Introduction, soil definition, pedosphere; importance of soil, soil functions

Soil development, soil forming factors and conditions

Soil composition, major soil minerals

Soil physical properties: texture, structure, porosity

Soil water; soil air; thermic conditions in soil

Soil organic matter

Soil colloid system; soil solution

Soil reaction; soil sorption (mechanisms, soil sorption complex)

Soil organisms and biological activity

Soil classification - principles, overview of principal soil classification units

Cycles and behaviour of selected elements in soils; forms, fractionation and speciation of elements, their importance and effects; human influence

Potentially toxic elements in soils

Xenobiotic organic substances in soils

Soil conservation and protection (pollution, limit values, vulnerability, remediation)