Environmental Soil Science
Course content
This competence-line course teaches state-of the art research within the field of environmental soil science.
The main topic for the course is: Soil functional and structural responses and feedbacks in relation to environmental and human stressors. Within this frame the course presents and discuss examples of impacts on soil conditions in relation to extreme events (drought, fires), climatic changes, area use and management. Examples are presented from studies in temperate as well as arctic regions.
The product of the course is a written assignment based on data (GIS) extracted from Danish soil and land-use databases. The report aim to provide an estimate for greenhouse gas emissions from Danish agricultural land.
MSc Programme in Agriculture
MSc Programme in Environmental Science
MSc Programme in Geography and Geoinformatics
MSc Programme in Geography and Geoinformatics with a minor
subject
Knowledge:
-
The course addresses specific topics on soil functions in the outlined perspective
- Soil nutrient circulation (carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus)
- Soil organic carbon (SOC)-stocks
- Soil rhizosphere dynamics and assessment of root biomass and function
- Soil greenhouse gas (GHG) balances, including calculation of soil GHG production at different scales
- Management options to mitigate soil GHG emissions
Skills:
- Read, present and discuss scientific literature related to the course subjects.
- Use correct scientific definitions and terms.
- Identify and select model-tools for stock assessments
- Use algorithms to calculate SOC stocks, soil N-turnover and GHG balances in Danish farmland based on own data drawn from databases on land-use and soil characteristics.
Competences:
- Identify and work out proposal for solving geo-spatial problems using theory, data and methods.
- Give short, concise and well-illustrated oral presentation on the basis of scientific papers.
- Evaluate current soil inventory data based on own calculations and discuss deviations
- Write a short, concise report
The form of teaching is theoretical exercises combined with ad hoc lectures. We will also read, present and discuss scientific literature during the course. For the teaching plan, please see Absalon.
Please see Absalon
BSc in Geography and Geoinformatics or equivalent education is recommended.
- ECTS
- 7,5 ECTS
- Type of assessment
-
Written assignment, Ongoing preparation throughout the courseOral examination, 20 minutes
- Type of assessment details
- The written assignment is prepared during the course and must be handed in prior to the exam week. The oral exam includes the titles listed in the officially approved reading list and the written assignment. A combined grade is given after the oral exam.
- Aid
- Without aids
- Marking scale
- 7-point grading scale
- Censorship form
- External censorship
- Re-exam
-
Identical to ordinary exam.
The student has the following options:
Is the quality of the written assignment not acceptable, the student can choose to either hand in a new or revised report.
Is the quality of the written assignment acceptable, the student can choose to either hand in a revised report or resubmit the original report from the ordinary exam.
The written assignment must be handed in prior to the re-examination week. The oral exam uses the written assignment as its point of departure. It includes the titles listed in the officially approved reading list.
Criteria for exam assessment
See learning outcome.
Single subject courses (day)
- Category
- Hours
- Preparation
- 171
- Theory exercises
- 35
- English
- 206
Kursusinformation
- Language
- English
- Course number
- NIGK17016U
- ECTS
- 7,5 ECTS
- Programme level
- Full Degree Master
- Duration
-
1 block
- Placement
- Block 2
- Schedulegroup
-
A
- Capacity
- 25
The number of seats may be reduced in the late registration period - Studyboard
- Study Board of Geosciences and Management
Contracting department
- Department of Geoscience and Natural Resource Management
Contracting faculty
- Faculty of Science
Course Coordinator
- Per Lennart Ambus (4-756a6672456e6c7333707a336970)
Teacher
Per Ambus
Ad-hoc assistance by other teachers at IGN
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