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The knowledge of the effects of fire on soil properties is of particular concern in Mediterranean areas, where the effects of vegetation type are still scarce also. This research aimed: to assess the properties of burnt soils under... more
The knowledge of the effects of fire on soil properties is of particular concern in Mediterranean areas, where the effects of vegetation type are still scarce also. This research aimed: to assess the properties of burnt soils under different vegetation types; to highlight the soil abiotic properties driving the soil microbial biomass and activity under each vegetation type; to compare the biological response in unburnt and burnt soils under the same vegetation type, and between unburnt and burnt soils under different vegetation types. The soils were collected at a Mediterranean area where a large wildfire caused a 50% loss of the previous vegetation types (holm oak: HO, pine: P, black locust: BL, and herbs: H), and were characterized by abiotic (pH, water, and organic matter contents; N concentrations; and C/N ratios) and biotic (microbial and fungal biomasses, microbial respiration, soil metabolic quotient, and hydrolase and dehydrogenase activities) properties. The biological resp...
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Soil is a key component of terrestrial areas as it provides many services such as functionality of the ecosystems, support organism life and their wellness and sustain plant or crop productivity. Therefore, soils maintain the... more
Soil is a key component of terrestrial areas as it provides many services such as functionality of the ecosystems, support organism life and their wellness and sustain plant or crop productivity. Therefore, soils maintain the environmental quality. In the last century, human density rapidly increased, causing strong environmental variations to satisfy their needs and leading to excessive land transformation. Land use changes determine deep alterations of ecosystem functionality that governs physical, chemical and microbiological processes. As soil formation is slower than its consumption, it is necessary to preserve over the time its quality. The research aimed: i) to assess the effects on soil abiotic and biotic properties of human impacts in different ecosystems (urban, agricultural and human managed forest); ii) to provide a minimum data set of soil properties as useful tool for decision-makers to monitor, conserve or improve the soil quality. The main results of the research highlighted that the main soil abiotic properties that were affected by different land-uses were: quantity and quality of organic matter, soil C:N ratio, water content, pH and some heavy metal content. In turns, these properties caused changes in the fungal and bacterial fractions of the soil microbial biomass. Bacteria appeared favored in soils with scarce content of mineralizable substrates and alkaline soil pH, and fungi in soils with water stress condition. In conclusion, only few abiotic and biotic soil properties (organic matter and water content, C:N ratio, bacterial and fungal biomass and microbial respiration) are good indicators of soil quality and crucial factors to take into account in programs for soil recovery
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The assessment of Technosols quality in urban environments is pivotal for the maintenance of ecosystems impacted by human activities. The study was performed on Technosols constructed in experimental mesocosms in the suburban area of... more
The assessment of Technosols quality in urban environments is pivotal for the maintenance of ecosystems impacted by human activities. The study was performed on Technosols constructed in experimental mesocosms in the suburban area of Naples (Southern Italy) to highlight changes in the main soil properties over eight years and to identify the most suitable indices at quality monitoring. In this study, several chemical, biological, and integrated indices were analysed to evaluate the mineral accumulation, potential ecological risk, edaphon activity, fertility, and the overall soil quality. The Technosols showed alkaline pH, nitrogen ranged from 24.5 to 39.5 g kg−1, high organic matter contents above 40 g kg−1, and there were no evident processes of soil compaction. Heavy metals (Cr, Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn) did not exceed the thresholds defined by the Italian law for urban soils, despite their volcanic components. During eight years, the chemical indices depicted changes in the...
