Abstract
The comparison of contents and distribution maps for Al, As, Ba, Ca, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, La, K, Na, Ni, Mg, Mn, P, Pb, Sc, Sr, Ti, Th, V, Y, Zn and Hg in the topsoil cover of two typical regions are given. One is a carbonate bedrock (karst) dominated region (southern Dalmatia) and the other a non-carbonate bedrock dominated region (NW Croatia). The results imply that the soils developed on carbonate bedrock have higher mean values of almost all elements excluding K, Na, Mg and Ba, which are lower in carbonate terrains. In comparison with the non-carbonate terrains, for the carbonate terrains the following elements have higher mean concentrations: Al, As, Co, Cu, Fe, La, Mn, Pb, Ni, Mn, Th, V, Cr, Zn, Zr and Nb, while Sr, P and Ti have similar contents. Approximately 4% of the sites can be considered as moderately enriched (polluted) in Pb, either from mining activities or airborne deposition. Only a limited number of sampling sites can be directly linked with mineralization. The derived factors are usually interpreted as associations of elements that imply a common source or behavior in regard to geogenic or anthropogenic influences. It was found that difference between the northwestern Croatia and southern Dalmatia is not expressed only by concentration differences but also by element associations. Five factor models accounting most of the data variability seemed appropriate to portray the geochemical variability within the topsoil of both regions.
Highlights
Soil is a vulnerable geological medium, which sustains the bulk of human activities including, among others, the food production as one of the most important
In northwestern Croatia a total of 293 soil samples were collected which is equivalent to a surface of approximately 7,350 km2, in southern Dalmatia 404 (225 on the 5x5 km grid and 179 on the 1x1 km grid) soil samples collected cover an approximate surface of 5,600 km2 (Fig 1)
The results of the geochemical baseline mapping program together with the accompanying full data bases for NW Croatia and southern Dalmatia is summarized in atlases of single element maps (HALAMI∆ & GALOVI∆, 1999; PEH & MIKO, 1999; MIKO et al, 2001)
Summary
Soil is a vulnerable geological medium, which sustains the bulk of human activities including, among others, the food production as one of the most important. In order to trace the increasing human contribution to Geochemical research has shown a much greater natural variability among almost all elements in soil, irrespective of the soil type, when contrasted to the stream sediment (REIMANN, 1988) This is a fact that allows reduction of sampling density, fitting it more appropriately into the regional scope of investigation which can be implemented successfully either on carbonate or non-carbonate geological bedrocks. The geochemical baseline, which has been defined within the IGCP 360 project Global Geochemical Baselines, is of essential importance in environmental legislation, which prescribes limits for heavy metals in contaminated land and other surficial materials such as defined by environmental authorities This is complicated by regional geochemical data showing that natural background concentrations vary widely due to the Geologia Croatica 54/1 differences in bedrock geology and the origin of the soil cover, as is the case in the Mediterranean region of Croatia. In the region of southern Dalmatia the geochemistry of the topsoil cover distinguishes between the two major environments; the southern Adriatic islands (Mljet, KorËula, Hvar, and BraË to some extent) and the mainland which consists of the two somewhat less pronounced environments: alluvial valleys-karst poljes and carbonate bedrock (PEH & MIKO, 1999)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
