World Soils and their Assessment Course
Three-day course from Monday 17 May to Wednesday 19 May 2021
The course will be given on-line this year, which has had some implications for the programme. We will have a three-day course with shorter days, because on-line learning is more tiresome than on-site learning and some activities, like the one day field excursion, we will not be able to organize.
The course will be formally closed on Friday with the guest lecture 'Valuing the soil resource' by David Rossiter and closing words from director of ISRIC Rik van den Bosch.
Fees
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
Sections: Overview | Who is it for? | Tentative programme | Registration
 |
 |
 |
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.
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.
Registration
Few places left for our World Soils and their Assessment (WSA) course. If you would like to register, please write an email to maria.ruiperezgonzalez@isric.
Registration is open until 30 April 2021.
Note that when registering, you will be redirected to a Wageningen University & Research page in a new window to process your registration and payment. Please read carefully our cost and payment section.
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).
Programme
*Working programme subject to changes.
All times are Central European Summer Time zone (CEST), that is UTC+2.
DAY 1 (Monday, 17 May 2021): Soils of the World and their classification
|
Block |
Topic |
Type |
Lecturer |
|
9.00 - 9.30 |
Course introduction and overview |
Lecture |
Stephan Mantel |
|
9.30 - 10.30 |
Introduction to WRB concepts and terminology |
Lecture |
Stephan Mantel |
|
10.30 - 11.00 |
Morning break |
|
|
|
11.00 - 12.30 |
Field description of soils |
Lecture
|
David Rossiter |
|
12.30 - 14.00 |
Lunch |
|
|
|
14.00 - 15.30 |
The Reference Soil Groups in WRB |
Lecture
|
Stephan Mantel, Niels Batjes |
|
15.30 - 16.00 |
Afternoon break |
|
|
|
16.00 - 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, 18 May 2021): 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 |
|
|
|
11.00 - 12.30 |
Soils of the World their classification and management, with a focus on Africa (ctnd) |
Lecture |
Seppe Deckers |
|
12.30 - 14.00 |
Lunch |
|
|
|
14.00 - 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, 19 May 2021): 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 |
|
|
|
11.00 - 12.30 |
Soil functions and regional planning, exercise/planning game |
Exercise |
Prof Rachel Creamer, (Stephan Mantel) |
|
12.30 - 14.00 |
Lunch (and course evaluation forms) |
|
|
|
14.00 - 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 5 (Friday, 21 May 2021): Optional programme
|
Block |
Topic |
Type |
Lecturer |
|
15.15 – 16.15 |
Valuing the soil resource |
Guest lecture |
David Rossiter |
|
16.15 – 16.30 |
Closing words |
|
|