Foundation skills in field soil investigation, description and interpretation

The ability to expose a representative soil profile and to describe it accurately and consistently are skills that are fundamental to the study of soil in the field. This practical one day course is the first of three courses covering the foundation skills and teaches you how to;

• Safely expose a soil profile either by digging a pit or using a soil auger
• Consistently describe a site and a full soil profile using a recognised system of description (including hand texturing, soil colour, structure, consistency, porosity, stone content, free lime and roots/fauna present)
• Interpret soil layers (broad horizon nomenclature), features and materials of soil forming processes and the soil environment

The course is part laboratory, part field based. Working in a small group, you will dig your own pits, be taught each aspect of soil description back in the laboratory and then describe horizons back from your own pit.