Degree | Type | Year | Semester |
---|---|---|---|
2501915 Environmental Sciences | OB | 3 | 1 |
You can check it through this link. To consult the language you will need to enter the CODE of the subject. Please note that this information is provisional until 30 November 2023.
Although there are no prerequisites to take this course, the student should have:
1) Basic knowledge of Biology and Geology, Earth Sciences and the Environmental Sciences acquired during compulsory secondary education.
2) Knowledge of other disciplines such as biology, geology, ecology, physics, and chemistry.
The general objective of this subject is to provide a cross-disciplinary and interdisciplinary education that enables students to understand the environmental properties and functions of soils, the services they provide to society, their diversity, and the suitability of different types of soil for various uses, as well as the main causes and environmental problems that lead to their degradation, and the appropriate and viable corrective or rehabilitation measures.
Specific objectives:
CLASSES OF CONCEPTS, EXPERIENCES, AND CASE STUDIES
MODULE I: Soil as a Natural System
Topic 1: Soil Concept
Topic 2: Soil Formation and Morphological Description of Soil Profile
MODULE II: Soil Components
Topic 3: Soil Mineral Constituents
Topic 4: Organic Matter and Biological Activity of Soil
MODULE III: Physical Properties of Soil
Topic 5: Organization of Soil Components
Topic 6: Soil as a Water Reservoir
MODULE IV: Soil Physicochemical Properties
Topic 7: Soil Physicochemical Properties
MODULE V: Diversity, Mapping, and Soil Evaluation
Topic 8: Soil Classification
Topic 9: Soil Mapping and Evaluation
MODULE VI: Soil Degradation Processes and Rehabilitation
Topic 10: Soil Degradation Processes
Topic 11: Erosion as a Soil Degradation Problem
Topic 12: Contaminated Soils
Topic 13: Organic Matter and Fertility Management
MODULE VII: Restoration of Degraded Soils
Topic 14: Introduction to Forest Soil Restoration
PRACTICAL TRAINING
Field Practices: Field Study of Soils: Morphology, Description, and Sampling
Laboratory Practices: Soil Analysis
Classroom Practices: Interpretation of Soil Analyses
Autonomous Collaborative Work (video) and Tutoring: Identification of Soil Degradation Problems and Proposal of Corrective Measures
Several teaching-learning strategies will be combined in order to achieve the objectives of the course.
1) Lectures of concepts, experiences and cases study. The expository sessions will be the main type of activity since basic concepts are transferred to students in a short time. The lectures will be accompanied by handouts and other educational materials that will be delivered to the students through the virtual campus. The learning contents and concepts explained during the lectures require student's autonomous work in order to assimilate them. As a guidance, it is estimated that every hour of master class requires two hours of self-study.
2) Field practices. The field practicals are essential for the student understanding of how soil is found in nature and how to describe a soil profile in a representative sampling. The practice will consist of a one-day trip to which assistance is mandatory, that will include an initial explanation by the professors followed by the students' autonomous work in small groups. They will describe the soil-forming factors for a given soil, excavate a pit, describe the different horizons, and take samples for analytical purposes. (5h guided work + 3h supervised work). If the field trip cannot be held as scheduled due to events of force majeure, it will be substituted by alternative activities.
3) Laboratory practices. These sessions intend for the students to learn the most common international soil analytical procedures using the samples obtained in the field by themselves, so they will obtain reliable and representative results for interpretation. The laboratory practicals will be organized in three sessions of four hours in which the students, keeping the field groups, will analyse the samples collected in the field. A brief report will be submitted by each group after the practical sessions. The report will contain the soil description, the analytical results, and their discussionand interpretation (12 h guided work). If the laboratory practices cannot be held as scheduled due to events of force majeure, the sessions will be substituted by case studies and/or practical exercises.
4) Classroom practices for the interpretation of soil analysis. Case-based learning is a particularly useful tool since it enables the student to apply the knowledge acquired in lectures and also in the laboratory. These activities will consist of the interpretation of the analysis of diverse soils and the resolution of complementary problems. (3h of guided work and 10h of autonomous work). If these sessions cannot be held as scheduled due to events of force majeure, the sessions will be online.