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Anthropization often leads to land use transformation, causing deep changes to soil properties and its quality. Land use change could be an environmental and socioeconomic problem, as it impacts soil quality and ecosystem services. There... more
Anthropization often leads to land use transformation, causing deep changes to soil properties and its quality. Land use change could be an environmental and socioeconomic problem, as it impacts soil quality and ecosystem services. There is an urgent need to understand the pressures affecting soil quality. The aim of the work is to quantify the impact of different land uses on soil abiotic and biotic properties and on its quality. To achieve the aims, soils from different land uses (forest, urban and agricultural) were collected in the surroundings of Naples and analyzed for pH, water content, contents of C and N, C/N ratio and total and available concentrations of Cu, Ni and Pb, microbial and fungal biomasses, basal respiration and metabolic quotient. Then, a soil quality index (SQI) was calculated for each land use. The results showed that soil abiotic and biotic properties of the agricultural sites differed from those of forest and urban sites. At agricultural sites, microbial ab...
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Abstract Plant cover and microclimatic conditions can profoundly alter the balance between productivity and decay, with relevant effects on soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) pools. Despite their importance, the combined effects of plant... more
Abstract Plant cover and microclimatic conditions can profoundly alter the balance between productivity and decay, with relevant effects on soil carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) pools. Despite their importance, the combined effects of plant cover and microclimatic conditions on soil C and N pools have been poorly assessed, especially in the Mediterranean environment. Therefore, the aims of the present study were to assess how, in Mediterranean areas, C and N pools differ between afforested pine forests and natural shrublands and to highlight the different impacts of plant cover on C and N sequestration at low and high elevations Along a forest floor-mineral soil continuum, plant cover and elevation effects were evaluated through measurements of C and N pools and water-soluble fractions, molecular characterization by 13C and 1H NMR, and microbial and fungal amounts and activities. Our data show that C accumulated more in afforested pine forest soils than in shrubland soils, especially at low elevations. In pine forests, the higher content of aromatic and O alkyl compounds in the upper organic layers and the abundance of aromatic and carboxylic components in the soluble fraction suggest a greater stability of soil organic matter than in shrublands. Additionally, the high concentration of N in the upper organic layer and its reduction in the fermentative layer stimulate soil C accumulation mainly in pine forests at low elevations. The abundant organic mass at high elevations in pine forests improves microbial growth, whereas the greater recalcitrance of organic residues at low elevations in pine forests leads to a decrease in the bacterial component compared with the fungal component. In conclusion, the plant cover effect appears to be strongly conditioned by elevation, and afforestation with pine at low elevations could favour long-term soil C storage.
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Abstract In Mediterranean areas, fires are accelerators of soil degradation and the definition of the time extent to re-establish the soil community is a great challenge. The aims of the research were to evaluate, during two years after a... more
Abstract In Mediterranean areas, fires are accelerators of soil degradation and the definition of the time extent to re-establish the soil community is a great challenge. The aims of the research were to evaluate, during two years after a fire: i) the potential recover of the soil abiotic properties; ii) the stability (resistance or resilience) of the soil microbial community; iii) the potential role of different plant covers on soil recover capability. To reach the aims, soil properties as organic matter content, C and N concentrations, microbial (MB) and fungal (FB) biomasses, respiration (Resp) and coefficient of endogenous mineralization (CEM) were measured twelve, fifteen, eighteen and twenty-four months after fire, and were compared to those in pre-fire soils. The results showed that the MB was less resistant in soils under herbs and black locust, and more resilient under pine and holm oak; FB showed low resistance till one year after fire regardless to the plant cover, and high resilience at two years after fire, especially under holm oak and pine; Resp greatly slowed down and did not recover the initial values regardless to the plant cover; CEM resisted to fire in soils under different plant covers. In conclusion, the soil abiotic properties were strongly affected by plant covers, whereas the biotic ones also by the time since fire. Finally, soils under holm oak were the most fire resistant.
