From 21^st of September to 2^nd of October 2026, the sixth edition of the international course “Intensive Training Course on Soil Micromorphology” will take place at the Territorial Support Centre (CST) Pyrenees of the Institut Cartogràfic i Geològic de Catalunya, in Tremp. The course is organised by the Department of Environment and Soil Science of the University of Lleida, in collaboration with the ICGC and several universities and institutions.

Soil micromorphology is a technique within Earth sciences that describes, interprets and quantifies the components, features and structures of soils at microscopic and submicroscopic scales.

The course includes both theoretical and practical sessions using microscopy and is complemented by an optional field excursion in the Tremp basin.

Course contents:

• Principles of mineralogy and petrography; optical mineralogy
• Sampling for micromorphology and preparation of thin sections
• Guidelines for the description of soil and regolith thin sections and plant components
• Micromorphology of soil materials and identification of soil-forming processes: carbonate- and gypsum-rich soils, volcanic soils, clay accumulation, hydromorphic soils, tropical and highly weathered soils, glacial and periglacial processes, organic materials and faunal activity
• Micromorphometry and image processing
• Soil genesis and classification
• Geomorphology
• Paleo soils
• Archaeology

An optional weekend field excursion in the Tremp basin is also offered, focusing on geology, Mediterranean soil landscapes and soil genesis.

The teaching staff comprises experienced researchers and academics from the universities of Lleida, Barcelona, Stellenbosch, Ghent, La Laguna and the BETA Centre (UVic).

Programme:

• Introduction, sampling techniques and thin section preparation
• Optical mineralogy and mineral identification in thin sections
• Thin section description: microstructure, components and pedofeatures
• Systematic approach to thin section description
• Argillic, spodic, oxic and vertic materials. Freeze–thaw processes and hydromorphic features
• Applications in geomorphology and palaeopedology
• Plant components
• Mediterranean and arid soils: carbonates and gypsum
• Archaeological applications
• Introduction to micromorphometry
• Faeces

You may find further information in the following link.
 

Imatge