GROUP 2 - Soils in morphologically lowered areas of the alluvial plain, with more or less strong phenomena of contraction and swelling of the clay. They are scattered all over the plain territory with the exception of the northeast area. They are geographically associated to the soils belonging to Group 3.

These are plain areas with a gradient ranging between 0,05 and 0,1% and often up to 0,3%. They are very deep with a thin composition, poor in oxygen, calcareous and slightly alkaline. They are locally unbalanced, in terms of oxygen content, and saline in the deep horizons. They can also be non- calcareous in the surface horizons and in the upper parts of the deep horizons. They originated in thinly composed fluvial sediments. According to the FAO classification, they are to be found in the Eutric Vertisols, Gypsic Vertisols, Calcic Vertisols and Haplic Calcisols. Today these soils are mainly used for agricultural purposes with herbaceous growing: cereals and beetroots.

Subgroup 2C - Soils with a complete decarbonisation of the superficial horizons and of the upper parts of the deep ones, with accumulation of carbonates in the depth. They are spread in the southern and western areas of the territory belonging to Group 2.

These are plain areas with a gradient ranging between 0,08 and 0,3%, very deep, with a thin composition, poor in oxygen, calcareous, slightly or moderately alkaline. They originated in thinly composed sediments, with a thickness higher than one meter, mainly some thousands of years ago. According to the FAO classification, they are to be found in the Haplic Calcisols and in the Calcic Vertisols.
Today these soils mainly fit for seed; vineyards and orchards are to be found only in the eastern part.

    Unit 2Ca     - Soils in the northern area of the territory belonging to the subgroup 2C.
These are plain areas with a gradient ranging between 0,1 and 0,3%, very deep, with a thin composition, poor in oxygen. The higher is the depth, the higher the content of limestone and alkali. They originated in thinly composed sediments. According to the FAO classification, they are to be found in the Calcic Vertisols.
Today these soils mainly fit for seed and long term grazing lands.
    Unit 2Cb     - Soils in the southern area of the territory belonging to the subgroup 2C.
These are plain areas with a gradient ranging between 0,1 and 0,3%, very deep, with a thin composition, poor in oxygen. The higher is the depth, the higher the content of limestone (from scarcely to highly calcareous) and alkali (from slightly to moderately alkaline). They originated in thinly composed sediments. According to the FAO classification, they are to be found in the Haplic Calcisols.
Today these soils mainly fit for seed, long-term grazing lands and vineyards; orchards are to be found but only in the eastern part.

GROUP 3 - Soils in areas morphologically in relief of the alluvial plain. They are affected by biochemical alterations with internal reorganisation of the carbonates. They are spread on the whole territory of the plain areas, except for the northern and eastern regions. They are geographically associated to the soils of Group 2.

These are plain areas with a gradient ranging between 0,1 and 0,5%, very deep, with a medium composition, rich in oxygen, calcareous and moderately alkaline. In the superficial horizons and in the upper part of the deep ones, they are locally non calcareous and neutral or slightly alkaline.
They originated in medium composed sediments, usually organised in layers or with lamination. According to the FAO classification, they are to be found in the Calcaric Cambisols, Haplic Calcisols and in the Chromic Cambisols. Today these soils fit for seed and specialised cultivations: orchards, vineyards and vegetable gardens.

Subgroup 3A - Soils with a moderately differentiated profile, low evidence of internal reorganisation of the carbonates. They are spread in most parts of the territory associated to Group 3.
These are plain areas with a gradient ranging between 0,08 and 0,3%, very deep, with a medium composition, rich in oxygen, calcareous and moderately alkaline. In some areas they are not so rich in oxygen. They originated in mainly medium composed fluvial sediments no more than a thousand years ago. According to the FAO classification, they are to be found in the Calcaric Cambisols.
Today these soils fit for seed, vineyards and orchards in the eastern areas and long-term grazing lands in the west.

