We will consider the soil as a complex biological system that allows life on the earth, discriminating between natural and anthropic soils. We will study the influence of the main environmental parameters also as a function of the climate change on the functionality of the soil.
The in-depth seminar and laboratory activities will be an integral part of the course.
Text books:
Pinton R,Cocucci M, nannipieri P, Trevisan M.. Fondamenti di Biochimica Agraria. Patron ed. Bologna
Sequi p, Ciavatta C, Miano T. Fondamenti di Chimica del Suolo. Patron ed. Bologna Scientific papers on the course topics will be given to the students.
Learning Objectives
Knowledge on soil management and its application to stressed soils, considering also it polluted soils bioremediation techniques . This body of knowledge represents an essential tool to understand the soil ecosystem evolution and to develop an eco-sustainable managing strategy to maintain soil functionality and consequentially increase the adaptability capacity of the forest ecosystems.
Skills acquired (at the end of the course): improvement of forestry management capacity
Prerequisites
Knowledge of inorganic and organic chemistry, pedology, plant biochemistry, genetics and microbiology are required from students.
Teaching Methods
CCFU: 6
Number of hours related to classroom activities: 12 hours of general lessons, 10 hours of general in-depth seminars; 12h seminars on specific subjects; 8h elaborated project preparation.
Number of hours related to laboratory activities (laboratory lessons): 6
Further information
Frequency of lectures, practice and lab., although not compulsory, is recommended
Teaching tools:
Video projector, PC, overhead projector, labs
Type of Assessment
Oral exam on presentation of the project prepared by the students
Course program
Course program
Part one (1,5CFU)
The soil will be considered as a complex biological system that has enabled life on Earth. The evolution of soil fertility will be studied, distinguishing between chemical-physical and biological fertility, examining the modalities of interaction between the abiotic and biotic component and their ecological relevance. The different types of soil will be considered, distinguishing between those due to anthropic activities and those due to extreme natural conditions. The different ways of induction and maintenance of fertility in the soils considered will be examined, recalling the concepts of functionality, resistance, resilience, redundancy, stability-, plasticity- and genetic erosion. The relevance of the different strategies of adaptation of the bacteria (r-k strategy and bet hedging strateg) will be evaluated in order to guarantee the functionality of the soil.
The relevance of biogeography studies will be evaluated with metagenetic and metagenomic approaches to determine the influence of the main environmental parameters on biodiversity and soil functionality. We will then discuss how to correlate these data with those related to the biodiversity of plants and animals. The possibility of using bioindicators and biosensors for determining the presence and bioavailability of toxic elements in the soil will then be considered.
The impact of the expected climatic variations on the soil ecosystem and its repercussions on plants and animals will then be analyzed.
Second part (1.2CFU)
General and interdisciplinary in-depth seminars on:
Molecular analysis of the soil; definition and use of soil quality indexes; plant function indices; remote sensing utilities and limits; meta and big data analysis.
Thematic seminars (1.5 ECTS)
Relevance of dead wood and forest insuoli on cycle C and biodiversity; management of degraded forests to implement organic carbon content of the soil and mitiger production of greenhouse gases; soils from heavy metals and micro and nanoplastics; management of soil and plants in urban environments, big data processing for forest ecosystem simulation and forecasting program.
Prepared design preparation (1CFU) subject to examination test
Laboratory activities (0.8CFU)
Sisi will proceed to the determination of the structure and texture, of pH, soil exchange capacity. We will also perform extractions and purifications of soil DNA to analyze with molecular techniques for the study of soil biodiversity.