Land Degradation and Desertification: Assessment, Mitigation and Remediation

Foreword

Editors Note

Contents

Contributors

About the Editors

Part I Background Papers

1 What We Know About the Saga of Land Degradation and How to Deal with It?

1.1 Introduction

1.2 Topics of 5th ICLD

1.3 Discussions on the Controversies of Land Degradation

1.4 Conference Findings and Recommendations

References

2 Moving Ahead from Assessments to Actions: Could We Win the Struggle with Soil Degradation in Europe?

2.1 Introduction

2.2 Framework Legislation for Soil Protection

2.3 Integration

2.4 Research

2.5 Awareness Raising

2.6 Conclusions

References

3 Moving Ahead from Assessments to Actions by Using Harmonized Risk Assessment Methodologies for Soil Degradation

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Materials and Methods

3.3 Results and Discussion

3.3.1 Inventory of Soil RAMs

3.3.2 Case Studies

3.3.3 Implementation of Actions Plan

3.4 Conclusions and Outlook

References

4 Zero-Tolerance on Land Degradation for Sustainable Intensification of Agricultural Production

4.1 Introduction

4.2 Operational Strategy of the Soil and Water Management and Crop Nutrition Subprogramme

4.3 Approaches, Strategies and Project Activities Related to Land Degradation

4.4 Looking Ahead to the Future

4.5 Conclusions

References

5 A Methodology for Land Degradation Assessment at Multiple Scales Based on the DPSIR Approach: Experiences from Applications to Drylands

5.1 Introduction

5.2 Methods

5.2.1 Field Sampling

5.2.2 National and Sub-national Scale

5.2.3 Regional and Local Scale

5.2.4 Data Analysis, Integration and Mapping

5.3 Case Study Results

5.3.1 Lybia

5.3.2 Lebanon

5.3.3 Mexico

5.4 Discussion and Conclusions

5.5 Appendix: Sample of indicator variables for field observation, measurement and recording

References

6 Global Warming, Carbon Balance, and Land and Water Management

6.1 Introduction

6.2 Global Warming and Drought

6.3 Carbon Balance

6.4 Land and Water Management

6.4.1 Sustainable Water Use

References

Part II Land Degradation and Mitigation in Africa

7 The Use of GIS Data in the Desertification Risk Cartography: Case Study of South Aurs Region in Algeria

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Background Information

7.3 Working Methodology

7.3.1 Soil Quality Indicators

7.3.2 Climate Quality

7.3.3 Vegetation Quality

7.3.4 Management Quality or Degree of Human Induced Stress

7.4 Matching Results

7.4.1 Results and Interpretation

7.4.1.1 Analysis of Soil Quality

7.4.1.2 Analysis of the Climate Quality

7.4.1.3 Analysis of the Vegetation Quality

7.4.1.4 Management Quality or Degree of Human Induced Stress

7.5 Analysis and Interpretation of the Desertification Sensitivity Map

7.6 Conclusions

References

8 Land Degradation and Overgrazing in the Afar Region, Ethiopia: A Spatial Analysis

8.1 Introduction

8.2 Data and Methodology

8.2.1 Livestock, Grazing Demand and Production

8.2.2 RUE

8.3 Results

8.4 Conclusion

References

9 Effects and Implications of Enclosures for Rehabilitating Degraded Semi-arid Rangelands: Critical Lessons from Lake Baringo Basin, Kenya

9.1 Introduction

9.2 Rehabilitation of Degraded Semi-arid Rangelands

9.2.1 Rangeland Rehabilitation in Kenya

9.3 Enclosures Approach for Rangeland Rehabilitation

9.4 Enclosure Movement in Lake Baringo Basin

9.5 Effects of Range Enclosures

9.5.1 Ecological Effects of Enclosures

9.5.2 Effects of Enclosures on Vegetation

9.5.3 Effects of Enclosures on the Soil

9.5.4 Effects Outside the Enclosures

9.5.5 Socio-Economic Implications of the Enclosures

9.6 Policy Implications

9.7 Future Trends

References

10 Assessment of Land Desertification Based on the MEDALUS Approach and Elaboration of an Action Plan: The Case Study of the Souss River Basin, Morocco

10.1 Introduction

10.2 Materials and Methods

10.2.1 Study Area

10.2.2 Methodology

10.3 Results and Discussion

10.3.1 Preliminary Appraisal

10.3.2 Desertification Indicators

10.3.3 Desertification Sensitivity Map

10.4 Proposition of an Integrated Action Plan to Combat Desertification in the Souss Basin

10.5 Conclusions

References

11 Assessment of the Existing Land Conservation Techniques in the Peri Urban Area of Kaduna Metropolis, Nigeria

11.1 Introduction

11.2 Methodology

11.2.1 Study Area

11.2.2 Data and Methods

11.3 Results and Discussion

11.3.1 From Field Observation

11.3.2 From Administered Questionnaires

11.3.3 Problems of Existing Land Conservation Techniques

11.4 Implications and Recommendations

11.4.1 Education of the Land User

11.4.2 Economic Empowerment

11.4.3 Improved Farming Techniques

11.4.4 Better Water Management

11.5 Conclusions

References

12 The Use of Tasselled Cap Analysis and Household Interviews Towards Assessment and Monitoring of Land Degradation: A Case Study Within the Wit-Kei Catchment in the Eastern Cape, South Africa

