Prof. Yona Chen

71018: Fundamentals of Soil Science

Instructors: Prof. Yona Chen and Prof. Benny Chefetz

Course Level: undergraduate
Course Description: Soil as a dynamic system. Soil-plant relationship. Processes and states of compounds, elements and nutrients in the soil. Organic matter in soils. Soil carbonates. The soil as a colloidal system; the soil as a porous system. Soil-water relationship. Flow of water - laboratory and field. Soil aeration. Soil and environmental quality. URL: http://courses.agri.huji.ac.il/71018/

71616 : Soil Testing Methods

Instructor: Prof. Yona Chen

Course Level: undergraduate
Course Description: Tests for soil characterization and their performance. Instrumentation used for examining the mineralogical, physical and chemical features of soils. Components of the solid phase of soils (texture, organic matter, lime, specific surface tension) and their structure (density and porosity). The liquid phase of the soil (water content, water movement, water-holding capacity-laboratory and soil tests) and dissolved salts (the saturated soil extract for measuring pH, electrical conductivity, cations and anions in the soil extracts). Ion acceptance capacity and composition. Nutrient elements (nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, trace elements) and their availability.

71179: Soil Organic Matter

Instructor: Prof. Yona Chen

Course Level: graduate
Course Description: Decomposition of organic matter in the soil and the formation of humic materials. The C/N ratio and its significance. Soil humic materials - extraction and purification. Characterization of humic materials - elementary analysis and functional groups. Physico-chemical properties of humic substances. Reaction of humic acids with metal elements, minerals and pesticides. Soil organic nitrogen, phosphorus and sulfur. Soil organic matter and fertility. Peat in agriculture.

71935: Soil and Water Pollution

Instructors: Prof. Yona Chen, Prof. U. Mingelgrin

Course Level: graduate
Course Description: Processes and products of importance to soil, ground-water, lake-water and reservoir contamination. Means to reduce and prevent pollution damage. Fertilizer pollution - nitrate and phosphate; Pesticides; Interactions of pesticides in soils; Heavy metals as pollutants and their effects on the food chain; Recycling of waste water; Sewage sludge - use and effects; Risk assessments - principals and various pollutants.

This file last modified 12/24/09