SOIL SCIENCES AND TECHNIQUES OF LAND EVALUATION

Single discipline educational activity

Course Sheet

Academic Year of enrolment:

2020/2021

Type of Course:

Characterising

Optional/Mandatory:

Compulsory

Degree:

Master's Degree Programme in AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS

Disciplinary Sector:

Pedology

Language:

Italian

Credits:

Programme Year:

Professor and Collaborators:

ZUCCA Claudio

Obligatory attendance:

Yes

Minimum hours of attendance:

Hours of classroom activity:

Prerequisites:

Lectures will make frequent references to topics included in Agronomy, Topography, and Soil Chemistry courses as offered by first level degree course named "Scienze Agrarie".

AF code:

40002766

Assessment Methods

Verification of learning:

Written exam with multiple and free answers (in room; to be confirmed). Oral exam (in room or online; details to be defined).

Teaching period

First semester

Objectives

The main processes of soil formation, the soil classification systems, and the assessment of their capability and suitability for agricultural and forest purposes, with particular reference to the Mediterranean environments and Sardinia and focus on the use of these methods in rural land planning.

Contents

Soil as central component of the natural ecosystems and of the agro-ecosystems. Soil formation factors. Soil profile and soil horizons. Soil Classsification, with particular reference to the soils of the Mediterranean regions and of Sardinia. Biological, physical, and chemical properties of soil. Soil Hydrological balance, moisture and temperature regimes of soils. Soil and land evaluation for agricultural and forest purposes.

Soil Classification: Soil Taxonomy (USDA) and WRB (FAO-IUSS).
Soil profile description: FAO Guidelines for Soil profile description.
Land Evaluation: land capability and suitability for agricultural and forest uses; land evaluation to prevent or reduce degradation processes. Applied examples to Sardinia.
Use of parametric models in land evaluation. Computer processing (GIS) for land evaluation.

Recommended Bibliography

1. Giordano A., 1999. Pedologia. UTET.
Or, as an alternative:
Previtali F. , 2001. Elementi di Geopedologia. Genesi e geografia dei suoli. Con Glossario pedologico. CUEM, Milano, (aggiornamento 2020: File PDF provided by the teacher).
&
Previtali F. , 1999. Elementi di Geopedologia. Tassonomie dei suoli. CUEM, Milano.
(aggiornamento 2020: File PDF provided by the teacher).

2. In addition:
-Guidelines for soil description, 4th ed. FAO, Roma 2006 (pdf online)
-Lecture notes, pdf files provided by the teacher.

Methods of Provision

Conventional

Teaching Methods

Lectures and field surveys in sites of particular interest and environmental complexity (according to the COVID protocol of the University).

Other courses

Course year: 1

AGRICULTURAL PHYTOPATHOLOGY AND ENTOMOLOGY
6 credits
PLANT PATHOLOGY
6 credits
AGRI-FOOD INDUSTRIES
7 credits - Caratterizzante
AGRICULTURAL POLICY
6 credits - Caratterizzante
ENERGY APPLIED TO RURAL SYSTEMS
6 credits - Caratterizzante
HERBACEOUS CROPS II
7 credits - Caratterizzante
MEDITERRANEAN TREE CROPS
6 credits - Caratterizzante
SOIL SCIENCES AND TECHNIQUES OF LAND EVALUATION
7 credits - Caratterizzante
AGRONOMIC PRACTICES IN ORGANIC AGRICULTURE
4 credits - A scelta dello studente
BIODIVERSITY STUDIES BY APPLICATIONS OF GENOME ANALYSES
4 credits - A scelta dello studente
FLORICULTURE
3 credits - A scelta dello studente
HYDROGEOLOGY
4 credits - A scelta dello studente
OFFICINAL PLANTS: CULTIVATION AND FIRST PROCESSING
7 credits - A scelta dello studente
WEED MANAGEMENT WITHIN THE AGRO-ECOSYSTEM
3 credits - A scelta dello studente
OTHER ACTIVITIES
3 credits - Altro
TECHNICAL ENGLISH
5 credits - Altro

Course year: 2

STUDENT OPTIONAL ACTIVITIES
14 credits - A scelta dello studente
FINAL TEST
25 credits - Lingua/Prova Finale

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SOIL SCIENCES AND TECHNIQUES OF LAND EVALUATION