Soils

GROUP 2

- Soils in morphologically lowered areas of the alluvial plain, with more or less marked phenomena of clay shrinking and swelling. They are scattered all over the plain territory, except in the northeast area. They are geographically associated to soils belonging to Group 3.

These are flat lands with a gradient ranging between 0.05 and 0.1%, often up to 0.3%. They are very deep with a thin composition, moderately poor in oxygen, calcareous and moderately alkaline. They are locally unbalanced, in terms of oxygen and saline content, in the deep horizons. They can also be non-calcareous in the surface horizons and in the upper parts of the deep horizons. They originated in thinly composed fluvial sediments. According to the FAO soil classification, they fall into the category of Eutric Vertisols, Gypsic Vertisols, Calcic Vertisols and Haplic Calcisols. Today these soils are mainly used for agricultural purposes, with low crops like cereals and beetroots.

Sub-group 2C - Soils with a complete decarbonisation of superficial horizons and the upper parts of the deep horizons, with carbonate accumulation in depth. They are found in the south-western area of the territory belonging to Group 2.

These are flat lands with a gradient usually ranging between 0.08 and 0.3%, very deep, with a thin composition, moderately poor in oxygen, calcareous, slightly or moderately alkaline. They originated in thinly composed sediments, with a thickness over one meter, whose deposition is thought to have occurred mainly some thousands of years ago. According to the FAO classification, they fall into the category of Haplic Calcisols and Calcic Vertisols.
Today these soils are mainly used for sowing; vineyards and orchards are to mainly found in the eastern area.

  Unit 2Ca  - Soils in the northern area of the territory belonging to Sub-group 2C.
These are flat lands with a gradient usually ranging between 0.1 and 0.3%, very deep, with a thin composition, moderately poor in oxygen. The deeper they are, the higher the content of limestone (from scarcely to highly calcareous) and alkali (from slightly to moderately alkaline). They originated in thinly composed sediments. According to the FAO soil classification, they fall into the category of Calcic Vertisols.
Today these soils are mainly used for sowing and long term grazing lands.

  Unit 2Cb  - Soils in the southern area of the territory belonging to Sub-group 2C.
These are flat lands with a gradient usually ranging between 0.1 and 0.3%, very deep, with a thin composition, moderately poor in oxygen. The deeper they are, the higher the content of limestone (from scarcely to highly calcareous) and alkali (from slightly to moderately alkaline). They originated in thinly composed sediments. According to the FAO soil classification, they fall into the category of Haplic Calcisols.
LToday these soils are mainly used for sowing, long-term grazing lands and vineyards; orchards are to be found but only in the eastern part.

GROUP 3

- Soils in areas morphologically in relief of the alluvial plain. They are affected by biochemical alterations with internal reorganisation of the carbonates. They are found on the whole plain territory, except in the northeast area. They are geographically associated to soils belonging to Group 2.

These are flat lands with a gradient usually ranging between 0.01 and 0.5%, very deep, with a medium composition, rich in oxygen, calcareous and moderately alkaline. In superficial horizons and in the upper part of the deep horizons, they are locally non-calcareous and neutral or slightly alkaline.
They originated in medium composed fluvial sediments, usually organised in layers or with laminations. According to the FAO soil classification, they fall into the category of Calcaric Cambisols, Haplic Calcisols and Chromic Cambisols. Today these soils are used for sowing and specialised cultivations like orchards, vineyards, vegetable gardens.

Sub-group 3A - Soils with a moderately differentiated profile, poor evidence of carbonate internal reorganisation. They are found in most parts of the territory belonging to Group 3.
These are flat lands with a gradient usually ranging between 0.08 and 0.3%, very deep, with a medium composition, rich in oxygen, calcareous and moderately alkaline. In some areas they are not rich in oxygen. They originated no more than a thousand years ago due to fluvial sediments that were mainly medium composed. According to the FAO soil classification, they fall into the category of Calcaric Cambisols.
Today these soils are mainly used for agriculture, for sowing, vineyards and orchards in the eastern areas and for long-term grazing lands in the west.

