Chemistry of Europe's Agricultural Soils Part B - General Background Information and Further Analysis of the GEMAS Data Set

Part B of the GEMAS atlas provides a more detailed interpretation of the spatial distribution of selected elements (As, C, Cd, K, Th, U) at the European scale than was possible to provide in Part A, the geochemical atlas. To highlight the importance of scale this part also provides interpretations of the data set at a more local scale (Scandinavia and Ukraine). Possibilities for more-in-depth uses of the data set from assessing the impact of agriculture (carbon stock), through risk assessment to unravelling geological processes (loess distribution) are demonstrated. Several chapters cover the background information needed for the interpretation of a geochemical atlas (geology, soil formation, mineral deposits). Finally, data on the regional distribution of some rarely analysed elements (B, Cl, F) at the European scale are pre- sented, based on the old FOREGS soil samples. A discussion of element concentrations, as measured in a very weak extraction (MMI®), helps to understand the geochemical processes governing the distribution of elements at the European scale, and allows us to better detect the impact of human activities on European agricultural soil. Part B also provides Tables summarising European legislation with regard to soil, and the key statistical parameters for the GEMAS samples.

General Background Information
1 - A Short Guide to Soil Formation and the Soils of Europe
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Soil – what is it?
1.3 Soil – an eco-friendly chemical factory
1.4 Does soil always stay the same?
1.5 How many soil types are there?
1.6 Use of GEMAS data
2 - Geology of Europe
2.1 Introduction
2.2 The European plate tectonic evolution
in the Phanerozoic
2.3 The crustal framework of Europe – distribution of terranes and tectonic plates
2.4 Igneous rocks of Europe
2.5 Sedimentary basin evolution in Europe from the Palaeozoic to the Caenozoic
2.6 Major faults and fracture zones of Europe
2.7 Impact structures of Europe
2.8 Quaternary development of Europe
3 - Mineral Deposits of Europe
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Mineral deposit and mineralisation maps
Applied Geochemistry of Selected Elements
4 - Arsenic Anomalies in European Agricultural and Grazing Land Soil
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Materials and methods
4.3 Results
4.4 Discussion
4.5 Conclusions
5 - Distribution of Cadmium in European Agricultural and Grazing Land Soil
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Occurrence and sources
5.3 Production and use
5.4 Vegetation and aquatic biota
5.5 Health implications and ecotoxicology
5.6 Survey area
5.7 Results
5.8 Discussion
5.9 Conclusions
6 Carbon Concentrations in European Agricultural and Grazing Land Soil
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Materials and methods
6.3 Results
6.4 Discussion
6.5 Conclusions
7 - Distribution of Selenium in European Agricultural and Grazing Land Soil
7.1 Introduction
7.2 Selenium
7.3 Results
7.4 Discussion
7.5 Conclusions
8 Natural Radioactive Elements Uranium, Thorium and Potassium in European Agricultural and Grazing Land Soil
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Geochemical features
8.3 Health effects
8.4 Uses
8.5 Results and discussion
8.6 Conclusions
9 Distribution of Aeolian Deposits in Europe and Their Influence on Soil Geochemistry
9.1 Introduction
9.2 Aeolian deposits in Europe
9.3 Influence of aeolian deposits on soil geochemistry
9.4 Conclusions
10 - Distribution of Boron, Chlorine and Fluorine in European Topsoil and Subsoil
(based on samples from the FOREGS project)
10.1 Introduction
10.2 Methods
10.3 Results
10.4 Discussion
10.5 Conclusions
10.6 Mobility and Risk Assessment of Metals
11 Prediction of Metal and Metalloid Partitioning Coefficients (Kd) in Soil Using Mid-Infrared Diffuse Reflectance Spectroscopy
11.1 Introduction
11.2 Partial-least-squares models
11.3 Prediction of Kd values from DRIFT+pH models
11.4 Conclusions
12 - Use of Monitoring Data for Risk Assessment of Metals in Soil under the European REACH Regulation
12.1 Introduction
12.2 Materials and methods
12.3 Results 1
12.4 Discussion
12.5 Conclusions
13 - Mobile Metal Ion Analysis of European Agricultural Soil
13.1 Introduction
13.2 Analysis and quality control
13.3 Results
13.4 Comparison of results with other data sets
13.5 Discussion and conclusions
Regional Interpretation of GEMAS Data
14 - Elemental Patterns in Agricultural and Grazing Land Soil in Norway, Finland and Sweden: What Have We Learned from Continental-Scale Mapping?
14.1 Introduction
14.2 Topography and climate
14.3 Geology
14.4 Human impact on agricultural land
14.5 Sampling and methodology
14.6 Discussion
14.7 Conclusions
15 Geochemical Characteristics of Ukrainian Soil Using Landscape-Geochemical Regionalisation Based on the GEMAS Data
15.1 Introduction
15.2 Materials and methods
15.3 Results and discussion
15.4 Conclusions
References
Acronyms and Abbreviations
Appendices
A - Soil Guideline Values (SGVs) for Agricultural and Grazing Land Soil in Different European Countries
B - GEMAS Project: Statistical Parameters for All of Europe (Ap and Gr samples)
C - GEMAS Project: Statistical Parameters of Northern and Southern Europe (Ap samples)