Contrasting environmental memories in relict soils on different parent rocks in the south-western Italian Alps

摘要

Soils on the Alps are usually weakly developed, both because of the extensive Pleistocene glaciations, and because of slope steepness and climate enhancing erosion. However, on some stable, relict surfaces, particularly in the outermost sections of the Alpine range, some highly developed soils are apparently in contrast with Holocene soil forming conditions. In this work we assess the extent of pedogenesis in some of these soils, located under montane-level vegetation in the Ligurian Alps (SW Piemonte, Italy), and relate it to the effects of climate and parent material.