    Unit 3Ad     - Soils in the central and eastern areas of the territory belonging to the subgroup 3A.
These are plain areas with a gradient ranging between 0,08 and 0,3%, very deep, with a medium composition, calcareous and moderately alkaline. The oxygen content ranges from good to moderate. They originated in medium composed fluvial sediments. According to the FAO classification, they are to be found in the Calcaric Cambisols.
Today these soils mainly fit for seed; they can also be used for long-term grazing lands and arboreal cultivations; vineyards and orchards.

    Unit 3Af     - Soils in the southern area of the territory belonging to the subgroup 3A.
These are plain areas with a gradient ranging between 0,2 and 0,8%, very deep, with a medium composition, rich in oxygen, calcareous and moderately alkaline. They originated in medium composed fluvial sediments. According to the FAO classification, they are to be found in the Calcaric Cambisols.
Today these soils mainly fit for seed, long-term grazing lands and vineyards.
Each area of this unit is mainly formed by soils of the very common subunit Bellaria. Subunit Bellaria: plain areas with a gradient ranging between 0,2 and 0,8%, very deep, on medium or roughly composed flood, locally gravely.
According to the FAO classification, they are to be found in the Calcaric Cambisols; according to the Soil Taxonomy, they are to be found in the loamy, mixed, mesic Fluventic Ustochrepts.
Today these soils mainly fit for seed, long-term grazing lands and vineyards.

Subgroup 3B - Soils with a moderately differentiated profile, with partial decarbonisation of the superficial horizons and accumulation of the carbonates in the depth. They are spread in the southwest and central area of the territory belonging to Group 3.

These are plain areas with a gradient ranging between 0,1 and 0,8%, very deep, with a medium composition, rich in oxygen, calcareous and moderately alkaline.
In some areas they are not so rich in alkali.
They originated in mainly medium composed fluvial sediments not earlier than 1000/1500 years ago. According to the FAO classification, they are to be found in the Haplic Calcisols.
Today these soils mainly fit for seed, vineyards and orchards in the east and for long-term grazing lands in the west.

    Unit 3Bc     - Soils in the southern area of the territory belonging to the subgroup 3B.
These are plain areas with a gradient ranging between 0,2 and 0,8%, very deep, with a medium composition, rich in oxygen, calcareous and moderately alkaline. They locally have a thin composition and a moderate content of oxygen.
They originated in ancient fluvial sediments with a medium, and locally thin, composition. According to the FAO classification, they are to be found in the Haplic Calcisols and locally in the Vertic Cambisols.
Today these soils mainly fit for seed in rotation with vegetable cultivations, orchards and vineyards.

Subgroup 3C - Soils with a highly differentiated profile, with a complete decarbonisation of the upper horizons and frequent accumulation of the carbonates in the depth. They are spread in the southwest area of the territory belonging to Group 3.

These are plain areas with a gradient ranging between 0,2 and 1%, very deep, with a medium composition, rich in oxygen, non calcareous in the superficial horizons and in the upper part of the deep ones: neutral or slightly alkaline.
The deep horizons are very variable, especially for the skeleton (gravelly or not) and the content of carbonates (calcareous or not). In some areas they are moderately alkaline. They originated, some thousands of years ago, in medium composed fluvial sediments often above a non-deep gravelly lower layer.
According to the FAO classification, they are to be found in the Haplic Calcisols and in the Chromic Cambisols.
Despite the high level of urbanisation, today these soils mainly fit for seed, vineyards and orchards in the east and for long-term grazing lands in the west.

    Unit 3Ca     - Soils mainly in the eastern area of the territory belonging to the subgroup 3C.
These are plain areas with a gradient ranging between 0,2 and 1%, very deep, with a medium composition, rich in oxygen.
The higher is the depth, the higher the content of limestone (from the complete lack to a high content) and alkali (from neutral to moderately alkaline). They locally have a thin composition and a moderate content of oxygen. They originated in medium composed fluvial sediments. According to the FAO classification, they are to be found in the Haplic Calcisols.
Variano, all'aumentare della profondità, da non calcarei a molto o fortemente calcarei, da neutri o debolmente alcalini a moderatamente alcalini. Localmente hanno tessitura fine e moderata disponibilità di ossigeno. Si sono formati in sedimenti fluviali a tessitura media. Rientrano negli Haplic Calcisols, secondo la Legenda FAO.
Today these soils mainly fit for seed, long-term grazing lands and vineyards.

