Areas of expertise
The group is renowned in the physics of soils for the measurement and analysis of soil loss, a theme which has given rise to numerous publications and applications.
- Physical protection of soils: development of innovative indices and measurement techniques, development of simplified field techniques;
- Quality of agricultural soils: protection and restoration of their structure, vulnerability and organic matter, conservation agriculture, cultural practices and carbon sequestration;
- Urban soils and urban plantations. Success and monitoring of plantations, impact on the urban climate;
- Techno-soils and their environmental applications: secured urban plantations, infiltration and purification of urban waters, purifying walls for agricultural or industrial effluents;
- Management of polluted soils (case of mercury in the Valais): characterisation, risk analysis, remediation and reconstitution of healthy soils.
The group has analytic infrastructure: a soil chemistry laboratory and a physical measurements unit.