Teaching Programme and Level: First cicle (Graduate Level)
Academic Year: 2017 -2018
Scientific Disciplinary Sector: AGR 14
ECTS: 7
Course hours: 52
Year: First
Semester:First
Type of course unit: compulsory
Language of instruction: Italian
Lecturer
Contacts: Madrau Salvatore, madrau@uniss.it , 079229260 - 079229350
Reception hours:
Wednesday 09.00-12.00
Prerequisites:
Students should have been acquired the basic knowledge of Geology, Geomorphology and Ecology
Learning outcomes of the course unit:
Acquisition of basic knowledge both of the main processes of soil genesis and their classification and assessments models for agricultural and forestall uses with particular reference to the Mediterranean environments and Sardinia.
Course contents:
The Soil
Soil formation factors. Parent materials, climate, topography, organisms (plants and living organisms), time, with particular reference to Sardinia. Master soil horizons and layers. Munsell soil color charts. Texture and structure.
Soil Classification. USDA Soil Taxonomy: criteria, diagnostic horizons.
World Reference Base for Soil Resources. criteria, reference soil groups and second level units. Soil classification in Sardinia.
Soil water balance. General principles and methods of calculation. Soil moisture and soil temperature regimes in Sardinia. Use of water soil balance for irrigation practices
Soil profile description. Land and topography informations. Soil horizons descriptions.
Elements of cartography. Basic elements of IGM maps. Aerial images: orthophotos and stereophotos. GPS uses in land survey. Soil Maps in Sardinia.
Land Evaluation
Land evaluation for control of the degradation processes. Evaluation of the Land capability and suitability for agricultural and forestall uses . Description of the main models and examples of application in Sardinia. The risk of desertification. Causes of land degradation processes, indicators of degradation. The assessment of the risk of desertification.
Use of parametric models in land evaluation. Computer processing data for land evaluation
Mode of delivery:
Lectures and field surveys
Recommended or required reading and course materials:
Pedologia, di Giordano A., UTET, 1999
Land Evaluation, di Mc Rae S.G and Burnham, Claredon Press, 1981
Lecture notes, text or CD available in the Libraries of the Sassari and Nuoro Faculty offices
Assessment methods and criteria:
Written test
It is recommended that you attend a Cartography course or equivalent
