<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><xml><records><record><source-app name="Biblio" version="7.x">Drupal-Biblio</source-app><ref-type>17</ref-type><contributors><authors><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Zucca, Claudio</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Canu, Annalisa</style></author><author><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Previtali, Franco</style></author></authors></contributors><titles><title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Soil degradation by land use change in an agropastoral area in Sardinia (Italy)</style></title><secondary-title><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Catena</style></secondary-title></titles><keywords><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Agropastoral practices</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">BQI (Biological Quality Index)</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Deforestation</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">microporosity</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">soil erosion</style></keyword><keyword><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Soil organic carbon</style></keyword></keywords><dates><year><style  face="normal" font="default" size="100%">2010</style></year></dates><publisher><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">Elsevier B.V.</style></publisher><volume><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">83</style></volume><pages><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">46-54</style></pages><language><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">eng</style></language><abstract><style face="normal" font="default" size="100%">In recent decades the clearing of Mediterranean maquis along with the creation of new pastures has been a major factor of land degradation in Sardinia (Italy). This was due to an inadequate implementation of agricultural policies. Consequently, tillage and water erosion intensiﬁed over a wide area. The present work assesses the impacts of land use change on soil properties in a representative area of central-eastern Sardinia. Paired forest and pasture sampling sites were selected in relation to present land use, land suitability, and land use history. Different soil properties were considered: physical (sand, silt, clay, soil thickness, bulk density, and penetration resistance), chemical (pH, OC, N, C/N, Ca, Mg, Na, K, CEC, and BS), biological (BQI), and micromorphological (microporosity and microstructure). The comparison of forest and pasture soils showed a signiﬁcant soil loss (in terms of soil thickness, −22%), and a clear decrease in organic carbon storage (−64% on average). An increase in bulk density (+44%) and a change in microporosity and its vertical distribution were also observed, respectively by ﬁeld measurements and micromorphological quantiﬁcation on digital images.</style></abstract></record></records></xml>