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Abstract The increasing frequency and extent of forest fires cause severe temporal effects on soil properties, which knowledge about is controversial or lacking. So, the research aimed to evaluate changes in Mediterranean Andosol... more
Abstract The increasing frequency and extent of forest fires cause severe temporal effects on soil properties, which knowledge about is controversial or lacking. So, the research aimed to evaluate changes in Mediterranean Andosol properties (pH, water and organic matter contents, C and N concentrations) and total and available Ca, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Na, Ni and Pb concentrations 1 and 2 years after fire occurrence, comparing them to the pre-fire ones. The results underline that, in the investigated Mediterranean Andosols, fire caused significant decrease in water and organic matter contents, C, Fe and Mg total concentrations as well as significant increase in pH, total Ca, K, Fe, Na concentrations and available Cu and Pb fractions. After fire, temporal changes of soil element concentrations occurred at different speeds, as Ca, Cu, Fe, Mg and Ni total concentrations changed already 1 year after fire occurrence; whereas, K and Na total concentrations changed only after two years. Finally, 2 years after fire none of the investigated soil properties reached the pre-fire values, suggesting a whole worsening of soil conditions. The early responses of soils to fire are useful to predict the evolution of the system, the relationships between below and above ground and to provide useful tools for management practices.
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Altitude, exposure, and plant cover may have a significant impact on the soil system, affecting its abiotic characteristics and, in turn, soil microbial composition and activity. In the Mediterranean area, the relationships among... more
Altitude, exposure, and plant cover may have a significant impact on the soil system, affecting its abiotic characteristics and, in turn, soil microbial composition and activity. In the Mediterranean area, the relationships among environmental features and soil characteristics are still scarcely investigated. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of altitude, slope exposure, and plant cover on soil abiotic characteristics and the responses of the soil microbial community. Surface soil was sampled at 32 field points of the Vesuvius Mountain (Southern Italy) at two slope exposures (North and South), two altitudes (600 and 900 m a.s.l), and under two different plant covers (pines and shrubs), and it was analyzed for soil abiotic and biotic characteristics. The results showed that soil characteristics mainly differed according to site altitude, but some characteristics also changed according to site exposure and plant cover. The soil organic carbon (Corg) showed significant hi...
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Mediterranean regions are the most impacted by fire in Europe. The effects of fire on soil greatly vary according to several factors such as vegetation cover type, but they are scarcely studied. Therefore, this research aimed at... more
Mediterranean regions are the most impacted by fire in Europe. The effects of fire on soil greatly vary according to several factors such as vegetation cover type, but they are scarcely studied. Therefore, this research aimed at evaluating the combined impacts of fire and vegetation on single soil characteristics and on the overall soil quality and functionality through two soil quality indices, simple additive (SQI) and a weighted function (SQIFUNCT). In order to reach the aims, burnt and unburnt soils were collected under different vegetation cover types (herbs and shrubs, black locust, pine and holm oak) within the Vesuvius National Park. The soils were analyzed for the main abiotic (water and organic matter content, total C, N, Ca, K, Cu and Pb concentrations, C/N ratio) and biotic (microbial and fungal biomasses, basal respiration, β-glucosidase activity) characteristics. On the basis of the investigated soil characteristics, several soil functions (water retention, nutrient su...
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Wildfires have high frequency and intensity in the Mediterranean ecosystems that deeply modify the soil abiotic (i.e., pH, contents of water, organic matter and elements) and biotic properties (i.e., biomass and activity). In 2017, an... more
Wildfires have high frequency and intensity in the Mediterranean ecosystems that deeply modify the soil abiotic (i.e., pH, contents of water, organic matter and elements) and biotic properties (i.e., biomass and activity). In 2017, an intense wildfire occurred inside the Vesuvius National Park (Southern Italy), destroying approximately 50% of the existing plant cover. So, the research aimed to evaluate the fire effects on soil quality through single soil abiotic and biotic indicators and through an integrated index (SQI). To achieve the aim, soil samples were collected inside the Vesuvius National Park at 12 sampling field points before fire (BF) and after fire (AF). The findings highlighted that in AF soil, the contents of water and total carbon, element availability, respiration and the dehydrogenase activity were lower than in BF soil; in contrast, pH and hydrolase activity were significantly higher in AF soil. The microbial biomass and activity were affected by Al, Cr and Cu ava...
