Contamination by heavy metals in soils may strongly affect the environmental quality. Lipid peroxidation caused by heavy metals in plants was investigated as a relevant bioassay of toxicity. Soils and wild plants (dandelion and willow) were collected from an abandoned mine area in northeast Italy, and the concentration of different heavy metals (Ni, Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn, Fe and Mn) were measured and analyzed. Soils affected by mining activities presented total Zn, Cu, and Pb concentrations (2566, 3975, 20,815 mg kg −1 respectively) above toxic thresholds, and 58% for Fe. Heavy metal-induced oxidative stress was evidenced by the generation of reactive radicals, followed by an increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) production up to 41.64 μM in willow leaves. We found that MDA concentration in plant tissues differed significantly among species and plant organs. The higher concentration of metal in soil corresponded with the higher concentration of MDA in the plant. The combined results of metal concentration, MDA content and translocation coefficients in plants show that the investigated plants are rather highly tolerant towards environmental pollution. This suggests that they could be useful in phytoremediation of metal contaminated sites.

One of the most important man-induced land transformations since many centuries is the terraced landform, an agricultural technique that characterizes many agroecosystems all over the world. In this study, our objectives were: i) to evaluate the background level of heavy metals in soils of a terraced ecosystem in the proximity of the Dolomites natural park, in northern Italy; ii) to ascertain the metal concentration range and spatial distribution; iii) to identify possible contamination of some sites, and the related environmental hazard. Six different terraced landforms were selected; totally, 32 representative soil profiles were opened and sampled. Specific analyses of 15 potentially harmful trace elements (Sb, As, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Hg, Ni, Pb, Cu, Se, Sn, Tl, V and Zn) were carried out in the laboratory by ICP-MS after digestion with HF and HClO4. Background levels of heavy metals in the soils investigated are consistent with currently recorded trace element concentrations of soils from Western Europe. A geological matrix effect may be accounted for metal release by parent material weathering. Nevertheless, metal accumulation in surface horizons at some sites has been recorded, and may be ascribed to atmospheric input. The extreme parts of the territory investigated, moreover, present significant concentrations of some metals. In particular, Cu, Pb and Zn contents in surface horizons suggest an anthropogenic enrichment. The human contribution could be due to past mine activities in the close vicinity, and metals have been probably vehicled southward through stream and/or wind transport. Moreover, Sn shows amounts overall above the allowed legislation threshold. In some cases it was not possible to assess if the presence, or the concentration level, of a metal could be related to natural sources or to recent, or past, human activities. AbstractOne of the most important man-induced land transformations since many centuries is the terraced landform, an agricultural technique that characterizes many agroecosystems all over the world. In this study, our objectives were: i) to evaluate the background level of heavy metals in soils of a terraced ecosystem in the proximity of the Dolomites natural park, in northern Italy; ii) to ascertain the metal concentration range and spatial distribution; iii) to identify possible contamination of some sites, and the related environmental hazard.Six different terraced landforms were selected; totally, 32 representative soil profiles were opened and sampled. Specific analyses of 15 potentially harmful trace elements (Sb, As, Be, Cd, Co, Cr, Hg, Ni, Pb, Cu, Se, Sn, Tl, V and Zn) were carried out in the laboratory by ICP-MS after digestion with HF and HClO 4 .Background levels of heavy metals in the soils investigated are consistent with currently recorded trace element concentrations of soils from Western Europe. A geological matrix effect may be accounted for metal release by parent material weathering. Nevertheless, metal accumulation in surface horizons at some sites ...

Gas emissions from anthropic activities, particularly CO2, are responsible for global warming. Soil is a major carbon sink on a planetary level, thereby contributing to mitigate greenhouse effect. In the present work, the objectives were: 1) to evaluate the topsoil carbon stock of different forest stands in NE Italy, and 2) to outline the relationships among humus forms, soil organic matter dynamics, and actual carbon stock under different vegetation coverage, with reference to climate change. Five forest stands and the related topsoils, were selected in the Dolomites area. The humus forms were examined in the field and samples were carried to the lab for further physical-chemical analyses. The carbon stock for each soil was calculated by means of pedotransfer functions. The less developed humus forms, as the Dysmull and the Hemimoder, presented the highest carbon storage capacity (168 t/y and 129 t/y), followed by Lithoamphimus (123 t/y) and Eu-amphimus (96 t/y), and by Oligomull (86 t/y). Organic horizons proved to recover 36% of the total carbon stocked along the soil profile, and this points to humus layers as a fundamental tool in carbon stock evaluation. Positive correlations between elevation, humus forms and soil carbon pools were found.

Since 1997, the Department of Environmental Sciences of Ca' Foscari University of Venice has undertaken numerous research projects aimed at deepening understanding of pedogenic processes in the Dolomites, and at highlighting the fundamental contribution that soil science can give to the conservation of natural resources and achieve sustainable management of mountain ecosystems. A total of several hundred

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