Forest soils of Greece: Physical, chemical and biological properties

Abstract

Physical, chemical and biological properties of Greek forest soils are reported and their use for forestry is discussed on the basis of the following underlying strata: (i) hard limestone, (ii) metamorphic rocks, (iii) Tertiary deposits, (iv) flysch, and (v) ultrabasic igneous rocks.Soils derived from hard limestone are clay to clay loam in texture, acid, neutral or alkaline in chemical reaction, adequately supplied with Ca, Mg and K of high biological activity. Soils from metamorphic rocks are considered as two separate sub-types, those derived from mica schists and those from gneisses. Soils from mica schists are silt loam to loamy in texture, acid to very acid in chemical reaction, poor in Ca, Mg and K, especially the mineral horizons of high elevation soils, and of very low biological activity possibly due to toxic concentrations of Al3+ and Mn. Soils from gneiss are loamy sand to sandy in texture,(their major distinction from the soils of the previous sub-type), acid in chemical reaction, moderately to poorly supplied with Ca, Mg and K and of very low biological activity.Soils derived from Tertiary deposits are also examined as two sub-types, those from materials rich in CaCO3 (marls) and those from siliceous materials. Soils in the first sub-type are clay to clay loam in texture and alkaline in chemical reaction with excess bases, especially Ca, and high concentrations of free CaCO3. Soils from siliceous materials are clay loam to loamy in texture, acid in chemical reaction and moderately to poorly supplied with Ca, Mg and K. Soils from flysch are clay loam to loamy in texture, acid in chemical reaction, sufficiently supplied with Ca, Mg and K and of moderate biological activity.Finally, soils derived from ultrabasic igneous rocks are clay loam to clay in texture, acid in chemical reaction, moderately to sufficiently supplied with Ca, Mg and K, and of restricted biological activity. They have high concentrations of Mg and Mn and low concentrations of Ca, K, N and P.