Soil Quality

The dynamics of nutrients and contaminants within the terrestrial ecosystem including the groundwater and their relationship with soil biota are explained and related to actual environmental issues such as mobility, bioavailability, soil quality assessment, soil remediation, and nature restoration. Soil quality aspects are discussed with a focus on nature, agriculture and the environment. Actual environmental issues regarding nutrients (in surplus as well as limiting supplies) and contaminants are presented and explained. Soil quality standards are discussed in relation to chemical compound behaviour, risk assessment protocols, and fertilizer recommendations. An outline is given of the policy legislation.

After successful completion of this course students are expected to be able to:

• Describe and explain the concept of biological and chemical soil quality and their interrelations
• Describe and discuss relevance, advantages and disadvantages of the use of various soil quality indicators
• Evaluate soil quality in the fields of environmental pollution, sustainable agriculture, land use change, and climate change
• Execute and analyse scientific experiments on contaminant bioavailability
• Report on experimental results in the framework of soil quality evaluation

Mandatory Knowledge:
ZSS06100 Laboratory Safety
Assumed Knowledge:

PEN10503 Ecology; SOC10803 Principles of Soil Processes, Physical and Biological Processes; SOC22306 Chemical Processes in Soil, Water, Atmosphere;