Humus forms as a synthetic parameter for ecological investigations. Some examples in the Ligurian Alps (North–Western Italy)

• Published in: Applied soil ecology : a section of Agriculture, ecosystems & environment ecosystems & environment, 2018-02, Vol.123, p.568-571
• Main Authors: Bonifacio, Eleonora, D’Amico, Michele, Catoni, Marcella, Stanchi, Silvia
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Climate; Forest cover; Soil organic matter; Soil parent material
• ISSN: 0929-1393; 1873-0272
• DOI: 10.1016/j.apsoil.2017.04.008

•The Ligurian Alps represent a transition between the Mediterranean and the temperate climate.•All humus systems are present and Amphis are relatively abundant.•Humus forms reflect the interaction between site and soil conditions.•Humus forms are able to capture the ecological variability and synthesize it in a single parameter. 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.