Regional soil science and pedology

obligatory courses

(in Polish) Student powinien posiadać podstawową wiedzę w zakresie:

- podział skał ze względu na genezę i skład litologiczny,

- podstawowe parametry geologiczno-inżynierskie gruntów.

Wiedzę na powyższe tematy może zdobyć na następujących przedmiotach obligatoryjnych prowadzonych na UW:

- Geologia dynamiczna

- Geologia stosowana I i II

- Gruntoznawstwo.

The goal of this course is for students to learn basic principles and concepts of soil science. The course consists of two parts. First part – soil science (pedology) - covers fundamental soil science problems, such as: soil genesis, soil description and classification, physical and chemical properties of soils and organic matter. Second part – regional soil science – presents a general characterization of main types of mineral and organic subsoils in Poland: occurrence, testing methods, geological engineering characteristic.

The objective of the lecture is to provide the students with a background for understanding the following problems:

1) part one - soil science (pedology):

a) soil forming processes and factors,

b) soil profile description – morphological features and methods

c) physical and chemical properties of soils,

d) soil classifications – Polish Soil Classification, agricultural classifications,

e) organic matter – composition, structure, properties, transformation,

f) main soil types in Poland,

g) relictic soils,

2) part two - regional soil science:

a) organic subsoils: lake marls, gyttja, peats, alluvial soils – occurence, composition, genesis, characteristic of physicochemical and geological engineering properties, index parameters, testing methods

b) mineral subsoils: glacial tills, loesses, stangnant-lake clays, varved clays – occurence, composition, genesis, classification, characteristic of physicochemical and geological engineering properties, index parameters, testing methods

In the practical classes the following laboratory analysis of soils and subsoils are practiced:

1. part one - soil science (pedology):

a) textural classification of soils,

b) organic matter content,

c) determination of humic fractions content,

d) types of soil acidity, determination of pH and potential acidity,

e) characteristic of soils sorption capacity,

f) iron and carbonates content,

g) gleyic processes in soils examined by field method

2. part two - regional soil science:

a) particle size distribution by pipette method, procedure of fractions separation,

b) swelling pressure,

c) expansiveness – determined on the basis of empirical correlations.

It is mandatory that the students will prepare for the classes and they will write reports on the tests and analysis carried out, which requires additional approx. 15 hrs.

At the completion of the course, the students are expected to be able:

1. to plan soil investigations selecting appropriate methods,

2. to conduct laboratory tests,

3. to describe soil morphology,

4. to classify soils,

5. to evaluate soil agricultural properties,

6. to evaluate expansivness of the ground

7. to identify main types of mineral and organic subsoils in Poland and their geological engineering characteristic,

8. to define problems related to foundation on organic subsoils.

- Knowledge of materials presented in lectures and practical classes

- Knowledge of recommended literature

- Completion of practical classes

- Preparation of report forms on the tests and analysis carried out

The course grade is weighted average of the grades:

- lecture grade - 50%,

- practical classes - two grades 25% each. These grades can be raised or lowered after considering quality of report forms, performance

during laboratory classes.