From Alpine Soils to Rice Paddies: an outlook into the soils and the services they provide
Dates: 23-26 May, 2024
Duration: four days. Departure and arrival both in Florence
Field trip goals: Observation of various soils and their management, from the Alps to the lowland plains of the River Po, across diverse climates and land uses over short distances. Alpine forest soils from Albic Orsteinic Podzols to Petrocalcic Kastanozem; Pleistocene glacio-fluvial terraces with Fragic Alisols and rice fields with Gleyic Luvisols in the plains of the river Po.
Destination: Valle d’Aosta, Piemonte and Lombardy Regions (NW-Italy)
Soil-related topics: geomorphology, botany, glaciology, hydrology, agronomy, biogeochemistry, humus forms and alien tree species.
Other multidisciplinary topics: ecosystem services, paddy field management, climate change.
Location: Aosta – Torino (490 km far from Florence)
From a lake in a subalpine forest to a paddy field in the piedmont area
Typical soil of the humid subalpine stone pine/larch forests (Albic Ortsteinic Podzol)
Typical soil of the steppe pine woods in the inneralpine Aosta Valley (Petrocalcic Kastanozem)
Socio-cultural themes: Stop in Forte di Bard (Aosta),Pré-Saint-Didier (Aosta); Turin.
The village of Pré Saint Didier with the Grandes Jorasses (Monte Bianco Massif) on the background and the historical thermal center.
The grand Bard Fort controlling the entrance to the Aosta Valley
Fragic Alisol (Humic, Cutanic, Differentic, Neocambic) on Pleistocene glacio-fluvial terrace in La Mandria Regional Parc.
Reggia di Venaria, one of the royal places of the Savoy family, close to La Mandria Regional Parc.
Rice paddy view in the Piemonte region.
