The research interests of the Department of Soil Science include the contribution of agriculture to the salinisation of the Berg River, the water balance of fruit crops under irrigation, the modeling of water movement, amelioration of acid soils with industrial waste products, biochar amendment of soils, soil fertility in small-scale farming, ecosystems and biodiversity, forestry, and the protection of natural resources against pollution. Projects funded by the Water Research Commission (WRC) included discovering the contribution of changes in land use to the salinisation of water resources, the classification of soils with respect to their contribution to the vulnerability of ground water to pollution, and the fate of nitrogen after clearing of alien vegetation. African initiatives have included researching soil constraints to small-scale agriculture in Zambia and to plantations of teak in the Sudan. Ecological soil investigations have included the factors influencing soil infiltrability, unraveling the mystery of geophagy, determinants of savannah-grassland boundaries, restoration of degraded subtropical thicket, dieback of trees in Ngorogoro Crater and black rhino conservation. Work has continued on the mysteries of heuweltjies in the Cape landscape. Acid highveld soils in Mpumalanga are being treated with ash from power stations to find out whether the ash can be used as a substitute for normal lime. The impact of biochar on the chemical, physical and microbiological properties of Cape Flats sandy soil is currently being investigated. The Department contributes actively to national and international projects in soil classification.

Academic:
Dr JE Hoffman (Chairperson: Soil Physics, Water Management)
Dr F Ellis (Pedology, Soil Mapping)
Dr A Rozanov (Soil Biology, GIS)
Dr AG Hardie (Grondchemie)

Extra ordinary Professor
Prof MV Fey & JJN Lambrecht

Research:
Dr WP de Clercq, Dr AJ Mills

Supporting:
L Adams, J Harper, T Medinski,  N Robertson

Administrative:
AE French (Secretary)

Contact information:
Tel: +27 21 808 4794