Augusto Zanella

University of Padova | UNIPD · Department of Land, Environment, Agriculture and Forestry TESAF

In recent years, three sections (Humipedon, Copedon and Lithopedon) were recognized in the soil profile. It was then possible to link the first and most biologically active section to the characteristics of the environment and soil genesis. In particular, it is now possible to distinguish organic horizons, mainly produced by arthropods and enchytra...

Dialogue with Sandro Pignatti on natural evolution, considering the soil as a living matrix in which the recycling of organic matter (and DNA) takes place. We discussed the following topics: 1) the relationship between phytosociology and plants’ ecology; 2) the soil as individual or ecosystem digestive machinery; 3) the hypothesis of a complemental...

In recent years, three sections (Humipedon, Copedon and Lithopedon) have been recog- 21 nized in the soil profile. It was then possible to link the first and most biologically active section to 22 the characteristics of the environment and the soil genesis. In particular, it is now possible to distin- 23 guish organic horizons, mainly produced by a...

The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper [...]

We set out to study what biodiversity is, and how it can be influenced by human activities. To carry out this research, we looked for two, relatively closed, natural small-island systems: one little influenced by human settlement and another equivalent (same vegetation series aligned 200 m from the first) but heavily settled. In these two environme...

It was time to take stock. We modified the humipedon classification key published in 2018 to make it easier and more practical. This morpho-functional taxonomy of the topsoil (humipedon) was only available in English; we also translated it into French and Italian. A standardized morpho-functional classification of humipedons (roughly the top 30–40...

It was time to take stock. We modified the humipedons classification key published in 2018, to make it easier and more practical. This morpho-functional taxonomy of the topsoil (humipedon) was only available in English: we also translated it into French and Italian. A standardized morpho-functional classification of humipedon (roughly the top 30-40...

Pages 10 to 14 of the Volume I of the FAO-Unesco Soil Map of the World. Using an electronic tool, it is easy to enlarge the quoted parts and read them. Otherwise, just open the site http://www.fao.org/soils-portal/soil-survey/soil-maps-and-databases/faounesco-soil-map-of-the-world/en/ and download the whole volume.

Quotation from Waksman, S. A. (1936). HUMUS. Origin, chemical composition and importance in nature. The Williams & Wilkins Company. The whole “outlook” of the authors can be found here: https://soilcarboncoalition.org/files/Waksman-Humus.pdf, particularly at pages 397-398.

Quotation from Waksman, S. A. (1936). HUMUS. Origin, chemical composition and importance in nature. The Williams & Wilkins Company. The whole “outlook” of the authors can be found here: https://soilcarboncoalition.org/files/Waksman-Humus.pdf, particularly at pages 397-398.

Soils and crops are particularly vulnerable to climate change and environmental stresses. In many agrosystems, soil biodiversity and ecosystem services provided by soils are under threat from a range of natural and human drivers. Agricultural soils are often subject to agronomic practices that disrupt soil trophic networks and make soils less produ...

Pages 10 to 14 of the Volume I of the FAO-Unesco Soil Map of the World. Using an electronic tool, it is easy to enlarge the quoted parts and read them. Otherwise, just open the site http://www.fao.org/soils-portal/soil-survey/soil-maps-and-databases/faounesco-soil-map-of-the-world/en/ and download the whole volume.

One of the new objectives laid out by the European Union’s Common Agriculture Policy is increasing environmental sustainability. In this paper we compare the degree of average dependence index for each member state (ADIMS) in EU28 from 2007 to 2019 in order to verify the following: 1) whether there was a difference in this index when comparing two...

Report of the landscape analysis first results in the Venice Biodistrict pilot area

Sustained nitrogen (N) deposition has a wide-ranging impact on terrestrial ecosystems. However, still little attention has been paid to responses of urban soil fauna to the increasing N deposition. To clarify such effects on the soil properties and soil fauna in typical urban lawns (featuring Cynodon dactylon vegetation), a control experiment was c...

Soils and crops are nowadays particularly vulnerable to climate change and environmental stresses. In many agrosystems, soil biodiversity and the ecosystem services soil provides are under threat from a range of natural and manmade drivers. Agricultural soils are often subjected to agronomic practices that disrupt soil trophic networks to a large e...

Resultati analisi abitudini alimentari condotte in un campione di 680 intervistati.

