SUITMA 2003 Nancy - Urban soils vs anthropogenic soils, their differenciation and classification
SUITMA 2003 Nancy
| This abstract is about one of the papers of the Methodology for the study of urban soils and classification theme of the SUITMA 2003 Nancy symposium. |
| Jaroslava Sobocka.i |
- i - Soil Science and Conservation Research Institute, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.
Introduction
In many soil classification systems are terms: urban soil and anthropogenic soil perceived by soil scientists very variously and sometimes these different terms confused them. To explain this terminological situation there is a need to propose unified perceiving of these concepts in order to find internationally acceptable consensus. Terminological unity promotes research of urban or anthropogenic soils in many aspects: to enable better understanding of these soils, their definition, characteristics and functions. Also problems of the soil classification and mapping could be solve with better facilities. Therefore we have tried to find common and different features of these terms, both, as they are involved in the world-wide scientific literature. According to definition and characteristics urban soils and anthropogenic soils we have applied comparation methodology of criterial principles with several classification systems in the world in effort to construct new classification system of anthropogenic soils in Slovakia. There is a need to note that diagnotics, definition and classification of cultivated anthropogenic soils do not represent any difficulties for many countries. The task for solution has to be focussed for soils occurring in urban, industrial, traffic and mining areas.
Materials and method
The first step was considered recognition and review almost all definitions of anthropogenic soils including definitions of urban soils in aspect to find their differentiation. By comparing of several systems of anthropogenic soils and urban soils systems we have tried to outline criterial principles for anthropogenic and urban soils grouping. We have recognized and measured these systems: FAO (1994), WRB (1998), Soil Taxonomy (1999), Russian (2000) and German (1998) classification systems and consider also urban soil classification by Burghardt (2000) and Stroganova (1998). The comparation of diagnostic horizons, classification systems and anthropogenic substrata enables us to construct new system of anthropogenic soils for Slovakia which could be used not only e.g. for agricultural land but also for urbanized, industrial, traffic and mining areas.
Results and discussion
Term “urban soils” is a generally terminological concept for soils occurring in urbanized, industrial, traffic and mining areas. The main reason for their differentiation from other soils is their location in above mentioned areas. The very significant role of these soils is to be a healthy part of urban environment, i.e. ecological functions. Therefore the grouping of urban soils is found upon management system what is wholly different concept in opposite to anthropogenic soils.
Term “anthropogenic soils” is considered as terminological classification concept only for soils deeply transformed (e.g. by cultivation) and man-made soils. But in many cases the last mentioned man-made soils are classified according to natural soils classification.
According to the latest Morphogenetic Soil Classification System Slovakia (MSCS 2000) there is one anthropogenic soils group which involves two wholly differentiated soils Kultizems (cultivated soils) and Anthrozems (man-made soils). By comparation methodology and our endear to find comparable soil type analogue in most classification systems we have decide to divide this group into two independent anthropogenic soil groups: cultizemic soil types and anthrozemic soil types.
Conclusions
We have tried to find internationally acceptable definition of two very often used terminological terms: “urban soils” and “anthropogenic soils” in effort to coincide common research in this field.
By comparing of several foreign classification systems of anthropogenic soils and urban soils we have endeavoured construct new anthropogenic classification system of Slovakia comparable with similar systems in the world.
We have presented soil types, which have got their similar analogue in foreign systems. Cultivated soils are relatively well matched with other similar systems in the world.
On the other side we have registered a lot of heterogeneous man-made (anthrozemic) soil types, their total number is not well-known, so we want to drop a note about deficiency in research of these soils.
References
- Sobocka, J., Bedrna, Z., Jurani, B., Racko, J. 2000. Anthropogenic Soils in the Morphogenetic Soil Classification System of Slovakia. In: Burghardt, W., Dornauf, Ch. (eds): Proceed. 1st Inter. Conf. SUITMA, July 12-18 2000. University of Essen, vol. I, p. 277-281.
