Introduction to Soil Science

This course focuses on the relationships between global geological processes, landforms, soil-forming processes, soil types and land use potential.

Practicals alternate the lectures and illustrate and deepen the treated topics. In the last week of the course, a field excursion shows the relationships between geology, soils, and landscapes (including land use) around Wageningen.

• Recognize global geological processes that form landscapes, landforms and sediments.

• Describe different parent materials of soils and explain their origin.

• Interpret soil profiles to derive which soil-forming process led to development of the soil horizons, and explain why and how this took place.

• Analyse the land use potential of soils based on soil characteristics and related land qualities.

• Apply and interpret soil horizon codes and soil classifications.

• Written test with closed questions (100%) The exam is a digital test (BYOD) in ANS/Schoolyear (duration: 2 hours/120 minutes). Both closed and open questions can be used in the exam.
• Performance (0%) Participation in the practicals and excursion is mandatory. At the end of each practical and the end of the excursion, a compulsory assignment must be handed in (some assignments are individual, some are performed in small groups). In case attendance is sufficient (specified in the Course Regulations) and the compulsory assignments are sufficient, a pass is obtained (final mark will be 100% based on the written examination).

ZSS06200 Fieldwork Safety Geography at high school level.

• Reader 'Introduction to Soil Science' (in Dutch). The reader will be available in pdf format on the Brightspace page of this course. You can also order a hardcopy at https://wurreadershop.proefschriftmaken.nl/shop/wur.