11 research outputs found
Gestione sostenibile delle risorse idriche nei piani di monitoraggio ambientale delle grandi opere infrastrutturali
No full textA GIS – based methodology for land suitability evaluation in Veneto (NE Italy).
No full textSince almost ten years, the Soil Science Research Group in Venice is carrying out studies on the characterization of soils in the Veneto region and their suitability for specific uses. Several areas have been investigated with the aim to select the best land use for a sustainable environment. The scenarios taken into consideration range from the Alpine and pre – Alpine region to the alluvial plain. Attention has been focused especially to land suitability for forestry, typical and niche crops, pasture and vineyard. The land evaluation procedure has been applied by a GIS – based methodology. Today, the GIS techniques are essential for the success of a correct and fast work, concerning the interpretation and processing of soil data and its display in form of map. Integrating information with crop and soil requirements, by means of "matching tables", it was possible to edit and manage land suitability maps for specific purposes. The applied methodology proved a useful and effective tool for sustainable land management
TOWARDS FOOD SAFETY. POTENTIALLY HARMFUL ELEMENTS (PHEs) FLUXES FROM SOIL TO FOOD CROPS
No full textSoil is the basis of the ecosystems and of our system of food production. Crops can uptake heavy metals and potentially toxic elements from the soil and store them in the roots or translocate them to the aerial parts. Excessive content of these elements in edible parts can produce toxic effects and, through the food chain and food consumption, result in a potential hazard for human health. In this study soils and plants (spring wheat, Triticum aestivum L. and maize, Zea mays L.) from a tannery district in North-East Italy were analyzed to determine the content of some major and micro-nutrients and potentially toxic elements (Al, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Ni, P, Pb, S, Zn, V). The soils of the area are moderately polluted; Cr is the most important inorganic contaminant, followed by Ni, Cu and V. Factor analysis evidenced that the contaminants are in part anthropogenic and in part geogenic. Major anthropogenic origin was detected for Cr, Ni (from industrial activities), Zn, Cu, Cd (from agriculture practices). Biological Absorption Coefficient (BAC) from soil to plant roots and Translocation factor (TF) within the plant were calculated; major nutrients (K, P, S) and some micronutrients (Cu, Zn, Mg, Mn) are easily absorbed and translocated, whilst other nutrients (Ca, Fe) and potentially toxic elements or micronutrients (Al, Cd, Cr, Ni, Pb, V) are not accumulated in the seeds of the two considered plants. However, the two edible species proved differently able to absorb and translocate elements, and this suggests to consider separately every species as potential PHEs transporter to the food chain and to humans. Cr concentrations in seeds and other aerial parts (stem and leaves) of the examined plants are higher than the values found for the same species and for other cereals grown on unpolluted soils. Comparing the Cr levels in edible parts with recommended dietary intake, besides other possible Cr sources (dust ingestion, water), there seems to be no health risk for animal breeding and population due to the consumption of wheat and maize grown in the area
Further investigations on the resilience capacity of Taraxacum officinale Weber growing on mine soils.
No full textLANDSCAPE EVOLUTION AND GLOBAL SOIL CHANGE IN ALPINE VALLEYS: IMPACT OF ANTHROPEDOGENESIS ON TERRACED SOILS (BELLUNO, NORTHERN ITALY)
No full textDuring the last decades, increasing human influence on the environment has determined strong impacts on soils. Although the effects of global soil change are currently quantified, to study and understand how and at which intensity soils are modified by human activity is of capital importance in order to effectively manage the changing ecosystems. One of the most important man-induced land transformations since many centuries is the terraced landform, an agricultural technique that characterizes many agro-ecosystems all over the world. In this study, our objectives were: i) to assess and compare the morphology and the physical-chemical-biological soil parameters of 'natural' and terraced soils; ii) to identify new forms and processes of anthropedogenesis in relation to chronological scales of human action operating within the natural pedogenesis time scales; iii) to use the existing taxonomic models for the classification of the terraced soils investigated
Enzyme dynamics in paddy soils of the rice district (NE Italy) under different cropping patterns
No full textRecently, the widespread interest on soil enzymes is due to the need to develop sensitive indicators of soil quality that reflect the effects of land management on soil and assist land managers in promoting long-term sustainability of terrestrial ecosystems. The activities of six important enzymes involved in C, N, P, and S cycling were investigated in a paddy soil from the Veneto region, Italy, in four different rotation systems (rice-rice-rice, soya-rice-rice, fallow-rice and pea-soya-rice) with three replications in April (after field preparation, field moist condition), June (after seedling, waterlogged soil condition), August (after tillering stage of rice, waterlogged soil condition) and October (after rice harvesting, drained soil condition) over the 2012 growing season. Our results demonstrated that soil enzyme activities varied with rotation systems and growth stages in paddy field. Compared with field moist soil, drained soil condition resulted in a significant increase (P < 0.05) of β-glucosidase, arylsulfatase, alkaline and acid phosphatases, leucine aminopeptidase (except of F-R), and chitinase activities in all rotations, while compared with drained soil, waterlogging (in month of June, the early period of waterlogging) significantly decreased (P<0.05) β-glucosidase, alkaline and acid phosphatases, leucine aminopeptidase (except of P-S-R), arylsulfatase, chitinases. Soil organic-C was positively correlated with acid and alkaline phosphatases, and arylsulfatase while ß-glucosidase, chitinases and leucine aminopeptidase were not significantly correlated to soil organic-C. Enzyme activities were always correlated among them
