Z0086 Pedogeography

Faculty of Science
Autumn 2011 - acreditation

The information about the term Autumn 2011 - acreditation is not made public

Extent and Intensity
2/2/0. 4 credit(s) (plus extra credits for completion). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
doc. RNDr. Zdeněk Máčka, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. RNDr. Rudolf Brázdil, DrSc.
Department of Geography – Earth Sciences Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: doc. RNDr. Zdeněk Máčka, Ph.D.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 8 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
The aim of the course is to explain the terms soil and pedosphere and define the position of pedogeography in the system of natural science. Particular components of soil mass and their ecological qualities are presented. Especially accentuated is the explanation of soil forming processes and characterisation of their products - diagnostic horizons, soil profile and soil types. Further aim of the course is to make students familiar with the main global as well as national soil taxonomies, territorial aspects of soil distribution and the position of soil in the landscape ecosystem.
Main objectives can be summarized as follows:
to understand the role of soil in the ecosystems
to analyse the role of soil forming factors and their influence on geographical distribution of soils
to learn the soil constituents and forming processes
to learn Czech national soil classification system
Syllabus
  • 1. Subject, tasks and history of soil science: subject of pedology and pedogeography, position of soil science in the system of sciences, history of soil science, main soil science schools, definition of a soil.
  • 2. Weathering: composition ooof the rock in Earth crust, chemical weathering, physical weathering.
  • 3. Composition of a soil: soil as a dispersal system, inorganic soil content, organic soil content, soil water and air.
  • 4. Soil properties: texture, structure, heat regimen, color, cation exchange capacity, pH, buffer properties.
  • 5. Soil genesis: soil forming factors and conditions, soil forming processes, soil profile, diagnostic horizons.
  • 6. Soil taxonomy: classification of world soils according to WRBSR, classification of soils in the national system Taxonomical classification system of Czech Republic soils.
  • 7. Territorial diffrentiation of pedosphere: soil zonality, latitudinal and meridional zonality, altitudinal zonality, structure of soil cover.
  • 8. Soils in the environment: soil as an environment for plant growth, soil acidification, heavy metals and radionuclides in soils, climate change impact on soils, eutrophication, pesticides, droughts.
  • 9. Soil degradation and conservation: causes of soil degradation, soil erosion, increasing and rehabilitation of soil fertility, biofarming.
Literature
  • TOMÁŠEK, Milan. Půdy České republiky. 2nd ed. Praha: Český geologický ústav, 2000, 67 pp. ISBN 80-7075-403-6. info
  • ŠARAPATKA, Bořivoj, Pavel DLAPA and Zoltán BEDRNA. Kvalita a degradace půdy (Soil quality and degradation). Olomouc: Univerzita Palackého, Olomouc, 2002, 246 pp. ISBN 80-244-0584-9. info
  • SMOLÍKOVÁ, Libuše. Pedologie. Vyd. 2., (1. v SPN). Praha: Státní pedagogické nakladatelství, 1988, 129 s. info
  • SMOLÍKOVÁ, Libuše. Pedologie. Vyd. 2., (1. v SPN). Praha: Státní pedagogické nakladatelství, 1988, 294 s. info
  • HYNEK, Alois. Pedogeografie. Vyd. 1. Praha: Státní pedagogické nakladatelství, 1984, 320 s. URL info
Teaching methods
Key activity is a field work aimed to the complex description of two soil profiles (first on a forested land, second on an agricultural land). First seminar is devoted to instructions on field work methods, last two seminars are devoted to the discussion, checking the results and correcting the mistakes of the field work. Further compulsory activity is participation on two field excursions to the important soil profiles in Brno and surroundings. The remaining time in seminars is filled with various themes dealing with soils: field techniques of soil survey, erosion model RUSLE, etc.
Assessment methods
The condition of assigning the credit is to submit the protocols with analyses of two soil profiles. Exam is in a written form and it includes 10 tasks from the subject.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further Comments
Course is no more offered.
The course is taught: every week.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 1999, Spring 2008 - for the purpose of the accreditation, Spring 2011 - only for the accreditation, Autumn 2004, Autumn 2005, Autumn 2006, Spring 2007, Spring 2008, Spring 2009, Spring 2010, Spring 2011, Spring 2012, spring 2012 - acreditation, Autumn 2012, Autumn 2013, Autumn 2014, Autumn 2015, Autumn 2016, autumn 2017, Autumn 2018, Autumn 2019, Autumn 2020, autumn 2021, Autumn 2022, Autumn 2023, Autumn 2024.