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The intensive wildfires recurring in the Mediterranean area modify soil physico-chemical properties, in turn inducing changes in soil microbial abundance and activity. Soils were sampled from burnt and adjacent unburnt sites within... more
The intensive wildfires recurring in the Mediterranean area modify soil physico-chemical properties, in turn inducing changes in soil microbial abundance and activity. Soils were sampled from burnt and adjacent unburnt sites within Vesuvius National Park 1 year after a large wildfire occurred in summer 2017. The aims of the present study were to evaluate the effects of fires on soil characteristics and to investigate whether different plant types contribute to mitigating or enhancing these effects. The results showed lower organic matter and water content and a higher C/N ratio in burnt than in unburnt soils. In particular, this trend was the same for all the plant types investigated, with the exception of soils covered by black locust tree and holm oak, which showed a higher C/N ratio in unburnt than in burnt soils. In soils covered by holm oaks, a shift in the bacterial and fungal fractions occurred between burnt and unburnt soils, whereas the amount of ammonia oxidisers was notab...
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Soil quality is strongly affected by microbial biomass that is involved in organic matter mineralization and the supply of nutrients to plants. The effects of trace elements on soil microbial biomass and activity are still controversial,... more
Soil quality is strongly affected by microbial biomass that is involved in organic matter mineralization and the supply of nutrients to plants. The effects of trace elements on soil microbial biomass and activity are still controversial, and the contents of the elements in different forms, more than the total amounts, may affect soil microbial community. Volcanic soils are peculiar environments because of their chemical characteristics. Therefore, the aims of this research were to evaluate in volcanic soils: i) the elemental composition; ii) the elemental availability; and iii) the effects of elemental fractions on soil microbial biomass and activity. In order to reach the aims, the BCR sequential extraction method was applied in order to separate 22 elements in different soil fractions: acid soluble, reducible, oxidisable and residual. The studied biological parameters were: microbial and fungal biomasses, soil respiration, metabolic quotient, coefficient of endogenous mineralizati...
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Massive use of pesticides in conventional agriculture leads to accumulation in soil of complex mixtures, triggering questions about their potential ecotoxicological risk. This study assessed cropland soils containing pesticide mixtures... more
Massive use of pesticides in conventional agriculture leads to accumulation in soil of complex mixtures, triggering questions about their potential ecotoxicological risk. This study assessed cropland soils containing pesticide mixtures sampled from conventional and organic farming systems at La Cage and Mons, France. The conventional agricultural field soils contained more pesticide residues (11 and 17 versus 3 and 11, respectively) and at higher concentrations than soils from organic fields (mean 6.6 and 10.5 versus 0.2 and 0.6 μg kg-1, respectively), including systemic insecticides belonging to neonicotinoids, carbamate herbicides and broad-spectrum fungicides mostly from the azole family. A risk quotient (RQi) approach evaluated the toxicity of the pesticide mixtures in soil, assuming concentration addition. Based on measured concentrations, both conventional agricultural soils posed high risks to soil invertebrates, especially due to the presence of epoxiconazole and imidacloprid, whereas soils under organic farming showed negligible to medium risk. To confirm the outcome of the risk assessment, toxicity of the soils was determined in bioassays following standardized test guidelines with seven representative non-target invertebrates: earthworms (Eisenia andrei, Lumbricus rubellus, Aporrectodea caliginosa), enchytraeids (Enchytraeus crypticus), Collembola (Folsomia candida), oribatid mites (Oppia nitens), and snails (Cantareus aspersus). Collembola and enchytraeid survival and reproduction and land snail growth were significantly lower in soils from conventional compared to organic agriculture. The earthworms displayed different responses: L. rubellus showed higher mortality on soils from conventional agriculture and large body mass loss in all field soils, E. andrei showed considerable mass loss and strongly reduced reproduction, and A. caliginosa showed significantly reduced acetylcholinesterase activity in soils from conventional agriculture. The oribatid mites did not show consistent differences between organic and conventional farming soils. These results highlight that conventional agricultural practices pose a high risk for soil invertebrates and may threaten soil functionality, likely due to additive or synergistic "cocktail effects".