Research and expert services

General Information

The Institute of Geography and Spatial Management at the Jagiellonian University employs specialists in soil research with knowledge and skills in recognizing both the natural characteristics of soil cover and the degree and type of its transformation under the influence of human activities. They offer the opportunity to plan research, conduct field measurements, and collect samples for laboratory analysis. They can determine essential soil properties in their own laboratory or commission such research to other centers. The analysis and synthesis of results include in-depth expertise using the latest achievements in world science.

Research opportunities

• Determining the diversity and naturalness of soil cover in a given area
• Determining the soil suitability class and agricultural utility complex
• Assessing the pollution status of soils
• Determining the degree of geomechanical transformations of soils
• Assessing the impact of tourism on soils

Completed expertise and research services for external entities (examples)

• Conditions for the Spatial Development Plan of the City of Krakow; an operation and an original Soil Map of Krakow at a scale of 1:20,000
• Diversity of forest soils in a grid of fixed circular surfaces in the Tatra National Park (PN) – two projects: Part I. Western Tatras, Part II: Eastern part of TPN
• Monitoring of soil cover in the Kasprowy Wierch region
• Evaluation of the thickness of natural terrain fill by an investor
• Soil part of the GIS project titled "Monitoring of rare, endangered species and natural habitats, and their protection in the Bieszczady National Park"
• Soil part of the project "Protection Plan of the Magura National Park. Protection of inanimate nature resources and soils" (including an operation and a soil map at a scale of 1:25,000)
• Soil part of the project "Protection Plan of the Tatra National Park. Protection of inanimate nature resources and soils" (including an operation and a Soil Map at a scale of 1:20,000).
• Soil part of the project "Protection Plan of the Bieszczady National Park. Protection of inanimate nature resources and soils" (including an operation and an original map published by PPGiK, Warsaw, Soil Map of Bieszczady NP at a scale of 1:10,000)
• Micromorphological studies of soils and sediments from the archaeological site in Zwevegem, Belgium
• Micromorphological studies of soils and sediments from the archaeological site in Maszkowice near Łącko
• Study of soil cover of the dome of a high peat bog in the Bór na Czerwonem reserve

Analytical capabilities, field, and laboratory equipment

• Equipment for field research (including various types of manual augers, field transport equipment, devices for sampling various types of soils, instruments for measurements in field conditions)
• Apparatus for preliminary preparation of soil samples (drying, grinding, sieving, milling)
• Set of devices for determining basic soil properties (pH, particle size distribution using various methods, carbon and organic matter content, total nitrogen content, plant-available phosphorus content, carbonate content)
• Apparatus for determining the mineral composition of soils and rocks by X-ray diffraction (MiniFlex600 powder diffractometer by Rigaku)
• Apparatus for separating and analyzing the clay fraction (clay minerals) from soils
• Analytical line including a set of devices and measuring instruments for microscopic studies of soils in their natural arrangement (sets for sampling intact structure samples in the field, vacuum chambers, abrasives, and saws for preparing microscopic preparations of intact structure, polarizing microscopes allowing observations and measurements on a microscopic scale)
• Apparatus for characterizing the molecular composition of soil organic matter (UV-VIS spectrophotometer, FT-IR spectrometer with ATR attachment)