Soil Biodiversity, Functions and Ecosystem Services WF-OB-SUSB
Wykład (WYK) Semestr letni 2021/22

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%

Lectures

1. Diversity of soil organisms in different ecosystems (natural and managed ecosystems). Patterns of soil biodiversity. Factors influencing soil biodiversity.

2. The role of soil organisms in the processes of soil formation and organic matter transformation.

3. The importance of soil biodiversity. Ecosystem services provided by soil biota. The economic value of soil biodiversity.

4. Use of soil invertebrates in soil biodiversity assessment and as soil biological quality indices (monitoring of pollutant effects; evaluation of environmental impact of agricultural management practices; using soil invertebrates as bioindicators of urban soil quality). Parameters of soil animal communities used for soil quality evaluation.

5. Current threats to soil biodiversity. Management strategies for soil biodiversity restoration, conservation and sustainable production.

presentations, quizzes and discussions