  Unit 3Ad  - Soils in the central and eastern areas belonging to Sub-group 2A.
These are flat lands with a gradient usually ranging between 0.08 and 0.3%, very deep, with a medium composition, calcareous and moderately alkaline. Oxygen content ranges from good to moderate. They originated in medium composed fluvial sediments. According to the FAO soil classification, they fall into the category of Calcaric Cambisols.
Today these soils are mainly used for sowing; they can also be used for long-term grazing lands and fruit trees: vineyards and orchards.

  Unit 3Af  - Soils in the southern area of the territory belonging to Sub-group 3A.
These are flat lands with a gradient usually ranging between 0.02 and 0.8%, very deep, with a medium composition, rich in oxygen, calcareous and moderately alkaline. They originated in medium composed fluvial sediments. According to the FAO soil classification, they fall into the category of Calcaric Cambisols.
Today these soils are mainly used for sowing, long-term grazing lands and vineyards..
Each area of this unit is mainly formed by soils of the very common Bellaria Sub-unit. - Bellarria Sub-unit Bellaria: flat soils with a gradient usually ranging between 0.2 and 0.8%, very deep, on medium or rough composition, locally gravelly.
According to the FAO soil classification, they fall into the category of Calcaric Cambisols; according to the Soil Taxonomy, they are classified as loamy, mixed, mesic Fluventic Ustochrepts.
Today these soils are mainly used for sowing, long-term grazing lands and vineyards..

Sub-group 3B - Soils with a moderately differentiated profile, with partial decarbonisation of superficial horizons and carbonate accumulation in depth. They are found in the south-western and central areas of the territory belonging to Group 3.

These are flat lands with a gradient usually ranging between 0.01 and 0.8%, very deep, with a medium composition, rich in oxygen, calcareous and moderately alkaline.
In some areas they are not rich in alkali.
They originated no more than 1,000-1,500 years ago in fluvial sediments that were mainly medium composed. According to the FAO soil classification, they fall into the category of Haplic Calcisols.
Today these soils are mainly used for agriculture, for sowing, with vineyards and orchards in the east and long-term grazing lands in the west.

  Unit 3Bc  - Soils in the southern area of the territory belonging to Sub-group 3B.
These are flat lands with a gradient usually ranging between 0.02 and 0.8%, very deep, with a medium composition, rich in oxygen, calcareous and moderately alkaline. They locally have a thin composition and a moderate content of oxygen.
They originated in ancient fluvial sediments with a medium, and locally, thin composition. According to the FAO classification, they fall into the category of Haplic Calcisols and, locally, of Vertic Cambisols.
Today these soils are mainly used for sowing, in rotation with vegetables cultivated in the open field, orchards and vineyards.

Sub-group 3C - Soils with a highly differentiated profile, with complete decarbonisation of superficial upper horizons and frequent carbonate accumulation in depth. They are found in the south-western area of the territory belonging to Group 3.

These are flat lands with a gradient usually ranging between 0.2 and 1%, very deep, with a medium composition, rich in oxygen, non-calcareous in superficial horizons and in the upper part of the deep horizons; neutral or slightly alkaline.
Deep horizons are very variable, especially for the skeleton (gravelly or not) and carbonate content (calcareous or not). In some areas they are moderately alkaline. They originated some thousands of years ago, in medium composed fluvial sediments often over a non-deep gravelly lower layer.
According to the FAO soil classification, they fall into the category of Haplic Calcisols and Chromic Cambisols.
Despite the high level of urbanisation, today these soils mainly used for agricultural purposes, mainly sowing, vineyards and orchards in the east, and for long-term grazing lands in the west.

