Soil Conservation and Erosion Management - AGH University of Krakow Syllabus

Soil Conservation and Erosion Management

Course description sheet

Basic information

Field of study: Environmental Engineering and Monitoring
Major: Water and Sanitary Engineering
Organisational unit: Faculty of Geo-Data Science, Geodesy, and Environmental Engineering
Study level: Second-cycle (engineer) programme
Form of study: Full-time studies
Profile: General academic

Didactic cycle: 2023/2024
Course code: DIMSIWS.IIi4.08604.23
Lecture languages: English
Mandatoriness: Elective
Block: General Modules
Course related to scientific research: Yes

Course coordinator

Marcin Chodak

Lecturer

Marcin Chodak

Period

Semester 3

Method of verification of the learning outcomes

Completing the classes

Activities and hours

Lectures: 15
Project classes: 30

Number of ECTS credits

Course's learning outcomes

Code	Outcomes in terms of	Learning outcomes prescribed to a field of study	Methods of verification
Knowledge – Student knows and understands:
W1	functions of soils, main threats for soil functioning in Poland and in Europe major types of soil erosion and factors affecting soil erosion	IMS2A_W01	Activity during classes
W2	methods to counteract or mitigate soil degradation processes in particular the measures to counteract soil erosion	IMS2A_W03	Activity during classes
Skills – Student can:
U1	assess the soil threats based on data acquired from various sources and prepare a project of counteracting measures	IMS2A_U01, IMS2A_U04	Execution of a project
U2	work in a small team in order to prepare a project of measures to counteract soil erosion processes, prepare a presentation of the project using multimedial software and undertake a discussion on the project using professional vocabulary	IMS2A_U02, IMS2A_U03, IMS2A_U04	Execution of a project
Social competences – Student is ready to:
K1	critically interpret data aquired from different sources and discuss his/her own ideas with experts in the field of soil protection	IMS2A_K01	Participation in a discussion, Execution of a project

Student workload

Activity form	Average amount of hours* needed to complete each activity form
Lectures	15
Project classes	30
Preparation for classes	5
Realization of independently performed tasks	10
Contact hours	2
Preparation of project, presentation, essay, report	15

Student workload	Hours 77
Workload involving teacher	Hours 45

* hour means 45 minutes

Program content

No.	Program content	Course's learning outcomes	Activities
1.	1. Soil functions and services. 2. Major threats to soil quality. 3. Types of soil erosion. 4. Methods for erosion assessment. 5. Methods of soil erosion control. 6. Decrease of soil organic matter – causes, effects and soil organic matter conservation methods. 6. Soil pollution – types of soil pollution, management of polluted soils. 7. Soil compaction and soil sealing.	W1, W2	Lectures
2.	Students work in groups preparing a soil conservation project for an area impacted by soil erosion. Students calculate the soil erosion threat using soil loss equations (such as eg. USLE or RUSLE) and design a concept of counteractive measures to control the soil erosion. Finally students prepare presentation of the prepared project.	U1, U2, K1	Project classes

Extended information/Additional elements

Teaching methods and techniques :

Lectures

Activities	Methods of verification	Credit conditions
Lectures	Activity during classes
Project classes	Participation in a discussion, Execution of a project

Rules of participation in given classes, indicating whether student presence at the lecture is obligatory

Lectures: Studenci uczestniczą w zajęciach poznając kolejne treści nauczania zgodnie z syllabusem przedmiotu. Studenci winni na bieżąco zadawać pytania i wyjaśniać wątpliwości. Rejestracja audiowizualna wykładu wymaga zgody prowadzącego. Project classes: Studenci wykonują prace praktyczne mające na celu uzyskanie kompetencji zakładanych przez syllabus. Ocenie podlega sposób wykonania projektu oraz efekt końcowy.

Literature

Obligatory

1. Blanco H., Lal R., “Principles of soil conservation and management.” Springer, 2008
2. Suthersan S. “In situ remediation engineering”, Boca Raton CRC Press, 2005.

Scientific research and publications

Publications

1. Chodak M., Gołębiewski M., Morawska-Płoskonka J. Kuduk K., Niklińska M. (2013). Diversity of microorganisms from forest soils differently polluted with heavy metals. Applied Soil Ecology 64, 7–14
2. Anna PUDEŁKO, Marcin CHODAK, Jakub ROEMER, Tadeusz UHL (2020) Application of FT-NIR spectroscopy and NIR hyperspectral imaging to predict nitrogen and organic carbon contents in mine soils. Measurement164 art. no. 108117, s. 1–8.