Soil science and geochemistry

The aim of this course is to understand the laws governing the functioning of soil cover, based on factor-process-property relationships. Four topics will be covered: (1) Formative processes and current pedological processes: weathering, secondary mineral formation, organo-mineral interactions, material transfers, typology of major weathering and pedogenesis processes, diagnosis of current processes, soil evolution (2) Geography of major soil types: soil recognition, study of the functioning of major soil types in their natural ecosystems and in anthropized ecosystems (3) "Lateral" relationships: functioning of soil cover on the scale of toposequence and watershed, dynamics of toposequence evolution (4) Modifications of geochemical cycles by human activities (acidification, pollution, CO2, etc.)... ).
This course will provide an integrated understanding of soil formation processes and current pedological processes, (1) considering soil as a natural object, (2) reframing processes within major bio-climatic complexes, (3) resituating soil on the scale of a station, a toposequence and a watershed, (4) understanding the impact of man on processes
Minimum skills to be acquired:

The ability to integrate the basic disciplines needed to analyze and diagnose pedological processes and soil functioning, and to understand the impact of man on these processes.
The ability to integrate the laws of operation to understand soil in the landscape and in the ecosystem.

Basic knowledge of natural sciences and weathering processes

Part I: Formation processes and current pedological processes (4h). Geochemistry and kinetics of weathering (4h) Constitution of the weathering complex. Soil properties (8h).
Part II: Soil typology. Study of the functioning of major soil types in their natural ecosystems (8h) and in anthropized ecosystems: role of soils in runoff (2h), anthropogenic soil acidification (4h), nitrate pollution (4h), pesticide pollution (4h). Interpretation of morphological and analytical data from typical profiles (4h).
Part III: Regional pedology. Application of the concepts developed in the previous three parts: reading soil maps, interpretation of morphological and analytical data from typical profiles, practical case studies describing soil profiles (10h).
TD: tracer test (non-reactive and reactive) in lysimeter (2 x 4h)