  Unit 3Ca  - Soils located mainly in the eastern area of the territory belonging to Sub-group 3C.
These are flat lands with a gradient usually ranging between 0.2 and 1%, very deep, with a medium composition, rich in oxygen.
The deeper they are, the higher the content of limestone (from complete lack to a high content) and alkali (from neutral or slightly alkaline to moderately alkaline). They locally have a thin composition and a moderate content of oxygen. They originated in medium composed fluvial sediments. According to the FAO soil classification, they fall into the category of Haplic Calcisols.
Today these soils are mainly used for sowing, long-term grazing lands and vineyards..

  Unit 3Cb  - Soils located mainly in the western area of the territory belonging to Sub-group 3C.
These are flat lands with a gradient usually ranging between 0.2 and 1%, very deep, with a medium gravelly composition, rich in oxygen, non-calcareous, neutral or slightly alkaline.
They originated in medium composed and gravelly fluvial sediments. According to the FAO soil classification, they fall into the category of Chromic Cambisols.
Today these soils are mainly used for long-term grazing lands and sowing; orchards and vineyards are secondary.

GROUP 4

- Soils in the Apennine margin. They are ancient with traces of geochemical alterations and rich in sesquioxides; completely decarbonised or with carbonate accumulation in depth. These soils form a thin layer whose width decreases from west to east; the layer is not continuous as it is interrupted by Group 3 soils in the terraces across the Apennines and by the relevant fluvial beds.

These are flat lands with a gradient usually ranging between 1 and 15%, very deep, with a thin composition or a medium to thin composition, with a moderate content of oxygen, non-calcareous.
The deeper they are, the higher the content of alkali (from neutral to moderately alkaline). Locally they are slightly acid on the surface or strongly alkaline and moderately calcareous in depth.
They originated in varied composed fluvial sediments, with a superficial component that is believed to have an Aeolian origin, some ten and often hundreds of thousands of years ago. According to the FAO classification, they fall into the category of Haplic Luvisols, Ferric Luvisols and Vertic Cambisols. Today these soils are mainly used for agricultural purposes, for cereal and fodder, and some less spread but intensively specialised cultivations like vineyards and orchards.

Subgroup 4B - Decarbonised soils or soils with carbonate accumulation in depth, with a "broken" profile due to concentrated and discontinuous surface run-offs and due to solifluction. They are found in the eastern and south-western areas of the territory belonging to Group 4. They are immediately uphill the soils belonging to Sub-group 4A or directly in contact with Group 3 soils in the piedmont plain.

These are softly undulating or undulating lands with a gradient usually ranging between 3 and 15%, very deep, with a thin composition, with a moderate content of oxygen, non-calcareous or scarcely calcareous; neutral or moderately alkaline. They are often moderately calcareous and highly alkaline above a depth of one metre.
They are often slightly sharp, with a medium composition, gravelly, rich in oxygen. They originated mainly in thin or medium composed sediments hundreds of thousands of years ago. According to the FAO classification, they fall into the category of Vertic Cambisols, Haplic Luvisols and Ferric Luvisols.
Today these soils are mainly used for sowing, widespread vineyards and orchards.

  Unit 4Ba  - These soils are distributed similarly to those belonging to Sub-group 4B, with the only exception of the northwest area.
They are softly undulating or undulating with a gradient usually ranging between 3 and 15%, very deep, with a thin or generally thin composition, with a moderate content of oxygen. The deeper they are, the higher the content of limestone (from complete lack to a scarce or moderate content) and alkali (from neutral to highly alkaline). They originated in thin and medium composed sediments. According to the FAO soil classification, they fall into the category of Vertic Cambisols. Today these soils are mainly used for sowing in rotation with vineyards.

Group 5

Soils in the low Apennines with biochemical alterations and internal carbonate reorganisation; these are secondary and hardly developed soils due to surface run-off erosion. These soils form a non-continuous layer whose width decreases from west to east; this layer is interrupted by group 3 soils in the terraces across the Apennines and by the relevant river beds. In this layer there are some soils belonging to Group 6, neighbouring soils towards the hills.

