Vertic Soils in Alluvion‐Reclaimed Areas, Volturno River Plain, Italy

Abstract

Reclamation activities in alluvial depressions in Volturno River Plain resulted in the occurrence of soils with vertic characteristics and properties. We studied the genesis and properties of soils in alluvial areas known to be reclaimed by the alluvion system about 100 yr ago, and compared these soils with natural, adjacent alluvial soils. Soils in the reclaimed areas were characterized by cracks, slickensides, and high clay contents. Soils were satisfactorily classified within the existing Vertisol order of U. S. soil taxonomy. Soils with similar vertic morphology and properties also occurred in nonreclaimed adjacent alluvial areas, where they were associated with coarser textured Entisols. Since no important morphological evidence for the reclamation activity was identified in the soils in the reclaimed areas, the anthropogenic origin of such soils only emerged from historical records. The introduction of relational properties such as historical records is currently suggested to interpret and classify soils of various proposed taxonomic classes at different categorical levels. Therefore we discuss some critical aspects of the use of the historical records for classifying the soils in the reclaimed areas into genetic and technical soil categories that are currently being defined by the International Committee on Anthropogenic Soils (ICOMANTH).

Human-Altered and Human-Transported Soils in an Italian Industrial District

“…The CEC main value is smaller than that observed in reference soils, although the difference was not statistically significant ( Table 5). As reported in previous investigations of HAHT soils (Ermice et al, 2002), the CEC/ clay ratio was poorly related (r = 0.40*), on the contrary to that previously observed for reference soils. This is probably due to the younger age of the HAHT soils and consequent decrease of clay fraction of pedegenetic origin.…”

Lead distribution as related to pedological features of soils in the Volturno River low Basin (Campania, Italy)

“…Indeed, the erratic Pb distribution among the investigated soil profiles is clearly linked to the intrinsically heterogeneity of the Pedons, revealed by physical and chemical discontinuities, such as the presence of deep buried horizons and/or the changes of soil OM, clay and CaCO 3 contents, and, consequently, of CEC. These features are all typical of the alluvial soils of the Volturno River low Basin (De Vivo et al, 2001;Ermice et al, 2002).…”

Effect of Long-Term Swine Effluent Application on Selected Soil Properties

“…Long-term application of swine effluent resulted in small changes in pH in previously well-buffered calcareous Okolona soil (0.11) as compared with the Brooksville (0.97) and Vaiden soil (0.88). Dropping soil pH may be explained by leaching loss of basic ions, such as NH 4 + , Ca ++ , and Mg ++ , during irrigation because of the cracking nature of soils having Vertic properties (Ermice et al, 2002) and removal of basic ions from the soil through the harvested forage during the growing season. After long-term swine effluent applications, soil pH at the 0-15 cm soil depth for the Brooksville (5.93) and Okolona (7.39) soils were either within or greater than the reference range of 5.8 to 6.5 in which most common forage crops in the southeast United States grow best (Ball et al, 1996).…”