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.