The ¹³⁷Cs technique applied to steep Mediterranean slopes (Part I): the effects of lithology, slope morphology and land use

Concentrations in the soil of anthropogenic and natural radionuclides have been investigated in order to assess the applicability of the 137Cs technique in an area of typical Mediterranean steep slopes. This technique can be used to estimate net soil redistribution rates but its potential in areas with shallow and stony soils on hard rock lithology have not been evaluated so far. In this research, the validity of using this technique in stony shallow soils at very steep slopes is discussed together with the relations between radionuclide concentrations and other soil properties, lithology, slope morphology and land use in a Mediterranean environment. Both natural Potassium-40 (40K), Uranium-238 (238U), Thorium-232 (232Th) and anthropogenic Caesium-137 (137Cs) radionuclides have been determined in samples taken along slope transects on uncultivated serpentinite soils and cultivated gneiss soils. In addition to the radionuclide concentrations, parameters such as slope position, slope angle, aspect, soil depth, surface stone cover, moss, litter, vegetation cover, soil crust, stone content and bulk density have been quantified.