    Unit 3Cb     - Soils mainly in the western area of the territory belonging to the subgroup 3C.
These are plain areas with a gradient ranging between 0,2 and 1%, very deep, with a medium gravelly composition, rich in oxygen, non calcareous, neutral or moderately alkaline.
They originated in medium composed and gravelly fluvial sediments. According to the FAO classification, they are to be found in the Chromic Cambisols.
Today these soils mainly fit for long-term grazing lands and seed; orchards and vineyards are subordinate.

GROUP 4 - Soils in the Apennine margin. They are ancient with traces of geochemical alterations and rich in sesquioxides; completely decarbonised or with accumulation of carbonates in the depth. These soils constitute a thin layer and their width decreases from west to east; the layer is not continuous as it is broken by soils of the Group 3 in the terraces across the Apennines and by the relevant fluvial beds.

These are plain or undulating areas with a gradient ranging between 1 and 15%, very deep, with a thin composition or medium over a thin one, with a moderate content of oxygen, non calcareous.
In the superficial horizons and in the upper part of the deep ones, they are locally non calcareous and neutral or slightly alkaline. The higher is the depth, the higher the content of alkali (from neutral to moderately alkaline). Locally they are slightly acid on the surface or strongly alkaline and moderately calcareous in the depth.
They originated in variously composed fluvial sediments, with a superficial component that is believed to have an aeolian origin, some ten and often hundreds of thousands of years ago. According to the FAO classification, they are to be found in the Haplic Luvisols, in the Ferric Luvisols and in the Vertic Cambisols. Today these soils are mainly used for agricultural purposes with cereal and fodder growing, and some less spread but intensively specialised cultivations such as vineyards and orchards.

Subgroup 4B - Decarbonised soils or with accumulation of the carbonates in the depth with a "broken" profile due to concentrated and discontinuous streams and due to solifluction. They are spread in the east and southwest areas of the territory belonging to Group 4. They are immediately on the upper part of the soils belonging to subgroup 4A or directly in contact with soils of the Group 3 in the piedmont plain.

These are softly undulating or undulating with a gradient ranging between 3 and 15%, very deep, with a thin composition, with a moderate content of oxygen, non calcareous or scarcely calcareous; neutral or moderately alkaline. They often are moderately calcareous and highly alkaline above a depth of one metre.
They often are slightly steep, with a medium composition, gravelly, rich in oxygen. They originated in mainly thin or medium composed sediments hundreds of thousands of years ago. According to the FAO classification, they are to be found in the Vertic Cambisols, in the Haplic Luvisols and in the Ferric Luvisols.
Today these soils mainly fit for seed, widespread vineyards and orchards.

    Unit 4Ba     - These soils are distributed as those belonging to the subgroup 4B with the only exception of the northwest areas.
They are softly undulating or undulating with a gradient ranging between 3 and 15%, very deep, with a thin or generally thin composition, with a moderate content of oxygen. The higher is the depth, the higher the content of limestone (from a complete lack to a scarce or moderate content of it) and alkali (from neutral to highly alkaline). They originated in thin and medium composed sediments. According to the FAO classification, they are to be found in the Vertic Cambisols. Today these soils mainly fit for seed in rotation with vineyards.

GROUP 5 - Soils in the low Apennines with biochemical alterations and internal reorganisation of carbonates; these are secondary and hardly developed soils due to water flow erosion. These soils form a non-continuous layer and their width decreases from west to east; this layer is broken by soils of the Group 3 in the terraces across the Apennines and by the relevant fluvial beds. Inside the layer there are some soils belonging to the Group 6, neighbouring soils towards the hills.

