Optional in stage
First term
Second term
Both terms
Not organised
This year
Next year
Alternating years
External
Prerequisites
Taught by
Language of instruction
Duration
Identical coursesGlobal Soil and Land Resources Management (B-KUL-I0I08A)
Cannot be taken as part of an examination contractAims
The course provides a comprehensive introduction to applied soil science and land evaluation.
Applied soil science is concerned with the properties of the major soils of the world and how they can help determine the potential and constraints of the corresponding land units for ecosystem service delivery, including agricultural and forestry production and land management requirements.
Land evaluation is concerned with the assessment of land performance when used for specified purposes. An integrated assessment of soil, climate, topography, land cover and other land characteristics allows for evaluating the productive and regulatory performance of specific land use types to support decision making on optimization of sustainable land use and management.
Through interactive assignments students acquire the necessary skills in spatial data processing and scientific reporting for both applied soil science challenges and land evaluation purposes.
After successful completion, students are able to:
- apply the principles of soil formation and soil analysis to the major international soil classification systems and global spatial soil databases.
- demonstrate the link between soil properties and ecosystem service delivery at different spatial scales.
- handle spatial data sources of soil, climate, topography, land cover and land characteristics for a territory of interest and apply geomatics for the integration and subsequent interpretation of applied soil science challenges.
- actively apply the terminology, concepts and principles of physical land evaluation systems at the global (FAO) and regional (EU) scales.
- handle spatial data sources and apply geomatics for physical land evaluation purposes thereby assessing land performance for specified land use purposes and determining requirements of alternative forms of land use.
Previous knowledge
Knowledge of these topics is required in order to start this course:
- Basic knowledge of soil science, climate science, biological production systems (Bachelor's level)
- Knowledge of the concepts, major algorithms and applications of Geographic Information Science and Technology (Bachelor's level)
- Basic skills in working with GIS- and spreadsheet-software
Students without the required knowledge can take this course, but are advised to embark on self-study material provided at the onset of this course.
Knowledge of basic programming (Bachelor's level) is an advantage.
Order of Enrolment
This course unit is a prerequisite for taking the following course units:
I0U81A : Integrated Project Tropical Agro- and Ecosystems
I0V35A : Integrated Project Temperate Agro- and Ecosystems
Identical courses
This course is identical to the following courses:
I0J78A : Toegepaste bodemkunde en landevaluatie (No longer offered this academic year)
Is included in these courses of study
- Courses for Exchange Students Faculty of Bioscience Engineering (Leuven)
- Master in de bio-ingenieurswetenschappen: landbeheer (Leuven) (Major bodem- en watersystemen) 120 ects.
- Master in de bio-ingenieurswetenschappen: landbeheer (Leuven) (Major bos-, natuur- en landschapssystemen) 120 ects.
- Master of Bioscience Engineering: Agro- and Ecosystems Engineering (Leuven) (Major Subject: Forest, Nature and Landscape Systems) 120 ects.
- Master of Bioscience Engineering: Agro- and Ecosystems Engineering (Leuven) (Major Subject: Plant Production Systems) 120 ects.
- Master of Bioscience Engineering: Agro- and Ecosystems Engineering (Leuven) (Major Subject: Soil and Water Systems) 120 ects.
Activities
1 ects. Essentials of Soil Science (B-KUL-I0V40a)
Content
The concepts of soil science essential for understanding soil formation, soil behaviour and soil classification are refreshed such as weathering, mineralogy, soil physical and soil chemical properties. This will allow students to understand the relationship between soil morphology and soil classification, and the potential and limitations of the various soil reference groups. The international soil classification systems “World Reference Base for soil resources” and “the USDA’s Soil Taxonomy” are introduced as these are the most widely used classification systems.
Course material
- Blum, W., Schad, P., & Nortcliff, S. (2018). Essentials of Soil Science. Borntraeger Science Publishers.
- PowerPoint presentations
- Additional material (papers, urls, slides) made available through Toledo
Format: more information
Blended approach of online lectures and contact session for practical exercises, Q/A and feedback
2 ects. Major Soils of the World (B-KUL-I0V42a)
Content
Following the latest edition of the international soil classification system (WRB) all the Reference Soil Groups are thoroughly reviewed in terms of (i) the enormous variability of environmental conditions which determine(d) their formation, (ii) their related geographical distribution and (iii) their properties in relation to ecosystem service delivery and management.
Course material
- The Major Soils of the World, FAO Soil Resources Report no 94, 334 pages
- World Reference Base for Soil Resources 2014, International Soil Classification System for Naming Soils and Creating Legends for Soil Maps - Update 2015, FAO, World Soil Resources Report, 106.
- PowerPoint presentations
- Additional material (papers, urls, slides) made available through Toledo
Format: more information
Blended approach of online lectures and contact sessions for practical exercises, Q/A and feedback.
2 ects. Land Evaluation (B-KUL-I0U56a)
Content
Land evaluation methods are explained through the origin, principles and hypotheses of land evaluation and (physical) land suitability assessment. Tools for land evaluation are reviewed and include Geographic Information System Technology, Geomatics and Data Mining Techniques for spatial data sources to include information on soil, climate, topography, land cover and land characteristics. Methods for local and global land evaluation are discussed with respect to supporting decision making on sustainable land use and management. These methods include the FAO framework for land evaluation; qualitative methods for land suitability assessment; quantitative methods for land quality assessment; agro-ecological zoning; land management and habitat zonation; land evaluation systems in the European Union; and land evaluation and climate change.
Course material
- Land Evaluation: towards a revised Framework, FAO Land and Water Discussion Paper, 2007.
- PowerPoint presentations
- Additional material (papers, urls, slides) made available through Toledo
Format: more information
Blended approach of online lectures and contact sessions for assignments, practical exercises, Q/A and feedback
Evaluation
Evaluation: Global Soil and Land Resources Management (B-KUL-I2I08a)
Explanation
Two to three individual or group assignments are to be submitted as specified and announced during the course. The evaluation of assignments accounts for 40% of the course grade. Failure to submit an assignment without valid reason results in a “0” score. A student cannot succeed in this course when the total score for all assignments is less than 9/20. In such a case, the overall mark of the student cannot be higher than 9/20.
During the written exam students are allowed to consult the following reference work for examination questions related to OLA I0V42a (Major soils of the world): “World Reference Base for Soil Resources 2014, International Soil Classification System for Naming Soils and Creating Legends for Soil Maps - Update 2015, FAO, World Soil Resources Report, 106”.
Information about retaking exams
Students with an insufficient total score during the first exam session and an insufficient score for the assignments, are allowed to retake and resubmit the assignments for evaluation during the second examination period. Otherwise, the grades of all assignments can be transferred to the second exam session.