Humus forms as a synthetic parameter for ecological investigations. Some examples in the Ligurian Alps (North-Western Italy)
Articolo
Data di Pubblicazione:
2018
Citazione:
Humus forms as a synthetic parameter for ecological investigations. Some examples in the Ligurian Alps (North-Western Italy) / E. Bonifacio, M. D'amico, M. Catoni, S. Stanchi. - In: APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY. - ISSN 0929-1393. - 123(2018 Feb), pp. 568-571. [10.1016/j.apsoil.2017.04.008]
Abstract:
In the Ligurian Alps, a wide range of site conditions that influence soil development and may affect humus variability is present. In this work, we wanted to evaluate the potentialities of humus forms as a synthetic indicator of both chemical properties of the humic episola and site conditions in the upper Tanaro Valley (NW Italy). Vegetation affected the C/N ratio of the least transformed organic horizons, but the effect disappeared in mineral ones, where soil pH was related to the parent material. All terrestrial humus forms were found in the area and their distribution well reflected the interactions between vegetation, lithology, elevation that shaped soil properties and affected the degradability of litter and its actual degradation by microorganisms and soil fauna. Humus forms were thus able to capture the ecological conditions, integrating the information provided by soil classifications.
Tipologia IRIS:
01 - Articolo su periodico
Keywords:
Forest cover; Soil parent material; Climate; Soil organic matter
Elenco autori:
E. Bonifacio, M. D'Amico, M. Catoni, S. Stanchi
Link alla scheda completa: