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Despite almost a century of research and extension efforts, soil erosion by water, wind and tillage continues to be the greatest threat to soil health and soil ecosystem services in many regions of the world. Our understanding of the physical processes of erosion and the controls on those processes has been firmly established. Nevertheless, some elements remain controversial. It is often these controversial questions that hamper efforts to implement sound erosion control measures in many areas of the world. This book, released in the framework of the Global Symposium on Soil Erosion (15-17 May 2019) reviews the state-of-the-art information related to all topics related to soil erosion.
Soil erosion is a major environmental issue with a worldwide impact and direct and indirect effects on soil productivity and consequently on human survival. Although a natural process, soil erosion has increased significantly due to human intervention, especially in the last centuries, through diverse activities such as intensive agriculture, overgrazing, urban sprawl, deforestation, and industrial and mining activities. Presently, soil erosion and degradation promoted by human action have reached extreme levels, necessitating urgent measures to promote soil conservation and rehabilitation. This book presents perspectives on soil erosion occurring in different parts of the world as well as some successful initiatives and strategies for soil conservation and rehabilitation.
Changing land-use practices and the role of soil biological diversity has been a major focus of soil science research over the past couple of decades—a trend that is likely to continue. The information presented in this book points to a holistic approach to soil management. The first part looks at the land use effects on soil carbon storage, and considers a range of factors including carbon sequestration in soils. The second part of the book presents research investigating the interactions between soil properties, plant species, and the soil biota.
Meeting the food requirements of an ever-increasing population is a pressing challenge for every country around the globe. Soil degradation has a negative impact on food security by reducing the cultivated land areas, while at the same time the world population is predicted to increase to 9.2 billion in 2050. Soil degradation adversely affects soil function and productivity and degraded soils now amount to 6 billion ha worldwide. The major factors are salinization, erosion, depletion of nutrients due to exhaustive agricultural practices and contamination with toxic metal ions and agrochemicals, which reduces the activity of soil microbe. In addition, poor soil management also decreases fertility. As such, measures are required to restore the soil health and productivity: organic matter, beneficial microorganisms and nutrient dynamics can all improve the physical, chemical and biological properties of soil. Understanding the role of soil health restoration and management in sustainability and nutritional security calls for a holistic approach to assess soil functions and examine the contributions of a particular management system within a defined timescale. Further, best management practices in cropping systems are important in ensuring sustainability and food and nutritional security without compromising the soil quality and productivity potential. Rational soil management practices must allow environmentally and economically sustainable yields and restoration of soil health.
This book gathers a selection of peer-reviewed contributions presented and discussed at the successful LANDCON 0905 Conference held at Tara Mountain, Serbia, between May 26-30 2009. In keeping with the title of the Conference, "Land Conservation: Global Change - Challenges for Soil Management", this book analyses and discusses the state of the art and future perspectives of the land. Many of the contributed papers are interconnected with natural, socio-economic and environmental changes worldwide. This book is arranged under eight separate but interconnected headings: LANDCON keynote, Global Change and Soil Degradation, Water Management, Soil Erosion, Sediment Transport and Sedimentation Processes, Erosion and Torrent Control in Environmental Change, Desertification, Socio-Economic and Legal and Institutional Aspects of Soil and Water Conservation, Implementing Global and Regional Projects. The book offers reflections, analysis, facts, new data and suggestions/ recommendations on land issues which are the crucial elements in the functioning of biosphere/environment. Land conservation and erosion control require a site specific approach, the setting up of a persistent institutional activity in the affected river basins - an activity that must be legally based to be effective. In this sense, each region subject to land erosion needs to develop competent teams of experts able to deal with the site-specific problems, and to ensure institutional and legal support for this activity. An important aspect is the multidisciplinary character of the activity. It is essential to organize periodical exchange of information about the experiences of such teams operating in different regions. For the continuity of the ongoing efforts it is essential to educate and train young professionals to take part in the activity. The LANDCON offered an excellent opportunity in these regards and it can be recommended to continue the organization of similar meetings in the future, in different parts of the globe. Public information and education are most important aspects of land management and it is worth to underline the positive experiences reported at the LANDCON which confirmed that in many cases the local population has been most supportive to promote land conservation, and cases were quoted about areas where land erosion has been reduced with the growth of population and its agricultural activity - to the contrast of the general assumption that land erosion increases with the increase of population. Four key opportunities were proposed that may also help the message of land conservation reach a wider audience. First was the proposal for the formation of an Intergovernmental Panel on Land and Soil (1PLS), a little sister for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that had done so much to influence international policy. Second was the proposal to widen the brief of the UNESCO International Sediment Initiative (ISI) to include wider catchment characteristics and third was the proposal for a Balkan regional coordination group to continue the work begun in Serbia in 2007 on the creation of administrative frameworks for land conservation. Fourth, was the proposal to include a younger scholars forum in every future LANDCON meeting in order to help the development of the next generation of land conservation scientists.
