01947 - PEDOLOGIA FORESTALE

Academic Year 2021/2022

  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: First cycle degree programme (L) in Land and Agro-Forestry Technologies (cod. 5831)

Learning outcomes

The course aims to provide the fundamental notions on the distribution of forest soils, on the relationships between soil and vegetation, on problems relating to the management and conservation of forest soils, also in relation to silvicultural practices. The student will be able to understand the complexity of forest soils in order to have the knowledge that allows them to decide on their conservation and protection. The student will have the ability to organize the pedological surveys in the forest environment necessary for the correct interpretation of the evolution and functioning of the soil and for its use by a forest and environmental point of view.

Course contents

Prerequisites

The student who accesses this teaching must have a good preparation on the fundamentals of mathematics, chemistry and plant biology. These prerequisites are provided by the basic courses delivered during the previous years.

Theoretical content of the teaching unit (total teaching unit: 36 hours):

1. Introduction: forest soil types and distribution

2. Properties, functions and threats of forest soils

3. Forest humus: forest humus types and their development processes

4. Influence of forest management practices on soil properties and degradation processes

5. Soil sampling approaches in forest ecosystems

Knowledge gained during the theoretical teaching

The student will have knowledge about forest soil types in several environments, their main functions and the threats that they are currently undergoing. The student will be able to decide the best soil sampling approach in forest ecosystems. The student will be able to distinguish the humus forms and to understand their ecological role. The student will be able to identify the best forest management practices in order to avoid soil degradation.

Contents of the exercise unt (24 hours):

The field exercises will be useful for the identification of humus forms, to apply the knowledge about soil sampling and soil degradation processes in forest ecosystems.

 

 

Readings/Bibliography

SOIL SURVEY STAFF, Illustrated guide to soil taxonomy. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service, National Soil Survey Center, Lincoln, Nebraska, 2014.

Ranger, J. Forest soils: Characteristics and sustainability. In Soils as a Key Component of the Critical Zone 1: Functions and Services;
Berthelin, J., Valentin, C., Munch, J.C., Eds.; Wiley: Hoboken, NJ, USA; ISTE: London, UK, 2018; Volume 1, pp. 163–186.

FAO. World Reference base for Soil Resources 2014. In International Soil Classification System for Naming Soils
and Creating Legends for Soil Maps; FAO: Rome, Italy, 2014

Teaching methods

The course is divided into two parts:

1. Lectures: through didactic unit explanations, students should gain knowledgeabout soils in forest ecosystems. Such knowledge will be monitored during the lectures through engaging all students in the content

2. Exercises: Individual and/or group exercises will be held in the field. During the exercises, the students will apply the knowledge gained during the lectures and they will test their own abilities to perform investigations in forest ecosystems

Assessment methods

Assessment will be based on a final oral examination. The final examination consists in a technical conversation on the course contents. In this occasion, the teacher will also ask two questions aiming at the verification of knowledge acquisition about the theoretical part of the course. Specifically, during the interview, the student will have to demonstrate knowledge of the topics covered during the course and to be able to explain them correctly with adequate technical-scientific terminology. Particular attention will be paid to the ability to deal with deductive reasoning and connections that demonstrate that the student has good knowledge about forest pedology.

Teaching tools

Computer, projector, Power-point presentations, tools for field activities.

Office hours

See the website of Mauro De Feudis

SDGs

Clean water and sanitation Responsible consumption and production Climate Action Life on land

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