Department of Soil Science was established in 1965, until that time it was a part of large Department of Soil Science and Agrochemistry. The Department of Soil Science and Geology was established in 1970 by joining two respective departments. Current name Department of Soil Science and Soil Protection was accepted in 2008 and reflects better research and teching topics of the department.
The first head of the Department was prof. Ing. Vladimír Kosil, DrSc, later on replaced by Prof. Dr. Ing. Lubomír Pavel, DrSc. Prof. Ing. Josef Kozák, DrSc., Dr.h.c., served as the Head of Department from 1985 until 2010. Since 2010, the Department is headed by Prof. Dr. Ing. Luboš Borůvka.
Focus:
Department of Soil Science and Soil Protection is focused on teaching and research in all branches of soil sciences. The Department cooperates with a number of research and education institutions in the Czech Republic and abroad. It contributes actively to the research of up-to-date problems related to soil degradation, conservation and protection.
Educational activity:
The Department provides lectures and courses to B.Sc., M.Sc. and Ph.D. study programmes in agriculture, horticulture, forestry, natural resources, environmental protection, tropical and subtropical agriculture, and geochemistry. Main subjects are soil science, soil chemistry, soil conservation and protection, soil survey and mapping, modelling in soil science, soil classification, applied cartography, geology.
Special attention is paid to the master programme Soil Evaluation and Protection. The Department participates on lecturing in English study programmes Sustainable Use of Natural Resources, Natural Resources and Environment, Food and Agriculture, and Land and Water Management. Some lectures are taught also for students of the Faculty of Science of Charles University in Prague.
Research activity:
Principle research topics
- Soil pollution with potentially toxic elements
- Soil organic matter composition and quality
- Forest soils degradation, toxic forms of Al in forest soils
- Modelling of transport processes in soil
- Soil structure stability
- Transport and degradation of pesticides in the soil
- Soil erosion
- Soil classification
- Digital soil mapping, application of pedometrics and geostatistics
- Urban soils, soil sealing
- Soil reclamation after coal mining
Publications
- Scientific papers in prestigious international journals (Geoderma, Journal of Hazardous Materials, Science of the Total Environment, Journal of Geochemical Exploration, Vadose Zone Journal, Catena, Journal of Hydrology, Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry etc.)
- Czech Taxonomic Soil Classification System (printed and electronic versions)
- Soil Atlas of the Czech Republic (Czech and English editions)
International contacts:
The Department is taking a great deal in representing Czech Republic in International Union of Soil Sciences, European Confederation of Soil Science Societies, European Soil Bureau Network. It also contributed to some European projects – Soil Database of Europe (1:1 mil.), Soil Atlas of Europe, and projects ENVASSO, e-SOTER and iSOIL. The Department has numerous contacts and cooperation abroad, e.g. JRC Ispra (Italy), BOKU Vienna (Austria), Universitá di Napoli (Italy), Cranfield University (UK), University of Florida, Gainesville (USA), University of Wageningen (the Netherlands). The Department is open to any new cooperation.