Curriculum Vitae
Università degli Studi di Udine / University of Udine, Department of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Faculty Member
Maria De Nobili
Born 3/15/1953
Married, one son.
Qualifications
MSc in Chemistry at Padua University: graduated in 1978 with full marks.
PhD in Soil Science, School of Environmental Sciences, University of Nottingham, in 2002.
Maria De Nobili is Full Professor of Soil Science and Environmental Chemistry at the University of Udine (Italy). .
Research Interests
She has been head of research units involved in several projects dealing with soil organic matter dynamics and
soil biological properties, and, in particular, the bioavailability of contaminants and their effects on soil functions.
Her approach has tended to be a multidisciplinary one, investigating the links between pedoclimatic conditions,
soil management, biological activity and sustainability. Her present research focuses on the redox state of
recalcitrant organic matter components in tidal soils and sediments and their relationship with sulfide and toxic
metals immobilization, while her other interests include the composting of sewage sludge and organic wastes
(two patents) and their use in agriculture, particularly in relation to methane emission/oxidation in soil.
Responsability in research programs
Maria De Nobili has been head of research sections in several national projects on soil organic matter dynamics.
She was in charge of the Italian part of the project:" Effect of global warming on carbon dioxide evolution and
microbial biomass dynamics " (MURST - British Council Agreement for Research and Higher Education) with the
AFRC, Rothamsted (UK), and co-ordinated a national project on the use of anoxic conditions for bioremediation
of heavy metal pollution for Agenzia 2000.
Activities in commissions and societies
She has also been involved in the direction of scientific societies at national (from 2008 to 2012 serving as
International representative on the Board of Directors for the Italian Society of Soil Science) and at international
level (as member of the Board of Directors of the International Humic Substances Society from 1999 to 2008 and
President of the same from 2002 to 2004). From 2003 to 2013 she sat on the International Committee for the
organization of the International Seminars of Environmental Biogeochemistry. She was, further, Honorary
Chairperson of Humic Substances Seminar VII (Boston, 2002) and Chairperson of the scientific committees of
the 12th and of the 13th IHSS international conferences held in Sao Pedro (Brazil) in 2004 and in Karlsruhe
(Germany) in 2006.
She evaluated research projects on behalf of American Society of Agronomy, GIF (German Israeli Foundation),
British Council (UK) and Agencia Nacional de Evaluación Prospectiva (ANEP, Spain). She was part of the group
of evaluators of the European Science Foundation for the organic sector environment (ESF LESC) and of
IRCSET postdoctoral fellowship (Eire). In February 2012 she participated to the panel of invited experts for the
External Review of Environmental Sciences Program at Tal Hai College (Israel).
Pubblications in the last 5 years
1) Pellegrini, E., Rovere, N., Zaninotti, S. et al. Artificial neural network (ANN) modelling for the estimation
of soil microbial biomass in vineyard soils. Biol Fertil Soils (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00374-020-
01498-1
2) The spontaneous secondary synthesis of soil organic matter components: A critical examination of the
soil continuum model theory,Maria De Nobili, Carlo Bravo, Yona Chen,Applied Soil Ecology,154,
103655.
3) Evaluating the ‘triggering response’ in soils, using 13C-glucose, and effects on dynamics of microbial
biomass Qiu, G., Zhu, M., Contin, M., (2020.), Xu, J., Brookes, P.C. Soil Biology and
Biochemistry 147,107843
4) A new paper sensor method for field analysis of acid volatile sulfides in soils Pellegrini, E., Contin,
M., Vittori Antisari, L., (.2020.), Ferronato, C., De Nobili, M. 2018 Environmental Toxicology and
Chemistry 37(12), pp. 3025-3031
5) Cascading effects from plant to soil elucidate how the invasive Amorpha fruticosa L. impacts dry
grasslands Boscutti, F., Pellegrini, E., Casolo, V., (.2020.), Buccheri, M., Alberti, G. Journal
of Vegetation Science 31(4), pp. 667-677
6) Terrestrial-marine continuum of sedimentary natural organic matter in a mid-latitude estuarine
system 2020 Bravo, C., Millo, C., Covelli, S., Contin, M., De Nobili, M. Journal of Soils and
Sediments
20(2), pp. 1074-1086
7) Biostimulant Action of Dissolved Humic Substances From a Conventionally and an Organically Managed
Soil on Nitrate Acquisition in Maize Plants Vujinović, T., Zanin, L., Venuti, S., (2020...), Cesco, S.,
De Nobili, M. Frontiers in Plant Science10,1652.
8) Soil Organic Carbon and Carbonates are Binding Phases for Simultaneously Extractable Metals
in Calcareous Saltmarsh Soils Pellegrini, E., Contin, M., Vittori Antisari, L., Ferronato, C., De Nobili, M.