They are moderately steep or steep with a gradient ranging between 10 and 35%, rich in oxygen, calcareous, moderately alkaline.
They are highly variable especially as far as the depth and the composition are concerned (from superficial to very deep, medium or thin composition). They locally are very steep or slightly undulating, not so rich in oxygen, non calcareous and neutral or scarcely alkaline.
They originated in materials derived from soft and easily alterable rocks with a carbonic composition. Lythotypes are made of sandstones, layering pelites, mainly clayey and marly deposits, with a disorganised structure, including mainly clayey rocks and sandstones, or they are made of pelitic-sandy deposits. Evaporation-based rocks of the Messiniano are highly localised. According to the FAO classification, they are to be found in the Haplic Calcisols or in the Calcaric Cambisols and locally in the Calcaric Regosols.
Today these soils are mainly used for agricultural purposes: the specialised arboreal cultivations are quite spread with DOC vineyards, orchards and olive groves in the far-east area.
Subgroup 5B - Hardly developed soils due to water flow erosion; gullies and cropping out rocks. These soils are in the central and eastern areas of Group 5.
They are moderately steep or steep with a gradient ranging between 15 and 35%, with a medium composition, rich in oxygen, calcareous and moderately alkaline.
They are highly variable especially as far as the presence of rocks and the depth are concerned (from non rocky to rocky soils and from very deep to superficial ones). They locally have a thin composition or with an unbalanced content of oxygen. They originated in materials derived from soft rocks with a carbonic composition. These rocks are mainly made of clayey and marly deposits with a disorganised structure and including calcareous and sandy rocks. These rocks can also be made of pelites and layered sandstones. According to the FAO classification, they are to be found in the Calcaric Regosols. Today these soils are mainly used for agricultural purposes, mainly for seed and extensive use.

    Unit 5Ba    - These soils are scattered in the territories of the Subgroup 5B.
They are moderately steep with a gradient ranging between 15 and 30%, superficial, with a thin composition, rich in oxygen, calcareous and moderately alkaline. They are often rocky. They locally are moderately deep with a medium composition. They originated in materials derived from mainly pelitic or marly rocks (Gruppo del Santerno). According to the FAO classification, they are to be found in the Calcaric Regosols. Today these soils are mainly used for agricultural purposes; they fit for seed.

    Unit 5Bb    - These soils are scattered in a discontinuous way in the territories of the Subgroup 5B.
They are steep with a gradient ranging between 20 and 35%, rocky, very deep, with a medium composition, with an unbalanced content of oxygen, moderately alkaline. They are highly variable especially as far as the presence of rocks is concerned (from non rocky to rocky). They locally are salty on the lower layer.
They originated in materials derived from mainly clayey and marly rocks including calcareous and sandy rocks (Complesso Caotico).
According to the FAO classification, they are to be found in the Calcaric Regosols.
Today these soils are mainly uncultivated with herbaceous and shrubby vegetation.

Subgroup 5C - Soils with a highly differentiated profile; subordinate soils with a weak differentiation of the profile due to human intervention and/or water flow phenomena. There are local strips of soils with accumulations of flood clay. These soils are in the eastern and western areas of the territories belonging to the Group 5. In the western part, they are next to the soils of the Group 4, while in the eastern part they are next to the soils of the Group 3.

They are moderately steep with a gradient ranging between 10 and 25% even if it often goes up to 35%, calcareous, moderately alkaline. They are highly variable especially as far as the depth, the composition and the content of oxygen are concerned (from very to moderately deep, thin or medium composition, good or moderate content of oxygen).
They locally have superficial horizons which are non calcareous and neutral or slightly alkaline but they can also have deep horizons highly calcareous and strongly alkaline. They originated in materials derived from soft rocks, with a carbonic composition, mainly clayey or pelitic as well as some sandy or calcareous rocks. According to the FAO classification, they are to be found in the Haplic Calcisols, in the Cumulic Anthrosols, locally in the Calcaric Regosols and in the Calcic Luvisols. Today these soils are mainly used for intensive agricultural purposes, with orchards, vineyards and olive groves in some areas.

