The general public often perceives soil as a hidden resource. In recent years, the film industry has shown an increasing awareness about the soil environment. Indeed, as public opinion about ...environmental problems has increased, soil as a natural resource has become more popular in public discourse, and, consequently, the film industry, partly because of its ability to showcase public concerns and mainstream opinion. This review aims to identify depictions of soil in films and the following consequences regarding their impact on society. We investigated movies containing different perspectives and aimed to understand: i) the role of the soil environment in their message; ii) how soil was approached by filmmakers; iii) how and to what extent such an approach changed along the investigated period; and finally; iv) how “soil movies” should be used as an innovative educative and didactic tool. Nine hundred and eighty movies where soils represent a direct or indirect source of inspiration or background for the movie’s storytelling were analyzed (from 1903 to 2022). Several approaches to soil resources were observed, which led us to seek quantitative data, too. Results showed that soil has been represented with approaches often far from the simple idea of soil as a static backdrop. Scriptwriters and directors have moved from a stylistic representation of soil to one that includes the soil environment in the main narrative by using innovative metaphoric approaches. With its ability to represent soil as a natural resource, this review demonstrates that “soil movies” can strongly contribute to spreading knowledge about this fragile and non-renewable resource, encouraging its use for educational purposes.
Brazil's Atlantic Forest (BAF) is a highly fragmented, strategic environmental and socio-economic region that represents the fourth biodiversity hotspot while also producing many commodities that are ...exported globally. Human disturbance plays a pivotal role as a driver of BAF's soil dynamics and behaviors. The soils under Late Primary and Secondary Semideciduous Seasonal Forests (LPSF and LSSF) were characterized by high to moderate resilience, with improved chemical properties as human disturbance decreased. The Transitional Forest to Cerrado (TFC) had the worst soil conditions. Disturbed Primary and Secondary Semideciduous Seasonal Forests (DPSF and DSSF) represent a transitional stage between LPSF/LSSF and TFC. Accordingly, SOCs stocks increased from TFC << DPSF, DSSF < LPSF, LSSF. In BAF soils, to avoid unreliable data, SOCs measurements should be (i) conducted to at least 1 m soil depth and (ii) quantified with a CHN analyzer. Human disturbance strongly affected the positive feedback between vegetation succession, SOCs, and soil nutrition. Soil development decreased as human disturbance increased, thus negatively affecting SOCs. Soils in the BAF require a long time to recover after the end of human disturbance, thus suggesting that preservation strategies should be prioritized in remnant BAF fragments.
Purpose
This review focuses on what are referred to as “anthropogenic soils” (AS). It investigates and clarifies their descriptions, definitions, and classifications in terms of the following: (i) ...historical temporal trends in AS research worldwide, (ii) geographic distribution at various scales, (iii) dominant research themes, (iv) main site features, and (v) dominant anthropogenic processes.
Materials and methods
To assess the current status of AS research from an international perspective, an inventory of published studies on AS and related grey literature was prepared and compiled in an annotated bibliography, supported by an electronic database and coupled with a geographic information system. From an initial raw collection of over 3000 issues, 925 references published in the last 70 years (1945–2014) were considered a “representative population” of research focused on AS proper. Analysis of this source of information reveals that AS research is becoming increasingly consolidated. Indeed, it now represents an innovative field among soil sciences, expanding its conceptual scope and scientific production.
Results and discussion
AS research is spread over 64 different countries, mainly in Europe and North America. The USA is the most investigated country, with AS studies becoming extremely popular from 1965 to 1974 and increasing considerably thereafter. In all other countries, AS investigations only became very popular in the decade 1995–2004. On a worldwide scale, the most investigated urban areas (UA) are Berlin, Moscow, and New York City, while several important metropolises have been partially or entirely neglected. Interestingly, the review shows that although humans are able to significantly alter, transform, manipulate, and damage soil, with an incredible number of negative effects, the transformation of “natural” soils into AS may also have unexpected benefits.
Conclusions
It is hypothesized that AS research will become increasingly popular within the international scientific community over the next decades, with particular reference to those characterizing UA (such as Technosols). Finally, it is scientifically recognized worldwide how much AS can deviate from natural soils (in terms of physicochemical features, pedogenic processes, matter and energy fluxes). Therefore, we suggest definitively highlighting such differences, defining those parts of the pedosphere characterized by AS cover as the “anthropedosphere.”
In taking an integrated ethnopedological approach, this study aims to investigate the meaning of the distribution of the toponyms used in traditional and recent cartography of Sardinia (southern ...Italy). It is particularly, but not only, focused on those related to soil resources. Sardinia is particularly interesting in this respect, as its unique history, geography, and linguistic position makes it one of the Italian and Mediterranean regions with the greatest number of toponyms. This research investigated the toponyms belonging to an important sub-region of Sardinia, called Ogliastra (central-eastern Sardinia). The research was conducted through the following integrated approach: i) toponymy research and collection from different sources; ii) database creation and translation of toponyms from the Sardinian language (SL); iii) categorization of toponyms; and iv) graphical, statistical, and cartographic data processing. Distribution and diversity of toponyms were assessed using the compiled database, coupled with a geographical information system (GIS). Of around 7700 toponyms collected, 79% had already been reported in SL, while just 21% were in Italian. Of the toponyms in SL, 77% are of known meaning and 54% of these toponyms were characterized by a meaning directly and/or indirectly connected to specific environmental features. On the whole, morphology would appear to be the primary environmental factor able to explain the complex, articulated presence, distribution, and typology of the investigated toponyms. A least squares regression analysis of pedodiversity vs. topodiversity shows a very closed distribution, with an impressive high correlation index (R2 = 0.824). The principal factor analysis (PFA) shows that such a connection may be morphologically based, thereby confirming that pedodiversity and topodiversity are strongly linked each other. Overall, the research shows that an integrated ethnopedological approach, combining indigenous and scientific knowledge may be of great interest in order to mitigate the impressive phenomena of the indigenous knowledge lost.
