents of the soil and the characteristics of the main diagnostic horizons under the microscope. During the field exercise, the students, divided into groups, will have to apply the methods for describing the soil profile. At the end of the activity, the students will have to reorder and present the profile sheet.During the first semester, the lessons will be possibly held "face to face", while still ensuring the use of lessons even at a distance,
by video recording, synchronous or asynchronous. The exercises of laboratory will be organized possibly "face-to-face", possibly with more shifts. All face-to-face activities will be carried out in compliance with the limits of capacity of the classrooms / laboratories and of the distance, foreseen by the current legislation following the emergency COVID19. Please refer to the specific AulaWeb application for any updates due to changes in the health situation and Epidemiological.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The soil as an interface between the biosphere, atmosphere and lithosphere
• Definitions of soil.
• Soil constituents: minerals and organic; water in the soil.
The pedological profile
• The soil profile and its differentiation in horizons.
• Organic horizons and mineral horizons: characteristics and nomenclature.
• Profile description on the field.
Pedogenesis: processes and factors
• Physical and chemical weathering of the rocks.
• General processes of soil evolution.
• The fundamental processes of pedogenesis.
• The factors of soil evolution.
Soil classification and mapping
Paleopedology and micromorphology of soils

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

All slides used during the lessons and other educational material will be available on aul@web. In general, the notes taken
during the lessons and the material on aul@web are sufficient for the preparation of the exam.
The books below are suggested as supporting texts.

Introduction to the topic:

• Cremaschi M. (2000). Manuale di Geoarcheologia. Editori Laterza, Roma-Bari. [capitolo “Pedologia”]

Italian texts:

• Certini C. e Ugolini F.C. (2010). Basi di Pedologia. Edagricole, Milano (consigliato)
• Giordano A. (1999). Pedologia. UTET, Torino.
• McRae S.G. (1991). Pedologia Pratica. Zanichelli, Bologna