Video presented at the IUFRO WORLD DAY September 28-29 2021: https://www.iufroworldday.org Please, watch or download it there: https://datacloud.tesaf.unipd.it/s/qMgtlYj1KeEJ2i7 What's soil in the concept of Critical zone?

IUFRO WORLD DAY video: https://datacloud.tesaf.unipd.it/s/qMgtlYj1KeEJ2i7

Living beings organize themselves into ecosystems. When they are on the coast they arrange themselves along a gradient that goes from the sea to the mainland (Botanical Garden of Porto Caleri), in an evident and regular way. This is well known and is what happens on a larger scale from the plains to the mountains (phytoclimatic bands), or even from...

In the study we evaluate the importance of impollinating service in agricolture

WEBINAR: https://unipd.zoom.us/j/5745799331 TITLE: SOIL BIODIVERSITY AND MANAGEMENT - Practical tools and actions for facing the future JUNE 24th 14h30-16h30 1. Topsoil classification QUESTION: Is there a wise way to use the soil? 15h30 - 16h30 GENERAL DISCUSSION JUNE 25th 14h00-15h00 2. 2.1. Soil and biodiversity QUESTION: Is soil biodiversity rea...

WEBINAR: https://unipd.zoom.us/j/5745799331 TITLE: SOIL BIODIVERSITY AND MANAGEMENT - Practical tools and actions for facing the future JUNE 24th 14h30-16h30 1. Topsoil classification QUESTION: Is there a wise way to use the soil? 15h30 - 16h30 GENERAL DISCUSSION JUNE 25th 14h00-15h00 2. 2.1. Soil and biodiversity QUESTION: Is soil biodiversity...

We considered an island. We are trying to have the list of all living beings.

We considered an island. We are trying to have the list of all living beings.

Partly unintentionally, humans have dramatically changed the planet they live on. Just as dogs can no longer become wolves again, so a domesticated planet Earth will not come back from the Anthropocene. Scientists try to mobilize citizens. More socioeconomic than scientific reasons explain why scientists' alarming predictions are not considered wit...

Quotation from Waksman, S. A. (1936). HUMUS. Origin, chemical composition and importance in nature. The Williams & Wilkins Company. The whole “outlook” of the authors can be found here: https://soilcarboncoalition.org/files/Waksman-Humus.pdf, particularly at pages 397-398.

Pages 10 to 14 of the Volume I of the FAO-Unesco Soil Map of the World. Using an electronic tool, it is easy to enlarge the quoted parts and read them. Otherwise, just open the site http://www.fao.org/soils-portal/soil-survey/soil-maps-and-databases/faounesco-soil-map-of-the-world/en/ and download the whole volume.

Continuing nitrogen (N) deposition has a wide-ranging impact on terrestrial ecosystems. To test the hypothesis that, under N deposition, bacterial communities could suffer a negative impact, and in a relatively short timeframe, an experiment was carried out for a year in an urban area featuring a cover of Bermuda grass (Cynodon dactylon) and simula...

At the end of October 2018, a storm of unprecedented strength severely damaged the forests of the eastern sector of the Italian Alps. The affected forest area covers 42,500 ha. The president of one of the damaged regions asked for help from the University of Padua. After eight months of discussion, the authors of this article wrote a consensus text...

At the end of October 2018, a storm of unprecedented strength severely damaged the forests of the eastern sector of the Italian Alps. The affected forest area covers 42,500 ha. The president of one of the damaged regions asked for help from the University of Padua. After eight months of discussion, the authors of this article wrote a consensus text...

Riassunto COVID-19 ha messo sottosopra il mondo. C'erano tutti i segni di uno sbilanciamento in atto; biologico: biodiversità in declino e riscaldamento climatico; sociale: migrazioni, divario crescente tra il benessere dei paesi democratici = ricchi e quelli dittatoriali = poveri. È necessario continuare a cercare ispirazione nella scienza per ri...

RIASSUNTO COVID-19 ha messo sottosopra il mondo. C'erano tutti i segni di uno sbilanciamento in atto; biologico: biodiversità in declino e riscaldamento climatico; sociale: migrazioni, di-vario crescente tra il benessere dei paesi democratici = ricchi e quelli dittatoriali = poveri. E necessario continuare a cercare ispirazione nella scienza per ri...

