JORD100 Soil Science

Soil is an important part of the ecosystem and this course provides an introduction to soil science that should appeal to everyone who is interested in terrestrial ecosystems and the ecosystem services where soil has a key role. Knowledge of and correct use of soil science terminology is important, and we emphasis on you mastering this enabling you to us it in other classes later in your studies. We go through soils primary constituents, structure and horizon development, how these are measured and described. Here we connect soil physics, chemistry and biology to applied agronomy, forestry and water and nature management. We focus on the organic material in soil and how soil should be considered a living organism. How our management of organic material and living organisms in soil is of great importance for emission of greenhouse gases, source or sink. The importance of water movement in and through soil cannot be exaggerated, it is important both for plant growth and for the quality of both ground- and surface water. We emphasize the importance of geology for soil properties and soil development, these sciences are linked together from small-scale clay mineralogy and weathering processes to large-scale erosion and landscape processes. Soil formation is a slow process, and should not be considered a renewable resource. We must therefore protect this resource through careful and knowledge based management. Soil is becoming increasingly important in the 'Green Shift', more waste must be recycled, oil-based non-renewable fertilizers must be phased out, biodiversity must be safeguarded, we must ensure that such a shift takes place in a sustainable way.