Background
Wildfires play a key role in shaping Mediterranean landscapes and ecosystems and in impacting species dynamics. Numerous studies have investigated the wildfire occurrences and the ...influence of their drivers in many countries of the Mediterranean Basin. However, in this regard, no studies have attempted to compare different Mediterranean regions, which may appear similar under many aspects. In response to this gap, climatic, topographic, anthropic, and landscape drivers were analyzed and compared to assess the patterns of fire ignition points in terms of fire occurrence and frequency in Catalonia (Spain), Sardinia, and Apulia (Italy). Therefore, the objectives of the study were to (1) assess fire ignition occurrence in terms of probability and frequency, (2) compare the main drivers affecting fire occurrence, and (3) produce fire probability and frequency maps for each region.
Results
In pursuit of the above, the probability of fire ignition occurrence and frequency was mapped using Negative Binomial Hurdle models, while the models’ performances were evaluated using several metrics (AUC, prediction accuracy, RMSE, and the Pearson correlation coefficient). The results showed an inverse correlation between distance from infrastructures (i.e., urban roads and areas) and the occurrence of fires in all three study regions. This relationship became more significant when the frequency of fire ignition points was assessed. Moreover, a positive correlation was found between fire occurrence and landscape drivers according to region. The land cover classes more significantly affected were forest, agriculture, and grassland for Catalonia, Sardinia, and Apulia, respectively.
Conclusions
Compared to the climatic, topographic, and landscape drivers, anthropic activity significantly influences fire ignition and frequency in all three regions. When the distance from urban roads and areas decreases, the probability of fire ignition occurrence and frequency increases. Consequently, it is essential to implement long- to medium-term intervention plans to reduce the proximity between potential ignition points and fuels. In this perspective, the present study provides an applicable decision-making tool to improve wildfire prevention strategies at the European level in an area like the Mediterranean Basin where a profuse number of wildfires take place.
Local knowledge refers to the understandings, skills, and philosophies developed by societies with long histories of interaction with their environment. Place names (toponyms) can be considered an ...important mirror of the local knowledge and perceptions about the surrounding living space. The aim of this research has been to investigate, through an integrated ethnopedological approach, the meaning and distribution of toponyms, with particular (but not sole) reference to pedonyms (toponyms connected to soil resources) used in the traditional and recent cartography of Sardinia (southern Italy). As a paradigmatic case study, the toponyms belonging to an important sub-region of Sardinia, the Gulf of Oristano (central-western Sardinia), have been investigated.
To draw appropriate comparisons between local and scientific knowledge, the research was conducted through the following approach: i) toponymy research and collection from different sources; ii) database creation and toponym translation; iii) categorization of toponyms; iv) soil field investigation and analysis of several physical–chemical parameters; and v) graphical, statistical (including multivariate analysis), and cartographic data processing.
Generally speaking, the research shows that toponymy cannot be intended merely as a contextual geographic practice aiming to attribute a specific place name to a predefined geographical space. It rather represents a complex and articulated dynamic objectivation (in terms of the conversion of a concept or abstraction into an object) of a geographic entity. This process is the consequence of a strong, deep, and often conflicting interaction among humans, culture, and the surrounding environment. During the Anthropocene period, the influence of human activities on toponymy has been so intensive that many place names are now coined to mainly indicate the “artificial” man-made features of an intensively anthropized environment. Such “technogenic toponyms” could represent the “written witness” of the Anthropocene during subsequent eras.
•Sardinian toponyms (T) were investigated through an ethnopedological approach.•T are a repository of complex agro-environmental, human and socio-economic interactions.•In ancient times, many T were coined to describe environmental features.•During the present Anthropocene period, many human activities create “technogenic T” (TT).•TT will represent the “written witness” of the Anthropocene period during future eras.
The present investigation aims at modeling the kinetics of elements (Fe, Mg, K, Ca, Na, Al, and Si) release from zeolitic-rich Phlegraean Yellow Tuff weathered by tannic acid solutions at different ...concentration. Three equations were tested—power function, the Weber–Morris model, and the Elovich equation. Power function was revealed to be an excellent empirical equation well fitted to the experimental data. Its numerical parameters were suitable predictive tools, highlighting both the intensity and modality of weathering processes. By paralleling the dissolution rates, it was possible to allow rock-sources from which elements were released during three distinct weathering stages—(i) the first stage was dominated by biotite and amorphous weathering, (ii) the second stage also started with the breakdown of zeolite framework; and (iii) in the third stage, the whole of weathering/release process approached a steady state. Finally, these outcomes may be used to forecast the pedogenic/nutritional potential of zeolitic-rich tuffs as pedotechnical matrices in restoration design.
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