Practical course: Experimental Methods in Soil Physics (BSc, WV05) (28211)

WS 2022/2023
Th.: 08:00-10:00; Laboratory BodenPhysik

Henri Michael Braunmiller, Andreas Kolb, Efstathios Diamantopoulos

This course offers basic laboratory training covering the main soil physical properties and processes. The students will learn how to take soil samples from the field, transport and store them in the soil physics lab and quantify the main soil physical properties. The course is organized as a series of short lectures and laboratory training and work. The main parts are:

• Introduction to the course and first calculations
• Sampling day & field measurements (penetration resistance, shear stress and TDR measurements)
• Laboratory Estimation of Soil texture
• Measurement of basic soil physical properties (bulk density, porosity, volumetric and gravimetric water content) for field samples
• Laboratory Estimation of Water Retention Curve (method: hanging water column for low suctions (sand box))
• Laboratory Estimation of Water Retention Curve (method: pressure chamber, high suctions)
• Saturated hydraulic conductivity (Meter, Ksat)
• Plant-Soil interactions (continuous measurement of matric potential and water content in the rhizosphere of small plants, point measurements of stomata conductance and leaf water potential)

Course objective

Knowledge

• Acquire theoretical background knowledge on the main soil physical methods
• Know the measurement principle of the main instruments and devices in soil physics lab

Skills

• Conduct experimental soil analysis
• Know how to work with the main soil physical instruments and devices (practical knowledge)
• Apply statistics and basic data science methods in soil physical experiments

Competences

• Combine theoretical calculations with measured data
• Assess the soil as a growth medium for plants in general