Syllabus

MV0192 Soil Science for Environment and Water, 15.0 Credits

Subjects

Education cycle

Modules

Advanced study in the main field

Grading scale

Language

Prior knowledge

Objectives

On completion of the course, students will be able to:

• describe basic soil properties, physical, chemical and biological processes in soil and explain the influence of these processes on environment

• use methods for analyzing and describing soil properties and processes

• estimate fluxes and states in soil from given data

• interpret and evaluate soil profile data and present soil properties in relation to land use.

Content

During lectures, laboratories and exercises the following topics will be treated:

• soil texture and pore system,

• soil water occurrence, adsorption and movements; water retention characteristic, soil water equilibrium, hydraulic conductivity, water fluxes in saturated and unsaturated soil,

• soil air convection and diffusion and soil temperature and heat flow,

• transport of solutes in soil water; convection, diffusion, dispersion, leaching,

• weathering and solubility of primary and secondary minerals,

• cation and anion adsorption to soil particles,

• processes of acidification in soil and water, including counter-measures,

• soil organic material; influence of plants, humus formation, turnover and decomposition,

• soil organisms; functions and adaptations to different soil habitat and environmental pollutions,

• turnover of carbon and nitrogen in soil, recirculation of wastes,

• soil pedons and evaluation of soil properties of common soil types in Sweden.

Grading form

Formats and requirements for examination

Passed exams, passed assignments and attendance at compulsory elements.

• If a student has failed an examination, the examiner has the right to issue supplementary assignments. This applies if it is possible and there are grounds to do so.

• The examiner can provide an adapted assessment to students entitled to study support for students with disabilities following a decision by the university. Examiners may also issue an adapted examination or provide an alternative way for the students to take the exam.

• If this syllabus is withdrawn, SLU may introduce transitional provisions for examining students admitted based on this syllabus and who have not yet passed the course.

• For the assessment of an independent project (degree project), the examiner may also allow a student to add supplemental information after the deadline for submission. Read more in the Education Planning and Administration Handbook.

Other information

• The right to participate in teaching and/or supervision only applies for the course instance the student was admitted to and registered on.

• If there are special reasons, students are entitled to participate in components with compulsory attendance when the course is given again. Read more in the Education Planning and Administration Handbook.

Responsible department

Department of Soil and Environment