They are moderately sharp or steep lands, with a gradient usually ranging between 10 and 35%, rich in oxygen, calcareous, moderately alkaline.
They are highly variable regarding depth (from superficial to very deep) and composition (medium or thin composition). Sometimes, they are locally very steep or slightly undulating, moderately rich in oxygen, non-calcareous and neutral or slightly alkaline.
They originated in materials derived from soft and easily alterable rocks with carbonic composition. Lythotypes are made up of sandstones, stratified pelites, mainly clayey and marly deposits, with a disorganised structure, including mainly calcareous and arenaceous rocks, or they are made of pelitic-sandy deposits. According to the FAO classification, they fall into the category of Haplic Calcisols or Calcaric Cambisols and locally Calcaric Regosols.
Today these soils are mainly used for agricultural purposes: specialised trees are quite spread with DOC vineyards orchards and olive groves in the far-east area.
Sub-group 5B - Hardly developed soils due to surface run-off; ravines and rocky crop outs. These soils are located in the central and eastern areas of Group 5.
They are moderately sharp or steep lands, with a gradient usually ranging between 15 and 35%, with a medium composition, rich in oxygen, calcareous and moderately alkaline.
They are highly variable regarding the presence of rocks (from non-rocky to rocky soils) and depth (from very deep to superficial soils). They locally have a thin composition or with an unbalanced content of oxygen. They originated in materials derived from soft rocks with carbonic composition. These rocks are mainly made up of clayey and marly deposits with a disorganised structure, including mainly calcareous and sandy rocks. According to the FAO soil classification, they fall into the category of Calcaric Regosols. Today these soils are mainly used for agricultural purposes, mainly for sowing and extensive cultivation.

  Unit 5Ba  - These soils are scattered in the centre and eastern territories of Sub-group 5B.
They are moderately steep, with a gradient usually ranging between 15 and 30%, superficial, with a thin composition, rich in oxygen, calcareous and moderately alkaline. They are often rocky. They are locally moderately deep with a medium composition. They originated in materials derived from pelitic or marly rocks (Santerno Group). According to the FAO soil classification, they fall into the category of Calcaric Regosols. Today these soils are mainly used for agricultural purposes, for sowing.

  Unit 5Bb  - These soils are scattered in a discontinuous way in the territories of Sub-group 5B.
They are steep with a gradient usually ranging between 20 and 35%, rocky, very deep, with a medium composition, with an unbalanced content of oxygen, moderately alkaline. They are highly variable regarding the presence of rocks (from non-rocky to rocky). They are locally salty on the lower layer.
They originated in materials derived from clayey and marly rocks mainly, including calcareous and sandy rocks (Cretaceous).
According to the FAO soil classification, they fall into the category of Calcaric Regosols.
Today these soils are mainly uncultivated, with herbaceous and shrubby vegetation.

Sub-group 5C - Soils with a highly differentiated profile; secondary soils with a weak profile differentiation due to human intervention and/or surface run-off. There are local strips of soils with illuvial clay deposits. These soils are located in the eastern and western areas of the territories belonging to Group 5. In the western part, they are next to Group 4 soils, while in the eastern part they are next to Group 3 soils.

They are moderately steep with a gradient usually ranging between 10 and 25%, rather often 35% also, calcareous, moderately alkaline. They are highly variable regarding depth (from very to moderately deep), composition (thin or medium) and content of oxygen (good or moderate).
They locally have non-calcareous and neutral or slightly alkaline surface horizons, but they can also have highly calcareous and strongly alkaline deep horizons. They originated in materials derived from soft rocks, with carbonic composition, mainly clayey or pelitic as well as some sandy or calcareous rocks. According to the FAO classification, they fall into the category of Haplic Calcisols, Cumulic Anthrosols, locally Calcaric Regosols and Calcic Luvisols. Today these soils are mainly used for intensive agricultural purposes, with orchards, vineyards and olive groves in some areas.

