Exercises on aerial photographs, soil monoliths and thin sections, combined with relevant data on geology, soils, land use and climate, are done in landscapes representative of arid, semi-arid and humid climates. Computersimulations of degradation processes are used. The role of ecologically sound land use in soil and land conservation is emphasized. Geological, hydrological and vegetation aspects of degradation are also dealt with. R.L.H. Poels, 1994.
Lecture notes on degradation of soil and land.
An introductory course and practicals towards spatial data handling, geostatistics and spatial variability of soil and environmental data. Data from recent soil and environmental research will be used. This specialized course deals with effects of vegetation on soil development in natural ecosystems and vice versa. The emphasis is on the mutual interdependencies and feedbacks between soils and natural vegetations. Insight in these relationships is helpful to understand the functioning of ecosystems and to evaluate effects of human interventions on soil-vegetation systems.