LMS - Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ruhuna

Agriculture is one of the biggest land users and land-use management is one of the key areas in maintaining sustainability in a resource-limiting environment. SDG 12 and 15 directly address land-use management while most of the other SDGs address it at varying levels. This course gives the students the basics of land suitability evaluation mainly from an agriculture perspective. 

For more details such as ILOs, Assessments, and the Course outline you need to be enrolled in the course as a student. For further details please contact course coordinator Dr. Chamila Wijekoon. 

Course Introduction

In an era of increasing environmental challenges and advancing technology, the ability to utilize modern tools is crucial for effective environmental research. This course, Tools for Environmental Studies, introduces students to cutting-edge technologies and platforms designed to gather, process, and analyze environmental data.

Students will gain hands-on experience with software and devices commonly used in ecological studies, enabling them to make informed decisions about selecting the right tools for their research. By the end of the course, students will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to harness the power of these tools to address real-world environmental issues.

Key Takeaways

SS4102 Soil Chemistry

• SS4102 is a 2 credit course offered by the Department of Soil Science in the 4th year. This is a compulsory course for final year Soil Science students in the BSc Hons in Agricultural Resource Management & Technology degree program.
• This course builds on the basic and applied Soil Science learned during first, second and third years of the program.

The aims of this course are to provide students with a comprehensive knowledge of theory and skills for applications on: minerals in the soil environment; structure and formation of clay minerals, specific surface and cation exchange capacity of clay minerals;  chemistry of the soil solution, soil acidity and carbonate equilibria, metal complexation reactions, precipitation-dissolution and oxidation-reactions in soil environment; concept of water quality and management options in addressing water quality issues.

Soil analysis is a complex process. Also, it could be costly and laborious. Therefore, soil analysis needs proper planning and execution to achieve a higher level of accuracy and efficiency. The students who specialize in soil science should have a good understanding of the process of soil analysis. This course provides the essential knowledge required to plan and conduct a proper soil analysis. 

The course is available only to students who specialize in Soil Science.

SS41103 Soil Ecosystem & Dynamics of Organic Matter