Soil Biodiversity, Functions and Ecosystem Services WF-OB-SUSB
Ćwiczenia (CW) Semestr letni 2020/21

Bardgett R. 2005. The Biology of Soil. Oxford University Press.

Bardgett R.D. 2015. Earth Matters: How soil underlies civilization. Oxford University Press.

Bardgett R.D., Usher B., Hopkins D.W. 2005. Biological diversity and functions in soils. Cambridge University Press.

Bardgett R.D., Wardle D.A. 2010. Aboveground-belowground linkages. Biotic interactions, ecosystem processes, and global change. Oxford Series in Ecology and Evolution.

Coleman D.C., Crossley D.A., Hendrix Jr. P.F. 2004. Fundamentals of Soil Ecology. Elsevier Academic press.

Edwards C.A., Bohlen P.J. 1996. Biology and Ecology of earthworms. Chapman and Hall, London.

Lavelle P., Spain A.V. 2005. Soil Ecology. Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht.

Paoletti M.G. 1999. Invertebrate biodiversity as bioindicators of sustainable landscapes: practical use of invertebrates to assess sustainable land use. Elsevier Academic press.

Wall D.H., Bardgett R.D., Behan-Pelletier V., Herrick J.E., Jones H., Ritz K., Six J., Strong D.R., van der Putten W.H. Soil Ecology and Ecosystem Services 2013. Oxford University Press.

Knowledge:

Students discuss basic concepts about the role of soil biodiversity for the soil services and sustainabilility

Skills:

Students perform lab experiments indicating the role of soil organisms in soil processes (decomposition) and pointing out their indicator function

ECTS+ 180/30 = 6 ECTS

attendance - 30 h

learning new specialised vocabulary (30h)

preparing for the discussion on a given sunbject (30 h)

preparing for the classess (30 h)

final laboratory classes report in the form of a presentation (30 h)

final test (30 h)

1) obligatory attendance (1 unjustified absence is allowed) (10%)

2) active participation (10%)

3) final laboratory classes report in the form of a presentation (40%)

4) final test (40%)

Classes

1. Standard sampling methods (frequency of sampling, number and storage of samples) used in soil ecology. Quantitative and qualitative methods for assessing the abundance of soil animals (including nematodes, springtails, mites, earthworms, snails, etc.). Biotests using soil invertebrates.

2. Methods for extraction of animals from soil, preservation of samples, microscopic preparations. Microscopy techniques, creating photographic documentation.

3. Analysis of the abundance (density) of different groups of soil fauna in selected habitats.

4. Diversity analysis of soil fauna in collected samples - species richness, ecological groups and sentinel species.

5. Summary and interpretation of obtained results - presentations. Discussion on the practical use of soil animals as bioindicators - possibilities and limitations.