Pedodiversity is considered the cornerstone of biodiversity. This work aimed to (1) assess pedodiversity according to vegetation, topographic factors, and lithology and to (2) identify the major soil-forming factors on soil organic matter (SOM) stock at a 0–30 cm depth. These goals were reached using data from 147 georeferenced soil profiles distributed along 400–1000 m (≤1000) and 1000–2134 m (>1000) altitudinal gradients in the northern part of the Apennine chain in Italy. Soils showed mainly weak or incipient development (i.e., Entisols and Inceptisols), which could be attributed to sand-based lithology, high slope gradients, and low SOM accumulation rates, which promote soil erosion processes. However, higher pedodiversity was observed at >1000 m than at ≤1000 m, likely due to the higher vegetation cover diversity and climate variability; Spodosols and Mollisols were also found. A greater SOM stock was found at >1000 than ≤1000 m, and vegetation seemed to not affect SOM amounts, suggesting a greater influence of climate on SOM content compared to vegetation. Considering ecosystem conservation, the observed spatial pedodiversity could be considered a critical basis for the protection of soil resources and pedodiversity itself in mountain regions.

Temperate soils are threatened by degradation and soil organic matter (SOM) loss due to a combination of geomorphology, soil types, and anthropic pressure. In 54 sites in Northern Italy, characterized by different land uses, climates, geological substrates, and soils, we assessed (i) the soil quality, (ii) the SOM accumulation/degradation patterns, and (iii) whether land use and related soil management practices are sustainable based on changes in soil quality. Soil samples from the 0–15 and 15–30 cm deep layers were collected and analyzed for the soil parameters recommended by the FAO (bulk density, pH, organic and microbial C, total N, and soil respiration rate) and for the chemical SOM pools. Parameters related to the efficient use of soil microbial C were also calculated. The findings showed that agricultural lands where organic material was added had good soil quality and used microbial C efficiently. Reclaimed peaty soils degraded because the conditions were too stressful for the soil microbial biomass as supported by high metabolic quotient and the low values of mineralization quotient, microbial quotient, and soil biofertility index. Conservative management practices carried out in chestnuts were found to have a decreased soil degradation risk. An investigation of the soil parameters recommended by the FAO can be used to evaluate sustainable practices and soil quality on microbial activity and SOM dynamics.

The identification of mountainous areas suitable for chestnut stands for fruit production (CSFP) is raising increasing interest among researchers. This work aimed to (i) identify the areas suitable for CSFP shown in a land suitability map easy to read by land planners, and (ii) propose a remote-sensing-based methodology able to identify the lands currently under cultivation for CSFP. This study was conducted using the QGIS software for the Municipality of Castel del Rio, Emilia-Romagna Region, Italy. To obtain the land suitability map, topographic, lithological, and pedological data were acquired, and the areas located between 200 and 1000 m of altitude, with north exposition, a slope < 20°, sandstone-based lithology, and soils with dystric features were selected. The currently cultivated areas for CSFP were identified through remote-sensing images of the early spring period, which were delineated and georeferenced. The findings showed that only 10% of the whole study site area can be considered suitable for CSFP. Further, most of the currently cultivated CSFP (59%) are in non-suitable areas characterised by high slope gradients. The methodology applied in this study can easily provide detailed information about the suitable areas for CSFP and the areas currently cultivated with chestnut, thus allowing accurate land-use planning and land conservation.

The present study applied a GIS-based methodology for assessing soil diversity in a protected mountain area of Italy. Using QGIS, morphological (i.e., altitude and slope), lithological, climatic, and land use layers were intersected to delineate 16 land units (LUs), each representing relatively homogeneous conditions for soil formation, according to Jenny’s equation. To obtain the soil map units, a total of 112 soil profiles were analyzed, including 79 from previous studies and 33 that were newly excavated during 2023–2024 to fill gaps in underrepresented LU types. Most soils were classified as Inceptisols/Cambisols, occurring in both Dystric and Eutric variants, mainly in relation to lithology (i.e., arenaceous or pelitic facies). Alfisols, Umbrisols, and hydromorphic soils were also identified. The physicochemical properties showed marked variability among LUs, with sand content ranging from 39 to 798 g kg⁻¹, pH from 4.4 to 7.9, and organic carbon content from 1.6 to 6.1%. This LU-based framework allowed efficient field sampling, if compared to grid-based surveys, while retaining information on fine-scale pedodiversity. No quantitative accuracy assessment (e.g., boundary precision, internal homogeneity metrics) was conducted, even if the spatial coherence of the delineated LUs was supported by the distribution of soil profiles, which provided empirical validation of the LU framework.

Pedodiversity is generally neglected in studies concerning soil organic carbon (SOC). Therefore, this investigation aimed to explore the effect of soil types on the following: (1) soil processes related to organic matter (OM) dynamics along the profile; and (2) the microbial community and functionality within the uppermost horizon. Humic Dystrudepts (HD), Typic Dystrudepts (TD), and Humic Lithic Dystrudepts (HLD) were selected in beech forests of the Apennine ridge in the Emilia-Romagna Region (Italy). Soils were sampled by horizons until parent material, and physico-chemical and functional analyses were performed. The results showed that both HD and HLD soils had a higher SOC accumulation than TD, particularly within the deeper horizons. Such accumulation might be due to the lower turnover rate of soil OM forms, namely fulvic acid-like substances, humic acid-like substances, and non-extractable OM. Noteworthy, the A horizons showed slight differences in SOC among the soil types, suggesting similar SOC decomposition processes. This fact was confirmed by the lack of differences in microbial DNA-based diversity and functionality. This study highlighted the importance of combining pedodiversity and microbial diversity for a wider perspective on SOC dynamics.