  Unit 5Ca  - Soils in the eastern area of the territory belonging to Sub-group 5C. They are steep with a gradient usually ranging between 20 and 35%, very deep, with a medium composition, rich in oxygen, calcareous and moderately alkaline.
Nevertheless, they are locally moderately deep or moderately steep and non-calcareous in surface horizons.
They originated in materials derived from marly and sandy rocks (Romagna Marly-Sandy Formation). According to the FAO classification, they fall into the category of Cumulic Anthrosols, Haplic Calcisols and locally Calcic Luvisols. Today these soils are mainly used for intensive agricultural purposes with specialised crops like vineyards and orchards.

  Unit 5Cc  - Soils in the eastern area of the territory belonging to Sub-group 5C.
These soils are moderately steep with a gradient usually ranging between 10 and 25%, deep or very deep, usually with a thin composition and rich in oxygen. They originated in materials deriving mainly from clayey and marly rocks with secondary sands and sandstones (generally believed to have formed in the Pliocene Age). According to the FAO soil classification, they fall into the category of Haplic Calcisols.
Today these soils are mainly used for agricultural purposes, for sowing, vineyards and olive groves.

Sub-group 5D - Soils with a strongly differentiated profile; they can also have a moderately differentiated profile due run-offs. Secondary soils, scarcely developed due to erosion by surface run-off. They are scattered in the territory belonging to Group 5 and they are next, towards the valley, to Sub-group 5A soils and sometimes to Sub-group 5C soils.

They are moderately sharp or steep with a gradient usually ranging between 20 and 40%, with a medium composition, rich in oxygen, calcareous and moderately alkaline. They are highly variable regarding depth (from very deep to superficial). They are locally very steep, or slightly alkaline.
They originated in materials derived from soft rocks, with carbonic component, usually made up of alternating pelitic and sandy rocks, sometimes of mainly clayey-marly or clayey-sandy deposits. According to the FAO classification, they fall into the category of Haplic Calcisols or Calcaric Cambisols and locally Calcaric Regosols.
Today these soils are mainly used for agricultural purposes, for sowing, vineyards and orchards. The use for forestry is limited.

  Unit 5Dh  - Soils in the far eastern area of the territory of Sub-group 5D. They are moderately steep with a gradient usually ranging between 20 and 30%, with a medium composition, rich in oxygen, calcareous, slightly or moderately alkaline. Deep horizons are often splintery. They are highly variable regarding the presence of rocks (from rocky to non-rocky soils) and depth (from very deep to superficial). They are locally steep. They originated in materials mainly derived from sandy and arenaceous rocks (Umbrian-Marches Line ). According to the FAO classification, they fall into the category of Calcaric Cambisols, locally Haplic Calcisols and Calcaric Regosols. Today these soils are mainly used for agricultural purposes, for sowing and olive groves. There are forests only in limited areas.

Each area of this unit is internally characterised by soils of the following main sub-units: Montescudo and Gemmano.
- Montescudo Sub-unit: moderately steep soils with a gradient usually ranging between 15 and 30%, deep or very deep, on sands and sandstones, rich in oxygen. According to the FAO soil classification, they fall into the category of Haplic Calcisols. According to the Soil Taxonomy, they are classified as fine-loamy, mixed, mesic Typic Ustochrepts. Today these soils are mainly used for agricultural purposes with olive groves; forests play a secondary role.
- Gemmano Sub-unit: steep soils with a gradient usually ranging between 30 and 50%; rocky; superficial, mainly on sandstones, locally on gypsum; rich in oxygen. According to the FAO soil classification, they fall into the category of Calcaric Regosols. According to the Soil Taxonomy, they are classified as loamy, mixed (calcareous), mesic, shallow Typic Ustorthents. Today these soils are mainly used for agricultural purposes and for forests.

Abstract from "I suoli dell'Emilia Romagna" (Soils of Emilia Romagna) published by the Emilia Romagna Region, Cartographic Service, Department of Pedology.

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