The Pedogeochemical Map of the Emilia-Romagna plain
According to the Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection (COM 2006/0231), soil is regarded as non-renewable resource. In an environmental perspective, D.lgs 152/06 considers soils as environmental matrix, like air and water. Soil also has several different functions and represents an essential support to human activities and to ecosystem survival.
The Pedogeochemical Map of the Emilia-Romagna plain at 1:250,000 scale represents the areal distribution of the pedo-geochemical content (according to ISO 19258,2005 definition) of six potentially toxic metals in agricultural soils: Chromium [Cr], Nickel [Ni], Zinc [Zn], Copper [Cu], Lead [Pb] and Vanadium [V].
The second edition of the Pedogeochemical Map of Cr, Cu Ni, Pb and Zn is the result both of new surveys carried out between 2013 and 2015 than a detailed analysis of the ophiolitic rocks content in the Apennines basins. The Pedogeochemical Map of vanadium is in its first edition.
The knowledge of the natural background (or pedo-geochemical content) of heavy metals in soil is provided for by law (D.lgs 152/2006). This is the basis for a correct evaluation of diffuse contamination and lays the foundations for proper land management choices.
Reports
Available maps
Chromium [Cr] (760.38 KB) | Nickel [Ni] (665.58 KB) | Zinc [Zn] (594.08 KB) |
Copper [Cu] (544.47 KB) | Vanadium [V] (758.49 KB) |
Web mapping
Where to query and download soil and derived thematic maps.
The website provides access to every soil map from 1:1Mk to 1:50k scales and to all derived thematic maps on Google Earth. (Note: you must have Google Earth installed on your computer, visit Google to download Google Earth for free).
Soil maps of the Emilia-Romagna region
The website provides access to 1:50k soil map (plain and hills), point data (heavy metal monitoring, extension service soil analyses, shallow water table measurement sites) and a selection of derived thematic maps. Historical maps, land use maps, geological maps and regional park maps are available as well. (Note: to view the website pop-up blocker has to be disabled).
Geo-Catalog
You can query and download metadata and data in open data format (shapefiles, WMS, CSV and TXT tables).
Publications
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Fingerprinting sedimentary and soil units by their natural metal contents: A new approch to assess metal contamination, Science of the Total Environment 500-501 (2014) 361-372
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The pedogeochemical Map of Parma alluvial plain: contribution of soil studies to geochemical mapping, GeoActa, vol.6, 2007, pp.11-13.
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Contribution of soil studies to geochemical mapping:the example of Emilia-Romagna alluvial plain, Geoitalia, vol.3, 2009, p.110.
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The pedogeochemical map of Emilia alluvial plain (1:250.000 scale) , Geoitalia, vol.3, 2009, p.113.
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The pedogeochemical map as a support for environment planning strategies in Emilia-Romagna , RemTech, Poster Ref no 105, 2009.
Links
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European Commission- Joint Research Centre. Heavy metals in topsoils
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Geochemistry of Spain. Geochemical Mapping of Soils and Surficial Formations of Spain
Contacts
Geologic, Seismic and Soil Survey
Marchi Nazaria
Phone: 0039 051-5274266, e-mail: nazaria.marchi@regione.emilia-romagna.it