    Unit 5Ca    - Soils in the eastern area of the territory belonging to the subgroup 5C. They are steep with a gradient ranging between 20 and 35%, very deep, with a medium composition, rich in oxygen, calcareous and moderately alkaline.
Nevertheless, they locally are moderately deep or moderately steep and non calcareous in the superficial horizons.
They originated in materials derived from marly and sandy rocks (Formazione Marnoso-Arenacea Romagnola). According to the FAO classification, they are to be found in the Cumulic Anthrosols, in the Haplic Calcisols and locally in the Calcic Luvisols. Today these soils are mainly used for intensive agricultural purposes with specialised cultures: vineyards and orchards.

    Unit 5Cc    - Soils in the eastern area of the territory belonging to the subgroup 5C.
These soils are moderately steep with a gradient ranging between 10 and 25%, deep or very deep, usually with a thin composition and rich in oxygen. They originated in materials derived mainly from clayey and marly rocks with subordinate sands and sandstone (usually of the Pliocene Age). According to the FAO classification, they are to be found in the Haplic Calcisols.
Today these soils are mainly used for agricultural purposes: they fit for seed, vineyards and olive groves.

Subgroup 5D - Soils with a strongly differentiated profile; they can also have a moderately differentiated profile due to water flow phenomena. Subordinate soils, scarcely developed due to the erosion by water flow. They are scattered in the territory belonging to the Group 5 and they are next, towards the valley, to the soils of the Subgroup 5A and sometimes of the Subgroup 5C.

They are moderately steep or steep with a gradient ranging between 20 and 40%, with a medium composition, rich in oxygen, calcareous and moderately alkaline. They are highly variable especially as far as the depth is concerned (from very deep to superficial). They are very steep locally, or slightly alkaline.
They originated in materials derived from soft rocks, with a carbonic component, usually made of alternating pelitic and sandy rocks, sometimes of mainly clayey-marly or clayey-sandy deposits. Locally they are made of evaporation-based rocks. According to the FAO classification, they are to be found in the Haplic Calcisols or in the Calcaric Cambisols, locally in the Calcaric Regosols.
Today these soils are mainly used for agricultural purposes as they fit for seed, vineyards and orchards. Forests are limited.

    Unit 5Dh    - Soils in the far eastern area of the territory of the subgroup 5D. They are moderately steep with a gradient ranging between 20 and 30%, with a medium composition, rich in oxygen, calcareous, slightly or moderately alkaline. The deep horizons are often splintery. They are highly variable especially as far as the presence of rocks and the depth are concerned (from rocky to non rocky soils and from very deep to superficial). They are locally steep. They originated in materials mainly derived from sandy and sandstone rocks (Successione Umbro-Marchigiana). According to the FAO classification, they are to be found in the Calcaric Cambisols, locally in the Haplic Calcisols and in the Calcaric Regosols. Today these soils are mainly used for agricultural purposes as they fit for seed and olive groves; forests are few and only in limited areas.

Each area of this unit is internally characterised by soils of the following main subunits: Montescudo and Gemmano.
- Subunit Montescudo: moderately steep soils with a gradient ranging between 15 and 30%, deep or very deep, on sands and sandstones, rich in oxygen. According to the FAO classification, they are to be found in the Haplic Calcisols. According to the Soil Taxonomy classification, they are to be found in the fine-loamy, mixed, mesic Typic Ustochrepts. Today these soils are mainly used for agricultural purposes with olive groves; forests play a subordinate role.
- Subunit Gemmano: steep soils with a gradient ranging between 30 and 50%; rocky; superficial, mainly on sandstones, locally on gypsum; rich in oxygen. According to the FAO classification, they are to be found in the Calcaric Regosols. According to the Soil Taxonomy classification, they are to be found in the loamy, mixed (calcareous), mesic, shallow Typic Ustorthents. Today these soils are mainly used for agricultural purposes and for forests.

Abstract from "I suoli dell'Emilia Romagna" (Soils of Emilia Romagna) edited by the Region Emilia Romagna, Cartographic Service, Department of Pedology .