JORD330 Soil Health and Sustainable Soil Management

Soil plays an important role in many of the health-related and environmental challenges facing the world. We are becoming increasingly dependent on soil ecosystem services, which demand a sustainable management of soil resources. In this course, you will learn about why and how much soil health is important for maintaining, improving or restoring soil ecosystem services. Starting from a range of soil functions, you will learn how, through agronomic management methods, one can impair, improve, maintain or restore soil health.

Emphasis is placed on understanding how soil chemical, physical and biological factors are related to and affect soil health. You will get insights into threats to soil health and soil quality and how soil functions can be maintained in agronomic systems. The function and effect of organic material, biological activity and diversity in soil, as well as nutrient supply and tillage seen in the light of sustainability are important topics that will be addressed. The course uses case studies, simple modelling and visualization tools to illustrate the effects of agronomic measures. We will also discuss various agronomic concepts, e.g. organic agriculture, agroforestry, permaculture, regenerative agriculture with regard to how they affect soil health.

Having passed the course, the students will have obtained the following knowledge, skills and competence:

Knowledge

The student shall be able to explain and apply knowledge of physical, chemical and biological processes in soil to analyse the effects of various agronomic measures, as well as combine and evaluate strategies for sustainable management of agricultural soil. The student shall also be able to interpret and evaluate soil analysis data with regard to soil health and the soil’s ecosystem functions.

Skills

The student shall be able to identify and analyse problems and suggest solutions, based on both previously acquired and newly gained relevant knowledge. This involves critical thinking, analysis and interpretation of information, and the application of academic knowledge to practical problems. The student shall be able to make use of scientific knowledge in presentations and discussions.

General competence

After completing the course, the student shall be able to promote the necessity of good soil management to secure both cultivation potential and other soil functions in Norway and globally. The student shall be able to collaborate with people with different backgrounds and levels of knowledge to propose the best management solution.