B5194 - Soil Survey and Land Evaluation

Academic Year 2024/2025

  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: Second cycle degree programme (LM) in Planning and Management of Forest Territory, Landscape and Environment (cod. 6068)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student will have acquired the methodological procedures required to conduct pedological surveys for the characterisation of the various soil types present in a given territory. They will also be able to describe soil profiles, classify them and assess their capability for specific uses. In particular, the student will be able to classify soils according to pedogenetic, physico-chemical properties and international taxonomies, and assess their potential limitations for particular uses.

Course contents

PREREQUISITES

The student who accesses this teaching must have a good preparation on the fundamentals of soil chemistry and biochemistry, as well as on basic knowledge of pedology and soil science. She/he must also know the main factors that regulate the ecosystem, with particular reference to the climatic, biotic components, lithology, and the main pedogenic processes of addition, loss, transformation and translocation. The student must have a good knowledge of English as part of the didactic materials used during theoretical and practical activities is provided in the original language.

 

CONTENTS OF TEACHING UNITS

The course consists of a theoretical unit and a practical unit which run in parallel.

Theoretical content of the teaching unit

The theoretical didactic unit will provide knowledge useful for surveying and classifying soils, and evaluating soils according to land capacity classification.

It provides:

- Pedological survey: selection of soil profile for the study; pedological survey forms; station information; profile preparation and description

- Physico-chemical characteristics of the soil and their functional interpretation: field assessments; soil sampling and preparation of soil samples; analytical characterization; data reading and interpretation (case studies)

- Soil classification and its functional interpretation: the international classification soil systems (Key Soil Taxonomy, USDA - Word Reference Base of Soil Resources, FAO), taxonomic keys and their use, practical interpretation of taxonomy of soils

- Land evaluation: land capability classification (LCC), LCC application in territorial planning processes


Practical content of the teaching unit

Within a common study area for all the students, in groups of 3-4 people, the students will carry out the soil survey of a profile, also analysing it for its main physico-chemical properties by means of laboratory analysis, classifying it according to the Soil Taxonomy and WRB systems, and determining its capability. The outcome of the laboratory teaching unit will be a report containing the results of the investigations carried out. These results will also be presented and discussed by the students in the classroom, also in the presence of external personnel interested in the results of the investigations carried out by the students.

Readings/Bibliography

Fundamental will be the use of material provided by the teacher (available on Insegnamenti OnLine) and lecture notes.

- Costantini E.A.C. 2006. Metodi di valutazione dei suoli e delle terre. Ed. Cantagalli.

- FAO. 2006. Guidelines for soil description. FAO

- IUSS Working Group WRB. 2015. World Reference Base for Soil Resources 2014, update 2015. International soil classification system for naming soils and creating legends for soil maps.

- Schoeneberger, P.J., D.A. Wysocki, E.C. Benham, and Soil Survey Staff. 2012. Field book for describing and sampling soils, Version 3.0. Natural Resources Conservation Service, National Soil Survey Center, Lincoln, NE.

- Soil Survey Staff. 2014. Keys to Soil Taxonomy. 12th edition. United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, Washington, DC.

Teaching methods

The course consists of lectures and practical exercises in the laboratory and in the field, and they are carried out in parallel with each other, interacting with the other teaching of the same period in order to integrate or deepen any common topics. The laboratory activities are integrated between them for reading topographical and regional technical map, the organization of dataset of pedological, chemical and physical characteristics of the soils, the building of the soil map and its legend. The soil survey laboratory provides tools for reading the soil profiles using international standard procedures.

For practical activities, students must have participate in Moduli 1 and 2 (https://www.unibo.it/it/servizi-e-opportunita/salute-e-assistenza/salute-e-sicurezza/sicurezza-e-salute-nei-luoghi-di-studio-e-tirocinio ) in advance and in Modulo 3 on specific training on safety and health in study places.

Assessment methods

For the students which attempted to the course (theoretical and practical teaching units) in the current academic year, the final examination will assess the level of knowledge and skills acquired by a written test composed of about 10 questions concerning the contents of lectures (immediately after the conclusion of the lessons) and an oral discussion of the technical report on a pedological field survey. The written test and the oral discussion of the technical report will contribute to the final grade. The attendance to each practical unit will also contribute to the final grade for 0.2/30.

The final oral examination will assess the level of knowledge and skills acquired by the student concerning the contents of lectures. Students who have earned at least 18/30 will be positively evaluated. The duration of the oral test will be an average of 30 minutes.

Teaching tools

Computer, webcam, projector, Power-point presentations, e-learning platforms, field and lab tools

Office hours

See the website of Gloria Falsone

SDGs

Climate Action Life on land

This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.