701-0501-AAL Pedosphere
Semester | Autumn Semester 2016 |
Lecturers | R. Kretzschmar |
Periodicity | every semester recurring course |
Language of instruction | English |
Comment | Enrolment ONLY for MSc students with a decree declaring this course unit as an additional admission requirement. Any other students (e.g. incoming exchange students, doctoral students) CANNOT enrol for this course unit. |
Abstract | Introduction to the formation and properties of soils as a function of parent rock, landscape position, climate, and soil organisms. Complex relationships between soil forming processes, physical and chemical soil properties, soil biota, and ecological soil properties. |
Objective | Introduction to the formation and properties of soils as a function of parent rock, landscape position, climate, and soil organisms. Complex relationships between soil forming processes, physical and chemical soil properties, soil biota, and ecological soil properties. |
Content | Definition of the pedosphere, soil functions, rocks as parent materials, minerals and weathering, soil organisms, soil organic matter, physical soil properties and functions, chemical soil properties and functions, soil formation, principles of soil classification, global soil regions, soil fertility, land use and soil degradation. |
Literature | - Scheffer/Schachtschabel - Soil Science, Springer, Heidelberg, 2016. - Brady N.C. and Weil, R.R. The Nature and Properties of Soils. 14th ed. Prentice Hall, 2007. |
Prerequisites / Notice | Prerequisites: Basic knowledge in chemistry, biology and geology. |