OVERVIEW

Geopedology studies the soil characteristics, classification and formation processes.The soil is the system that sustains our life, as well as an essential element of the landscape.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to provide students with the basic knowledge to: I) describe a soil profile, II) understand the soil formation processes, III) classify a soil and IV) understand interactions with other environmental factors (climate, organism, geomorphological processes and bedrock)

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Attendance and participation in the planned training activities will allow the student to acquire the knowledge necessary to undertake a pedological investigation and classify a soil.

Specifically, the student will be able to: a) know the descriptive techniques of a soil profile, b) interpret the main chemical-physical properties of the horizons in relation to the formation processe, c) be able to distinguish the main types of soil, d) know the methods for ssoil mapping

PREREQUISITES

It is useful to have followed the "Mineralogy" and "Geomorphology" courses.

TEACHING METHODS

The course is articulated in lectures conducted by the teacher.

"Students who have valid certification of physical or learning disabilities on file with the University and who wish to discuss possible accommodations or other circumstances regarding lectures, coursework and exams, should speak both with the instructor and with Professor Sara Ferrando (sara.ferrando@unige.it), the Department’s disability liaison.”

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

 

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

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

1. Certini C. e Ugolini F.C. (2010). Basi di Pedologia. Edagricole, Milano (consigliato)
2. Giordano A. (1999). Pedologia. UTET, Torino.
3. Cremaschi M. (2000). Manuale di Geoarcheologia. Editori Laterza, Roma-Bari. "capitolo “Pedologia”
4. McRae S.G. (1991). Pedologia Pratica. Zanichelli, Bologna

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

LESSONS

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam consists of an oral test (possibly to be carried out remotely with the help of the Teams platform) with questions asked by the teacher on topics covered during teaching

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The oral exam will mainly focus on the topics covered during the lectures and will aim to evaluate the achievement of the adequate level of knowledge, the ability to connect different topics and the mastery of the subject in general. The ability to present the topics clearly and with correct terminology will also be assessed

FURTHER INFORMATION

Students with a certification of physical or learning disability filed with the University can find information on support services at the web page https://unige.it/disabilita-dsa/studenti-disturbi-specifici-apprendimento-dsa,
provided by the "Services for the Inclusion of Students with Disabilities and with Learning Disorders." They can also contact Professor Sara Ferrando (sara.ferrando@unige.it), the Distav contact for disabilities