2019 Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry 38(12), pp. 2688-2697
9) Comment on “Humic substances extracted by alkali are invalid proxies for the dynamics and functions of
organic matter in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems,” by Kleber and Lehmann (2019) De Nobili, M.
2019 Journal of Environmental Quality 48(4), pp. 787-789
10) Using humic fractions to understand natural organic matter processes in soil and water: Selected studies
and applications Olk, D.C., Bloom, P.R., De Nobili, M., (.2019.), Wells, M.J.M., Weber, J.
Journal of Environmental Quality 48(6), pp. 1633-1643
11) Plant traits shape the effects of tidal flooding on soil and plant communities in saltmarshes
Pellegrini, E., Boscutti, F., De Nobili, M., Casolo, V. 2018 Plant Ecology 219 (7), pp. 823-835
12) Humusica 2, article 12: Aqueous humipedons – Tidal and subtidal humus systems and forms Zanella,
A., Ferronato, C., De Nobili, M., (.2018..), Van Delft, B., Vacca, A. Applied Soil Ecology 122, pp. 170-180
13) Humusica 2, article 18: Techno humus systems and global change – Greenhouse effect, soil and
agriculture Zanella, A., Ponge, J.-F., Hager, H., (...), Andreetta, A., De Nobili, M. 2018 Applied
Soil Ecology 122, pp. 254-270
14) Humusica 2, article 11: Histic humus systems and forms–Epihisto intergrades and dynamics Zanella,
A., Ponge, J.-F., De Waal, R., (...), Vianello, G., Jabiol, B. 2018 Applied Soil Ecology 122, pp. 162-169
15) Humusica 2, Article 9: Histic humus systems and forms—Specific terms, diagnostic horizons and
overview Zanella, A., De Waal, R., Van Delft, B., (...), Gobat, J.-M., Vacca, A. 2018 Applied
Soil Ecology 122, pp. 148-153
16) Humusica 2, article 10: Histic humus systems and forms – Key of classification Zanella, A., De Waal,
R., Van Delft, B., (...), Andreetta, A., Kõlli, R. 2018 Applied Soil Ecology 122, pp. 154-161
17) Humusica 2, article 17: techno humus systems and global change − three crucial questions Zanella,
A., Geisen, S., Ponge, J.-F., (...), Lomolino, G., Gomiero, T. 2018 Applied Soil Ecology 122, pp. 237-253
18) Humusica 1, article 3: Essential bases – Quick look at the classification Zanella, A., Ponge, J.-F., de
Waal, R., (...), De Nobili, M., Juilleret, J. 2017 Applied Soil Ecology 122, pp. 42-55
19) Tree functional diversity influences belowground ecosystem functioning Alberti, G., Nock, C., Fornasier,
F., (..2017.), Bruelheide, H., Bauhus, J. Applied Soil Ecology 120, pp. 160-168
20) Soil properties and plant community relationship in a saltmarsh of the Grado and Marano lagoon
(northern Italy) Vittori Antisari, L., Ferronato, C., Pellegrini, E., (...), de Nobili, M., Vianello, G. 2017
Journal of Soils and Sediments 17(7), pp. 1862-1873
21) Reduction of odorous compounds emissions from swine slurry by electrolytic treatments and copper
addition Podrecca, M., Chiumenti, A., Da Borso, F., Contin, M., De Nobili, M. 2017 Journal of
Agricultural Engineering 48(1),546, pp. 12-20
22) The complexity of soil biological sustainability De Nobili, M., Brookes, P.C., Sánchez-Monedero, M.A.,
Contin, M. 2016 Acta Horticulturae 1146, pp. 69-78
23) Hydromorphic to subaqueous soils transitions in the central Grado lagoon (Northern Adriatic Sea, Italy)
Vittori Antisari, L., De Nobili, M., Ferronato, C., (...), Pellegrini, E., Vianello, G. 2016
Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science 173, pp. 39-48
24) Bioaccumulation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and survival of earthworms (Eisenia andrei)
exposed to biochar amended soils Malev, O., Contin, M., Licen, S., Barbieri, P., De Nobili, M.
2016 Environmental Science and Pollution Research 23(4), pp. 3491-3502
24) Flocculation of sewage sludge with FeCl3 modifies the bioavailability of potentially toxic elements when
added to different soils Contin, M., Malev, O., Izosimova, A., De Nobili, M. 2015 Ecological Engineering
81, pp. 278-288
25)Iron allocation in leaves of Fe-deficient cucumber plants fed with natural Fe complexes Zanin, L.,
Tomasi, N., Rizzardo, C., (...), Mimmo, T., Cesco, S. 2015 Physiologia Plantarum 154(1), pp. 82-94