Objectives and competences

• basic knowledge of geological composition in Slovenia, linking with soil characteristics and development of particular soil types, understand the weathering process • understanding of soil composition according to soil forming factors and processes • understanding soil functions and ecosystem services • knowing and evaluating soil quality parameters and skill of analysing methods for their determination • understanding nutrient cycling according to plant nutrition and environment protection • knowing and understanding mechanisms of soil sorption complex and soil-water regime • awareness of the role of soil organic matter, knowing its forms and biological decomposition process • critical judgement and evaluation of soil production availability for agricultural use • basic knowledge of Slovene soil classification and judgement the suitability of soil types for agricultural use • knowing and understanding basic threats to soil degradation, types of pollution, source and fate of soil pollutants and searching potential solutions for sustainable land use

Content (Syllabus outline)

• basic knowledge of geology linked with pedogenesis (basic geologic processes and earth’s crust composition, presentation of basic petrogenic minerals and bedrocks, processes and products of weathering, geologic map of Slovenia) • representation of soil science as an interdisciplinary knowledge, its branches, research and scientific fields • soil definition (terminology), soil functions and ecosystem services • soil as a natural body: the role of pedogenetic factors (basic rocks, topography, climate, living organisms, time) and processes on its formation development and composition • soil composition as a three-dimension system and interactions among solid, liquid and gas soil phase • basic morphological and physical soil properties (texture, structure, consistence, colour, temperature, particle and bulk density, porosity) • soil air regime (oxidation and reduction processes, composition of soil atmosphere, gas transport) • soil water regime (forms, water table, water binding, water potential, water movement, properties, hydrological cycle and human impact, the role of underground water) • chemical soil properties (soil reaction, soil adsorbic complex, soil solution, ion exchange, buffering, nutrient availability) • soil organic matter (the global carbon cycling, SOM accumulation and decomposition, composition, properties and types of humus) • soil biology (size classification of fauna and flora and their role in soil, the role and composition of soil microbes) • biological cycling of main elements (N, P, K, Ca, Mg); plant-soil macro- and micronutrient relations • soil fertility and evaluation (soil quality and health definitions, types of pedological researches, soil sampling and analytical analyses, interpretation of results, mapping, soil information system) • fundamentals of soil classification (description of soil profile and horizons, presentations of soil types, slovene soil classification system, soil map of Slovenia) • soil degradation (main threats, sources and types of pollution, with emphassis on agricultural impact on soil).

Learning and teaching methods

• Lectures • Group discussions • Laboratory methods • Field work During lessons, pedagogical equipment like power point projection, DVD, YouTube are used. Lectures take place in a lecture hall; experimental work is performed in labs or in the field.

Intended learning outcomes - knowledge and understanding

Knowledge and understanding: • recognize basic geological bedrocks in Slovenia and connect their mineral composition with soil characteristics and soil type development • understand types and products of rock weathering • explain and describe soil composition according to pedogenetic factors' activity • list and explain soil functions and ecosystem services • explain basic soil quality parameters • describe physical, chemical and biological soil properties and linked soil processes • describe and explain soil water-air regime: water forms, movement, retention in soil profile, determinations of soil water quantity, composition and movement of soil air • explain functioning, role and composition of soil adsorbic complex • describe cycling of main macronutrients (N, P, K, Ca, Mg) according to plant nutrition • explain role of soil organic matter, structure and decomposition processes • classify main representatives of soil fauna and know their role in food chain • describe qualitative and quantitative methods for determining soil parameters in the lab or on the field • estimate soil quality/soil production availability on basis of laboratory and field analyses • know soil classification of Slovenia (represent soil map of SLO) • know the main threats for soil degradation, list sources of soil pollution and describe fate of some soil pollutants

Intended learning outcomes - transferable/key skills and other attributes

Readings

Temeljni literatura in viri / Reading materials: • Čirić, M. 1984. Pedologija. Svijetlost OOUR Zavod za udžbenike in nastavna sredstva, Sarajevo, 312 str. • Foth, H.F. 1990. Fundamentals of soil science. John Wiley & Sons, USA, 360 str., ISBN 0-471-52279-1. • Juma, N.G. 2002. Pedosphere and its dynamic – Introduction to soil science and soil resources. Salman productions, Canada, 335 str., ISBN 1-896263-10-0. • Kočevar, H in Jaecks Vidic, N. 2003. Izbrana poglavja iz geologije - 2. popravljena in razširjena izdaja. Biotehniška fakulteta, Oddelek za agronomijo, Ljubljana, 164 str., ISBN 961-6275-12-7. • White, R.W. Principles and Practice of Soil Science. The Soil as a natural Resource. Blackwell publishing, 363 str., ISBN 0-632-06455-2.

Prerequisits

The minimum required attendance at the practical lessons is 80 %.