HULG9169-1 : Biosphère, 1ère partie

Study Programmes 2016-2017

WARNING : 2015-2016 version of the course specifications

HULG9169-1

Biosphère, 1ère partie

Sciences de la Terre
Climat, sols, végétation

Duration :

Sciences de la Terre : 36h Th
Climat, sols, végétation : 36h Th

Number of credits :

Bachelor in landscape architect		6
Master in landscape architect (120 ECTS)		6

Lecturer :

Sciences de la Terre : Luc Willems
Climat, sols, végétation : Xavier Legrain

Language(s) of instruction :

French language

Organisation and examination :

Teaching in the first semester, review in January

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite :

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents :

Sciences de la Terre

Physical Geography 1. Basic elements of geomorphology and geology 2. Structural geomorphology 3. Coastal geomorphology 4. Karstology and landscape planning 5. Basic elements of meteorology and climatology 6. Climate change : an introduction. Relations with the landscape planning

Climat, sols, végétation

1. Introduction (définitions, functions, threats, issues).
2. Soil composition (mineral and organic components, soil solution, soil atmosphere, soil biodiversity).
3. Soil properties (physical, chemical and physico-chemical).
4. Soil formation and evolution (pedogenetic factors and soil forming processes).
5. Notion of soil classification and cartography.
7. Elements of operational pedology (land evaluation, urban soil characterization, soil consideration in impact assessment, policy and methods for treatment of polluted soils).

Learning outcomes of the learning unit :

Sciences de la Terre

Basic knowledge in geomorphology, meteorology and climatology
Case study & analyse of some processes by various documents (pictures, maps, graphics...)

Climat, sols, végétation

On the basis of basic knowledge of soil at different level of perception, the objective of the course is to sensibilize students to the importance of soils within the ecosystem and to give them the essential awareness to manage them, in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner. A chapter on operational pedology show concretely the interest to take into account soils in numerous topical domains. A field trip put emphasis on an approach based on observation and soil landscape analysis. Through the collective work, the student will mobilize and integrate knowledge from the course, earn new ones, train to the reading and interpretation of a soil map, practice literature search and acquire rigour required for writing report with scientific character.
At the end of the course, the student is expected to:
- grasp the causes-effects relationships between soil compounds, properties and behaviors ;
- deduce the main practical incidences for soil management ;
- understand factors and processes leading to the diversity of soils throughout the world ;
- decrypt a soil map in order to extract a given information ;
- draw a field pedological diagnosis, based on observation and earned knowledge.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills :

Sciences de la Terre

Geography, basic mathematics, biology, physics & chemistry

Climat, sols, végétation

Principles of chemistry, physics and biology.
Basic principles of mineralogy, petrography and geomorphology.

Planned learning activities and teaching methods :

Sciences de la Terre

Lectures
study cases

Climat, sols, végétation

Lectures (ppt material) + field trip (3h) + collective work (by 2 or 3, depending of the number of students)

Mode of delivery (face-to-face ; distance-learning) :

Sciences de la Terre

Face-to-face

Climat, sols, végétation

Classroom based teaching for lectures and field trip.
Personalized support on demand for collective work.