The course describes the development of soil science; Defining soil, Four components of soil; Primary minerals; Secondary minerals; Organic components; Rocks and their classification; Weathering - mechanical and chemical processes; Factors affecting the weathering of minerals - Climatic, Physical and Chemical; Parent materials and their classification; Description of soil profiles; Soil classification; Soil colour; Soil structure; Soil aggregation and crusting; Soil texture; Stokes Law; Particle size analysis; Soil consistency; Soil pH; Soil moisture content; Bulk density; Particle density; Porosity; Volumetric moisture content; Degree of saturation; Soil Formation; Factors of soil formation; Stages in the development of soil; Primary minerals in soils; Isomorphous substitution; Framework structures; Silicate clays; Clays - smectites; Clays - vermiculite and illite; Non-silicate clays; Permanent and ph- dependent charges; Surface area; Cation exchange; Exchangeable cations; Base cations; Cation exchange capacity; % Base saturation; Anion exchange; Ligand exchange; Causes of soil acidity; Mechanism of acidification; Acidity and Al; Liming reactions and materials; Soil organisms - types, survival tactics; Nutrient cycling in soil ecosystem; Importance of soil organic matter; Decomposition of soil organic matter; Carbon cycle; Humus formation; Significance of the C/N ratio; Mineralisation/ immobilisation; Reasons for constancy of C/N ratio; Rate of organic matter decay; Properties of soil water; Pore water composition; Quantification of soil moisture; Moisture release curves; Water storage by soil; Water movement in soil; Saturated flow; Soil climate; Radiant heating of soil; Heat movement through soil; Thermal conductivity and heat capacity; Management of soil temperature; Essential plant nutrients; Soil productivity and fertility; Nutrient uptake by plants; Soil nitrogen; Soil sulphur, calcium and magnesium; Soil phosphorous and potassium.
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