Evaluation of the pollination service and effects on regional agricultural policy

COVID-19 has turned the world upside down. The signs of an ongoing imbalance were all present; biological: declining biodiversity and a warming climate, and social: migrations , the growing distance between the welfare of democratic=rich and dictatorial=poor countries. It is necessary to continue gaining inspiration in Science. Admitting that: 1) T...

Il gruppo SETA (Scienze e tecnologie agrarie) ha inviato una lettera al Parlamento italiano in cui consigliava di non adottare una misura legislativa a favore dell'agricoltura biologica e biodinamica rispetto a quella convenzionale. Un altro gruppo di scienziati ritiene invece che il governo italiano debba favorire l'agricoltura biologica e biodina...

The SETA group (Agricultural Science and Technology) sent a letter to the Italian Parliament advising them not to adopt a legislative measure that favors organic and biodynamic agriculture compared to the conventional one. Another group of scientists thinks instead that the Italian government should favor organic and biodynamic agriculture and expl...

The SETA group (Agricultural Science and Technology) sent a letter to the Italian Parliament advising them not to adopt a legislative measure that favors organic and biodynamic agriculture compared to the conventional one. Another group of scientists thinks instead that the Italian government should favor organic and biodynamic agriculture and expl...

The SETA group (Agricultural Science and Technology) sent a letter to the Italian Parliament advising them not to adopt a legislative measure that favors organic and biodynamic agriculture compared to the conventional one. Another group of scientists thinks instead that the Italian government should favor organic and biodynamic agriculture and expl...

The name TerrHum comes from the abbreviation of the words Terrestrial (not hydromorphic, not submerged soils) and Humipedon (superficial part of a soil, richer in organic matter and composed of organic and organo-mineral soil horizons). This application allows classifying all forest topsoils except submerged ones. The app is built on the indication...

The forests of 473 Italian Alpine municipalities were severely damaged by a strong wind at the end of October 2018. The affected forest area covers 42,500 ha. The president of one of the damaged regions asked for help from the TESAF department of the University of Padua. 26 international scientists (listed: 25; anonymous: 1) responded to the appeal...

An overview of a novel, extended classification of humus forms, with explanation of basic concepts and numerous examples taken from the fields of sylviculture and agriculture.

Plant protection is essential for providing high-quality food in adequate quantities. However, the use of insecticides often induces adverse effects on environment and human health. The Agency for the Environmental Protection of Tuscany (Italy) arranges pesticide ingredients in five classes basing on their impact on human health. We classified the...

Core Ideas A common humus classification system improves communication among soil scientists. A cellular phone application can be used for global soil mapping and monitoring purposes. The humus classification can be combined with different soil classification systems. The name TerrHum is an abbreviation of the words “Terrestrial” (not hydromorphic...

Nella valutazione della sostenibilità ambientale i metodi di indagine biologici assumono sempre più rilevanza e vengono utilizzati insieme ai tradizionali metodi chimici e fisici. Questi metodi biologici prevedono l'impiego di bioindicatori, vale a dire organismi, o parti di essi, o popolamenti naturali che danno informazioni sulla qualità dell'amb...

Il suolo è importante perché da da mangiare e bere a tutti i viventi, anche all'umanità. E' importante anche perché ricicla tutto quanto. E' il sistema digestivo del pianeta Terra. Questo vuol dire che tutti gli organismi morti (anche parti di essi) vengono smontati nel suolo e i pezzi costituenti di questi organismi sono messi a disposizione per l...

The knowledge of a little number of specific terms is necessary to investigate and describe forest topsoils: diagnostic features lead to the designation of diagnostic organic and organic-mineral horizons. The vertical arrangement of diagnostic horizons defines humus systems each of them subdivided humus forms. Below you find the description of a iO...

Born in Trento (Italy, 2003) for the purpose of standardising vocabulary and units of humus form classification, after publishing a first synthetic classification e-book (Zanella et al. 2011) they do not cover all site conditions in the European area. Although having basic concepts and general lines, the European (and North American, Canadian, the...

Functional studies of tree decline have mainly focused on process inside the plant showing possible alterations of carbon transport, storage and hydraulic functions. However, the processes occurring at the plant-soil interface have been seldom investigated. Our objective is to examine carbon functional alterations in the belowground compartment in...

