Abstract
In urban areas, land use usually increases soil degradation. However, there are areas occupied by agriculture and woodlands with an essential role in provisioning food and other services such as water and climate regulation. The objective of this work was to assess the effect of long-term land use and soil management practices on peri-urban soils in Zagreb (Croatia). Samples were collected at depth 0–10 cm within intensively tilled cropland (CROP) and vineyard (VINE), traditional grass-covered orchard (ORCH), and forest (FOR). The results showed that bulk density was significantly higher in VINE and CROP than in ORCH and FOR. The opposite dynamic was observed in water-holding capacity, air-filled porosity, aggregate stability, organic matter, and soil organic matter stocks (SOCS). Soil water infiltration was higher in FOR plot compared to the other plots. Overall, land-use change had a substantial impact on soil properties and SOCS, especially in CROP and VINE soils. Tillage, pesticides, and fertilizer applications were presumably the reasons for altered soil quality properties. Intensively used areas (VINE and CROPS) may reduce soil ecosystems services such as the capacity for flood retention and C sequestration.
Highlights
Global demand for goods increases pressure on ecosystems [1,2]
Soil clay content was significantly higher in ORCH than in VINE, CROP, and FOR
FOR and ORCH had a significantly higher silt content compared to CROP
Summary
Global demand for goods (e.g., food, energy) increases pressure on ecosystems [1,2]. The world’s population is expected to increase by 2 billion persons in the 30 years, from 7.7 billion currently to9.7 billion in 2050, and could peak at nearly 11 billion around 2100 [3]. Urban sprawl is a global phenomenon with several negative impacts on the environment, such as landscape fragmentation, habitat loss, air pollution, greenhouse gas emissions, an increase of vulnerability to floods, urban heat island effect, and soil degradation (e.g., pollution and sealing). This land-use change is decreasing the ecosystem services drastically (e.g., air pollution regulation, water storage and infiltration, flood regulation, carbon sequestration, and food provided by these areas) [4,5,6]. Especially in urban and agricultural areas lead to soil degradation represents as factor
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