5) Autonomous collaborative work (video). It consists on the production of a video-documentary about a process of soil degradation or about the processes of soil degradation that affect a specific area. The video will include an explanation of the soil degradation process (s), the mechanisms involved, their relevance and implications, as well as the corrective measures that could be carried out and their potential viability. The video may include interviews, visits to the field or affected areas, visits to centers (eg: waste treatment, treatment plants, etc). As an assessable previous activity, a script will be delivered with the contents of the video, the target audience and communication objectives (eg: educational and training, informative, informative, awareness, etc). The maximum length of the video will be 15 min. The video will be made in groups of 3-5 people. There will be follow-up sessions (assistance will be voluntary) in which the professors will guide the progression of the work and a collective presentation session of some of the works.
Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.
Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
---|---|---|---|
Type: Directed | |||
Lectures of concepts, experiences and cases study | 30 | 1.2 | 2, 9, 3, 5, 4, 6, 10, 8, 7, 13, 12 |
Classroom practices | 3 | 0.12 | 2, 9, 5, 6, 10, 8, 11, 13, 12 |
Field practices | 5 | 0.2 | 2, 9, 3, 4, 6, 8, 7, 1 |
Laboratory practices | 12 | 0.48 | 2, 9, 3, 5, 4, 6, 8, 1, 13, 12 |
Type: Supervised | |||
Field work | 3 | 0.12 | 2, 9, 3, 5, 4, 6, 8, 7, 1, 13, 12 |
Type: Autonomous | |||
Autonomous collaborative work (video) | 25 | 1 | 9, 3, 5, 4, 6, 10, 8, 7, 11, 1, 13, 12 |
Case studies and problems | 10 | 0.4 | 2, 9, 5, 4, 6, 10, 8, 11, 13, 12 |
Personal study | 56 | 2.24 | 2, 9, 3, 6, 10, 8, 7, 13, 12 |
The evaluation of this subject is continuous and is based on the following elements:
1. First midterm test. It consists of questions and/or short answer exercises and/or a multiple choice test about the main concepts and competences of the subject explained before the test.
2. Final exam. It consists of questions and/or brief exercises that will be formulated in relation to any topic of the subject, and especially those corresponding to the thematic block of soil degradation processes and their correction.
3. Brief report of practices. It consists of the presentation, for each group of practices, of the description of the soil profile carried out during the field practices, the interpretation of those involved in the formation of the soil and the results of the laboratory analyzes of each group of practices, with a justification or interpretation of these. The correct interpretation and critical evaluations will be valued. This activity is not recoverable.
4. Video-documentary about soil degradation processes. A first evaluation consists of the presentation of a video script, made in a group, about a process or processes of degradation of an area, the mechanisms involved, their relevance and implications, as well as the corrective measures that could be carried out and their potential viability. Thirty days before the delivery of the video, it will be delivered a video script, which will represent the 33% of the final qualification mark of the video. After this delivery, the students will have feedback from the responsible teacher and will have to make the pertinent modifications. The final video will have 66% of the weight final qualification mark of the video. The projection of some of the videos will take place in a joint session at the end of the course. There is no resit of this activity.
To pass the course, it is necessary to obtain a global average mark equal to or higher than 4,9. However, thestudentsthat do not reach this score and have been assessed of 2/3 of the overall assessed items, will be able to take an exam resit (it will assess the course materials included in the first and final exams). According to the current UAB assessment regulations, having an average score equal to or greater than 3,5 will be a sine qua non (i.e. 3.5 is the minimum required mark) to be eligible for the exam resit. The lack of attendance to or no submission of any of the evaluation activities will score a mark of 0. The professors will set a date for the revision of exams and other assessed activities and will inform the students via online communication. No appointments for marking revision will be accepted outside the times scheduled.
The student obtains the qualification of "Not Evaluable" when the evaluation activities carried out have a weighting of less than 67% in the final qualification. Attendance at practical sessions or field trips is mandatory. The student body obtains the qualification of "Not Evaluable" when their absence is greater than 20% of the scheduled compulsory sessions.
Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Brief report of practices | 10% | 1 | 0.04 | 2, 9, 3, 5, 4, 6, 8, 7, 11, 13, 12 |
Final exam | 35% | 2 | 0.08 | 2, 3, 4, 10, 11 |
First midterm test | 30% | 2 | 0.08 | 3, 4, 6, 8, 1, 13 |
Video-documentary about soil degradation processes | 25% | 1 | 0.04 | 2, 3, 5, 4, 6, 8, 7, 11, 1, 12 |
Further web links and learning materials will be posted by the professors on the Campus Virtual during the course development.
Main books:
-Brady N. C. & R. R. Weil. 2017. The nature and properties of soils (15th ed.). Prentice Hall Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. 975 p. https://cataleg.uab.cat/iii/encore/record/C__Rb2007847__SBrady__Orightresult__U__X4;jsessionid=233CFE7E459E75085C79364D377BFEC4?lang=cat&suite=def#bannertop
-Lal, R.; W.H.Blum, C. Valentine, B.A. Stewart (1998) Methods for assessement of Soil Degradation, Advances in Soil Science, CRC press, New York, 558 p. https://cataleg.uab.cat/iii/encore/record/C__Rb1481201__SLal%2C%20R__Orightresult__U__X3?lang=cat&suite=def#courseReservesSection
-Magdoff, F. & H. van Es. 2009. Building Soils for Better Crops. Sustainable Agriculture Network (SAN) - USDA https://cataleg.uab.cat/iii/encore/record/C__Rb1874950__SMagdoff__Orightresult__U__X4;jsessionid=73123C4B13ABCA823612E8DBDBC21026?lang=cat&suite=def
-Porta, J., M. López-Acevedo & R. M. Poch. 2014. Edafología: uso y protección de suelos, 3ª ed, Mundi-Prensa. https://cataleg.uab.cat/iii/encore/record/C__Rb1795204__SL%C3%B3pez-Acevedo__Orightresult__U__X4?lang=cat&suite=def#courseReservesSection
-Porta, J.; López-Acevedo, M. 2005. Agenda de campo de suelos. Información de suelos para la agricultura y el medio ambiente. Ed. Mundi-Prensa, Madrid, 541p., ISBN 84-8476-231-9
-Tan, K. H. 2009. Environmental soil science. Marcel Dekker. New York. https://cataleg.uab.cat/iii/encore/record/C__Rb1874950__SMagdoff__Orightresult__U__X4;jsessionid=73123C4B13ABCA823612E8DBDBC21026?lang=cat&suite=def
-TRAGSA (1998). Restauración hidrológico forestal de cuencas y control de la erosión. Ed. Mundi Prensa. https://cataleg.uab.cat/iii/encore/record/C__Rb1450709__SRestauraci%C3%B3n%20hidrol%C3%B3gico%20forestal%20de%20cuencas%20y%20control%20de%20erosi%C3%B3n__Orightresult__U__X2?lang=cat&suite=def
- USDA - NRCS. 2006. Claves para la Taxonomía de Suelos. Keys to Soil Taxonomy | NRCS Soils (usda.gov)
Web links:
-USDA - Natural Resources Conservation Service: https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/site/soils/home/
- FAO Soils Portal: http://www.fao.org/soils-portal/en/
- Universidad de Granada. Departamento de Edafología y Química Agrícola: http://edafologia.ugr.es/index.htm
- Institut d'Estudis Catalans. Protecció de sòls, mapa de sòls de Catalunya: http://www.iec.cat/mapasols/
- Institut Cartogràfic i Geològic de Catalunya: https://www.icgc.cat/
- Sociedad Española de Ciencias del suelo: https://www.secs.com.es
- The nature Education KnowledgeProject, Soil, Agriculture and Agricultural Biotechnology: https://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/soil-agriculture-and-agricultural-biotechnology-84826767/
- Soil-net. Welcome to Soil-net.com. http://www.soil-net.com/
- International Union of Soil Sciences. Soil science education. http://www.iuss.org/popup/education.htm
- European Society for Soil Conservation http://www.soilconservation.eu/
Common use software such as Microsoft Office will be used. Also common use GIS software.
Several internet browsers.
Free software for video editing (iMovie, Biteable, Shotcut, OpenShot, VideoPad, Lightworks, WeVideo, etc.)