5. Anthropogenic Soils

Anthropogenic soils are divided into Anthrosols and Technosols. The first group covers considerable areas in urban environments, in particular garden soils in residential areas. The most important properties of Anthrosols, including the nutrient capacity and the contamination potential, are presented. Furthermore, characteristics of plaggen soils located in the periphery of cities are mentioned. The main focus, however, is on the deposited, man-made soils usually consisting of technogenic substrates. Attention is given to dry deposits such as landfills and mining soils and to sludge fields associated with numerous human activities. Potential and actual mobility of contaminants in the soils of concern are introduced and discussed. Important features like reductomorphic conditions in landfill soils, acidification of coal mining heaps containing pyrite, failure of vegetation to establish itself in ore mining soils and dehydration of dredged harbour sludge fields are taken into consideration in the context of the contamination problem. Additionally, completely artificial urban soils such as planters and rooftop gardens are integrated. In order to give a detailed description of the properties of anthropogenic soils for most of the presented soils an example located in the German Osnabrück district is described in more detail.