World Soils and their Assessment Course ( TBA)
Five-day course
We will inform in our website for new editions of this course!
Sections: Overview | Who is it for? | Registration and fees | Preliminary programme
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Overview
This is a course on the soils of the world and their assessment. The course alternates between lectures and online exercises and covers subjects, such as
- the soils of the world and their diversity, their main forming factors, classification (according to the World Reference Base for Soil Resources 2014, update 2015), and management.
- soil functions and regional planning.
The programme includes a field excursion in the area around Wageningen, which has a rich diversity of landscapes and soils. In the field, several topics will be addressed including: soil and landscape relations, soil formation, soil classification, field description of soils, and soil management. Furthermore, the programme includes lectures and hands-on exercises on soil functions and regional planning as well as soil management strategies for soil conservation and optimization of soil functions.
Participants will be introduced to and apply the international classification system the World Reference Base for Soil Resources (2014, update 2015).Guest lecturers: Seppe Deckers and Rachel Creamer.
Who is it for?
This course aims at scientists, professionals, e.g. in natural resources management planning, and students who have an interest in (the classification of) soils of the world and their assessment for their work or study, with aspects of soil formation, description, classification and evaluation.
A general background in soil science or physical geography is assumed (basic principles).
Registration and fees
Registration is now closed.
The registration fee covers the costs of all course materials, lectures and online teaching resources. This course is organized on a cost-recovery basis i.e. no profit is made from the course fees. Upon completing the course, participants will receive a certificate and free access to software and datasets used during the course. For information about the fees:
https://www.isric.org/utilise/capacity-building/springschool/costs-and-payment
Preliminary programme
*Working programme subject to changes.
All times are Central European Summer Time zone (CEST), that is UTC+2.
DAY 1 (Monday, 16 May 2022): Soils of the World and their classification
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Block |
Topic |
Type |
Lecturer |
| 8.30 - 9.00 | Registration and coffee | ||
| 9.00 – 9.45 |
Official opening of the ISRIC Spring School Group photo |
||
|
9.45 - 10.00 |
Course introduction and overview |
Lecture |
Stephan Mantel |
|
10.00 - 10.45 |
Introduction to WRB concepts and terminology |
Lecture |
Stephan Mantel |
|
10.45 - 11.15 |
Morning break |
|
|
|
11.15 - 12.30 |
Field description of soils |
Lecture
|
David Rossiter |
|
12.30 - 13.30 |
Lunch |
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|
|
13.30 - 15.00 |
The Reference Soil Groups in WRB |
Lecture
|
Stephan Mantel, Niels Batjes |
|
15.00 - 15.30 |
Afternoon break |
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|
15.30 - 17.00 |
Introduction to global soils in the World Soil Museum; the distribution of soils in the world |
Interactive lecture
|
Stephan Mantel |
DAY 2 (Tuesday, 17 May 2022): Applying the World Reference Base for Soil Resources
|
Block |
Topic |
Type |
Lecturer |
|
9.00 - 10.30 |
Soils of the World their classification and management, with a focus on Africa |
Lecture |
Seppe Deckers |
|
10.30 - 11.00 |
Morning break |
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|
|
11.00 - 12.30 |
Soils of the World their classification and management, with a focus on Africa (ctnd) |
Lecture |
Seppe Deckers |
|
12.30 - 13.30 |
Lunch |
|
|
|
13.30 - 15.30 |
Applying the World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB) |
Exercise |
Stephan Mantel, Niels Batjes, Johan Leenaars |
|
15.30 - 16.00 |
Afternoon break |
|
|
|
16.00 - 17.00 |
Applying the World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB) |
Exercise |
Stephan Mantel, Niels Batjes, Johan Leenaars |
DAY 3 (Wednesday, 18 May 2022): Field visit landscape and soils in the vicinity of Wageningen
|
Block |
Topic |
Type / Room |
Lecturer |
|
8.30 - 18.00 |
Field excursion (lunch in the field). Practice in soil geography, soil description and soil classification at various sites in the vicinity of Wageningen |
Exercise |
S. Mantel, N. Batjes, J. Leenaars |
DAY 4 (Thursday, 19 May 2022): Soil functions and sustainable soil management
|
Block |
Topic |
Type |
Lecturer |
|
9.00 - 10.30 |
Soil functions and regional planning |
Lecture |
Prof Rachel Creamer, (Stephan Mantel) |
|
10.30 - 11.00 |
Morning break |
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|
11.00 - 12.30 |
Soil functions and regional planning, exercise/planning game |
Exercise |
Prof Rachel Creamer, (Stephan Mantel) |
|
12.30 - 13.30 |
Lunch |
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|
|
13.30 - 15.30 |
TBA |
TBA |
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15.30 - 16.00 |
Afternoon break |
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|
|
16.00 - 17.00 |
TBA |
TBA |
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DAY 5 (Friday, 20 May 2022): Applying the World Reference Base for Soil Resources
|
Block |
Topic |
Type / room |
Lecturer |
|
9.00 - 10.30 |
Applying the World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB) |
Exercise |
Stephan Mantel, Niels Batjes |
|
10.30 - 11.00 |
Coffee break |
|
|
|
11.00 - 12.30 |
Applying the World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB) |
Exercise, WSM |
S. Mantel, N. Batjes
|
|
12.30 - 13.30 |
Lunch |
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| 13.30 - 14.45 | Applying the World Reference Base for Soil Resources (WRB) | Exercise, WSM | N. Batjes |
|
14.45 - 15.15 |
Course evaluation, certificates |
PC8045 (Orion) |
All |
|
15.15 - 16.00 |
Measuring the value of the soil resource |
Guest lecture, Gaia 1 |
D. Rossiter |
|
16.00 - 17.30 |
Closing words, drinks & snacks |
Gaia 1 & Hall Gaia building |
Rik van den Bosch |