Assessment of total soil and plant trace elements in rice-based production systems in NE Italy
No full textRecently, the widespread interest on soil enzymes is due to the need to develop sensitive indicators of soil quality that reflect the effects of land management on soil and assist land managers in promoting long-term sustainability of terrestrial ecosystems. The activities of six important enzymes involved in C, N, P, and S cycling were investigated in a paddy soil from the Veneto region, Italy, in four different rotation systems (rice-rice-rice, soya-rice-rice, fallow-rice and pea-soya-rice) with three replications in April (after field preparation, field moist condition), June (after seedling, waterlogged soil condition), August (after tillering stage of rice, waterlogged soil condition) and October (after rice harvesting, drained soil condition) over the 2012 growing season. Our results demonstrated that soil enzyme activities varied with rotation systems and growth stages in paddy field. Compared with field moist soil, drained soil condition resulted in a significant increase (P < 0.05) of β-glucosidase, arylsulfatase, alkaline and acid phosphatases, leucine aminopeptidase (except of F-R), and chitinase activities in all rotations, while compared with drained soil, waterlogging (in month of June, the early period of waterlogging) significantly decreased (P<0.05) β-glucosidase, alkaline and acid phosphatases, leucine aminopeptidase (except of P-S-R), arylsulfatase, chitinases. Soil organic-C was positively correlated with acid and alkaline phosphatases, and arylsulfatase while ß-glucosidase, chitinases and leucine aminopeptidase were not significantly correlated to soil organic-C. Enzyme activities were always correlated among them
Assessment of total soil and plant trace elements in rice-based production systems in NE Italy
No full textRecently, the widespread interest on soil enzymes is due to the need to develop sensitive indicators of soil quality that reflect the effects of land management on soil and assist land managers in promoting long-term sustainability of terrestrial ecosystems. The activities of six important enzymes involved in C, N, P, and S cycling were investigated in a paddy soil from the Veneto region, Italy, in four different rotation systems (rice-rice-rice, soya-rice-rice, fallow-rice and pea-soya-rice) with three replications in April (after field preparation, field moist condition), June (after seedling, waterlogged soil condition), August (after tillering stage of rice, waterlogged soil condition) and October (after rice harvesting, drained soil condition) over the 2012 growing season. Our results demonstrated that soil enzyme activities varied with rotation systems and growth stages in paddy field. Compared with field moist soil, drained soil condition resulted in a significant increase (P < 0.05) of β-glucosidase, arylsulfatase, alkaline and acid phosphatases, leucine aminopeptidase (except of F-R), and chitinase activities in all rotations, while compared with drained soil, waterlogging (in month of June, the early period of waterlogging) significantly decreased (P<0.05) β-glucosidase, alkaline and acid phosphatases, leucine aminopeptidase (except of P-S-R), arylsulfatase, chitinases. Soil organic-C was positively correlated with acid and alkaline phosphatases, and arylsulfatase while ß-glucosidase, chitinases and leucine aminopeptidase were not significantly correlated to soil organic-C. Enzyme activities were always correlated among them
Assessment of total soil and plant trace elements in rice-based production systems in NE Italy
No full textRecently, the widespread interest on soil enzymes is due to the need to develop sensitive indicators of soil quality that reflect the effects of land management on soil and assist land managers in promoting long-term sustainability of terrestrial ecosystems. The activities of six important enzymes involved in C, N, P, and S cycling were investigated in a paddy soil from the Veneto region, Italy, in four different rotation systems (rice-rice-rice, soya-rice-rice, fallow-rice and pea-soya-rice) with three replications in April (after field preparation, field moist condition), June (after seedling, waterlogged soil condition), August (after tillering stage of rice, waterlogged soil condition) and October (after rice harvesting, drained soil condition) over the 2012 growing season. Our results demonstrated that soil enzyme activities varied with rotation systems and growth stages in paddy field. Compared with field moist soil, drained soil condition resulted in a significant increase (P < 0.05) of β-glucosidase, arylsulfatase, alkaline and acid phosphatases, leucine aminopeptidase (except of F-R), and chitinase activities in all rotations, while compared with drained soil, waterlogging (in month of June, the early period of waterlogging) significantly decreased (P<0.05) β-glucosidase, alkaline and acid phosphatases, leucine aminopeptidase (except of P-S-R), arylsulfatase, chitinases. Soil organic-C was positively correlated with acid and alkaline phosphatases, and arylsulfatase while ß-glucosidase, chitinases and leucine aminopeptidase were not significantly correlated to soil organic-C. Enzyme activities were always correlated among them