The processes of formation and evolution of Histic humipedons are related to the soil/water dynamics. In a first part of the paper we present diagnostic features and horizons necessary for describing the intergrade humipedons existing between Histic and Hydro humipedons. Called Epihistic (“superficial” Histic), these humipedons are very common and...

Terms and concepts have been defined in Humusica 1, article 1 and the functioning of humus systems has been discussed in Humusica 1, article 2. Here a short overview of the matter, showing humus systems in their environment, is provided for beginners, before making field investigations. The present work is intended as a part of the field manual (HU...

Soils formed in tidal and subtidal environments often do not show sufficient accumulation of undecomposed plant tissues to be classified as Histosols. In this article we present a first attempt of morpho-functional classification of aquatic humus, a revision of the terminology and of the diagnostic features employed by pedologists in the descriptio...

The present paper should be read after the six preceding articles dealing with fundamental concepts, vocabulary, principles and keys of our morpho-functional classification of humus systems and forms, the whole book being conceived as a guide for field studies. It now concerns seven questions which may arise when passing from knowledge to practice...

In this article, we present the Terrestrial intergrades from never or only few days submersed humipedons, without permanent hydromorphic signs, until humipedons with presence of signs of partial asphyxia. Specific terms are defined and diagnostic horizons illustrated, both with the help of text explanations and photographs. The article ends with a...

This paper presents the specific terms of vocabulary and diagnostic horizons necessary for a field classification of submerged Histic humipedons (peats, moors). It is simply an exposition of definitions placed side by side with photographic samples, with rather practical interest. The knowledge reported here is mandatory for people wanting to use t...

This paper corresponds to an illustrated field key of classification of Histic humipedon. Vocabulary and diagnostic horizon definitions are in Humusica 2, article 9. The process of classification can follow a step by step way or simply be realised choosing the right diagnostic horizon on a table and composing the whole profile as in a game of const...

The aim of this article is to present a sort of state of the art from a soil classification point of view. How far are soils from their original natural state? A few years ago, the two most important soil classification systems added a classification of anthropogenic soils. Even so, the concept of anthropogenic soil differs slightly in the two syst...

Knowledge of a little number of specific terms is necessary to investigate and describe humipedons. This “new vocabulary” allows individuating and circumscribing particular diagnostic horizons, which are the fundamental bricks of the humipedon. Few “components” defined by specific terms characterize a specific “humipedon horizon”; few “humipedon ho...

Litter biodegradation is a process of life. Organisms feed, reproduce, die and decompose. Decomposition is essential, and it is never complete. In addition, the elements generated by this process become new bricks for building more complex structures in a dynamically evolving environment. In this article, we show some pictures of the main actors in...

Techno humus systems correspond to man-made topsoils under prominent man influence. They may be purposely conceived for supporting agricultural activities or dumping of waste products, sometimes abandoned to an unknown evolution. Both categories needed a more scientific frame. This is the reason we classified them as morpho-functional humus systems...

This article is an as simple as possible key of classification of terrestrial (aerobic, not submersed) topsoils (organic and organic-mineral series of soil horizons). Based on the introduction exposed in Humusica 1, article 1, and using vocabulary and definitions listed in article 4, a classification is proposed for better understanding the biologi...

Humusica 1 and 2 Applied Soil Ecology Special issues are field guides for humipedon classification. Contrary to other similar manuals dedicated to soil, the objects that one can describe with these guides are living, dynamic, functional, and relatively independent soil units. This is the reason to why the authors dedicated the whole article number...

Planet Earth is covered by very common Terrestrial (not submersed), Histic (peats) and Aqueous (tidal) humi-pedons. Beside these typical topsoils there are other more discrete humipedons, generated by the interaction of mineral matter with microorganisms, fungi and small plants (algae, lichens and mosses). In some cases roots and their symbionts ca...

The article is structured in six sections. A first portion is dedicated to the state of the art concerning climatic change and agriculture. Internet available IPCC maps and cartographic documents made by scientific Centres of research were used for illustrating forecasted climatic changes. In Sections 2 and 3, bibliographic evidences were collected...

The Special Issue Humusica 1 corresponds to a field guide for the classification of terrestrial humus systems and forms. The present first article of the issue defines vocabulary, objects and concepts necessary for: (a) field investigation, (b) understanding the process of classification, (c) assigning ecological significance to the defined morpho-...