Document from the year 2011 in the subject Agrarian Studies, University of Greenwich, language: English, abstract: It is widely recognised that environmental problems such as soil degradation (erosion and desertification) affects many agricultural lands globally. These problems have caused soil quality decline, crop yield reduction, economic crisis, poverty, unemployment, and rural urban migration. Soil management practices are considered as the most vital and sustainable possible solution to control soil erosion and desertification. This management include use of organic manure, crop rotation, use of cover crop, intercropping, planting shelter belt and afforestation, provision of water ways, good surface drainage system, restoration of rangeland, regeneration and secondary forest, and political changes.
This report describes the extent of soil degradation, its bio-physical and socio-economic causes and macro- and micro-economic impacts. The causes behind the failure of soil conservation projects are analyzed. It also describes approaches for creating more favourable agro-political conditions.
Master's Thesis from the year 2007 in the subject Agrarian Studies, grade: Merit class, Natural Resources Institute - University of Greenwich at Medway (-), course: Plant Health and Protection, language: English, abstract: Although it is widely recognised that environmental problems such as soil degradation erosion and desertification threaten sustained agricultural production in many States of northern Nigeria including Adamawa, Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, Jigawa, Kaduna Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara. Very little information is available about the current status of the potential impact of soil degradation and whether the situation is worsening in all the States of northern Nigeria. However, it is now clear that the major factor explaining the severity and spatial distribution of soil degradation such as erosion and desertification in northern Nigeria is associated with human impact such as deforestation and mismanagement of land resources. Other factors includes overgrazing, use of mechanized equipment, deforestation and lack of government concern to protect the environment in the region, but few studies have been made on applied issues related to the physical and chemical processes including erosion, runoff and leaching. These problems are widely considered as a serious problem to agricultural production and its environmental consequences will remain an important issue during the 21st century. Possible solutions such as soil management practices will help to minimise/control soil degradations which caused serious hazards to farmer's land in northern Nigeria. Sustainable soil management practices are vital for enhancing and sustaining the productivity of soil, food, livestock, water quality and other related land resources such as forestry in northern Nigeria. It is more efficient in terms of reduced environmental impact, high risk of soil degradation and soil erosion. These management practices are: (a) applying organic manure regularly, (b) growing cover c
This book informs about knowledge gain in soil and land degradation to reduce or prevent it for meeting the mission of the Sustainable Developments Goals of the United Nations. Essence, extent, monitoring methods and implications for ecosystem functioning of main soil degradation types are characterized in overview chapters and case studies. Challenges, approaches and data towards identification of degradation in the frame of improving functionality, health and multiple ecosystem services of soil are demonstrated in the studies of international expert teams. The book consists of five parts, containing 5–12 single chapters each and 36 in total. Parts are explaining (I) Concepts and Indicators, (II) Soil Erosion and Compaction, (III) Soil Contamination, (IV) Soil Carbon and Fertility Monitoring and (V) Soil Survey and Mapping of Degradation The primary audience of this book are scientists of different disciplines, decision-makers, farmers and further informed people dealing with sustainable management of soil and land.
Soils are neither good nor bad, but some have inherent or acquired characteristics that may or may not suit our intended use. Unsuitable characteristics are considered to be soil problems, soil constraints or soil limitations. Only twelve percent of global land is right for agricultural production without much limitation. Some soils have severe limitations for crop production. These soils are so called ‘problem soils’. Many of them do not have enough fertility to be productive; some are arid and saline; some are very sandy and dry; and some are wet and waterlogged for most of the growing season. The global demand for food, wood, fuel, fiber, medicine and other plant products for the 7.2 billion current world population has created such an immense pressure on global soil resources that even the most fertile soils are losing their productive capacity. We are being compelled to bring more and more unsuitable or marginally suitable soils under cultivation. Unless innovative and integrated soil, crop and environmental management practices are adopted for their improvement and sustainable use, further degradation is inevitable. This book, Management of Soil Problems, identifies the problems and discusses management options in a smooth and reader-friendly style. It will be useful for students and professionals of soil science, agriculture, forestry, geography and environmental sciences.