12.1 Introduction

12.2 Methodology

12.3 Results and Discussion

12.4 Conclusions

References

13 Environmental Degradation of Natural Resources in Butana Area of Sudan

13.1 Introduction

13.2 Materials and Methods

13.2.1 Study Area

13.2.2 Data Collection

13.2.3 Landscape Pattern Index to Monitor Degradation

13.2.3.1 Moving Standard Deviation Index (MSDI)

13.2.3.2 Bare Soil Index (BSI)

13.3 Results and Discussion

13.3.1 Rainfall Analysis

13.3.2 Vegetation Cover Changes

13.3.3 Landscape Pattern Index for Degradation

13.3.3.1 Moving Standard Deviation Index

13.3.3.2 Bare Soil Index

13.4 Conclusions

References

14 Land Suitability for Crop Options Evaluation in Areas Affected by Desertification: The Case Study of Feriana in Tunisia

14.1 Introduction

14.2 Materials and Methods

14.3 Results and Discussion

14.4 Conclusions

References

15 Strategic Nutrient Management of Field Pea in South-Western Uganda

15.1 Introduction

15.2 Materials and Methods

15.3 Results and Discussions

15.3.1 Site Soil Characteristics

15.3.2 Nodulation and Associated Parameters

15.3.3 Shoot Dry Matter at 60 0 Flowering

15.3.4 Stover and Grain Yield

15.4 Conclusions

References

Part III Land Degradation and Mitigation in Asia

16 Effectiveness of Soil Conservation Measures in Reducing Soil Erosion and Improving Soil Quality in China Assessed by Using Fallout Radionuclides

16.1 Introduction

16.2 Materials and Methods

16.2.1 Study Sites

16.2.2 Soil Sampling

16.2.3 Sample Analysis

16.3 Results and Discussion

16.4 Conclusions

References

17 Policy Impacts on Land Degradation: Evidence Revealed by Remote Sensing in Western Ordos, China

17.1 Introduction

17.2 Data and Methods

17.2.1 Data

17.2.2 Method for Biophysical Change Extraction

17.2.3 Biomass Estimation Models

17.3 Results

17.4 Discussion and Conclusions

References

18 Assessment of Land Degradation and Its Impacts on Land Resources of Sivagangai Block, Tamil Nadu, India

18.1 Introduction

18.2 Materials and Methods

18.2.1 Study Area

18.2.2 Methodology for Database Generation

18.3 Results and Discussion

18.3.1 Soils of Lateritic Uplands

18.3.2 Lowland Soils

18.4 Causes for the Degradation of Resources

18.4.1 Degradation Due to Soil Erosion

18.4.2 Degeneration of Tanks

18.4.3 Development of Salinity/Alkalinity in the Lowlands

18.4.4 Formation of Sodic Soils in Sivaganga Block

18.5 Conclusions

References

19 New Approaches in Reclamation of Degraded Soils with Special Reference to Sodic Soil: An Indian Experience

19.1 Introduction

19.2 Characteristics of Sodic Soils

19.2.1 Genesis of Sodic Soils

19.2.2 Properties of Salt-Affected Soils

19.2.2.1 Physical Parameters -- Diagnostic Criteria for Saline Sodic Soils

19.3 Reclamation Measures and Technologies for Improvement of Sodic Soils

19.3.1 Amendment Requirements

19.3.1.1 Relative Reclaiming Efficiency of Chemical and Organic Amendments

19.3.2 Acid -- Sulphate Soils

19.4 General Conclusions on Management and Improvement of Sodic Soils in the Indo-Gangetic Plains

References

20 Soil and Water Degradation Following Forest Conversion in the Humid Tropics (Indonesia)

20.1 Introduction

20.2 Material and Methods

20.2.1 The Study Site

20.3 Methods

20.4 Results

20.5 Discussion

20.6 Conclusions

References

21 Relationships Between Land Degradation and Natural Disasters and Their Impacts on Integrated Watershed Management in Iran

21.1 Introduction

21.2 Integrated Watershed Management

21.3 The Need for an Integrated Management

21.4 The Methods to Be Applied in Watershed Management

21.5 Concluding Remarks

References

22 Modelling Carbon Sequestration in Drylands of Kazakhstan Using Remote Sensing Data and FieldMeasurements

22.1 Introduction

22.2 Study Area

22.3 Data

22.3.1 Carbon Data

22.3.2 Satellite Data

22.3.3 Remotely Sensed Explanatory Variables for Carbon Stocks

22.3.4 Integration of Field Measurements and Landsat Data to Produce Maps of Carbon Stocks

22.4 Results

22.5 Conclusions

References

23 The Effectiveness of Two Polymer-Based Stabilisers Offering an Alternative to Conventional Sand StabilisationMethods

23.1 Introduction

23.2 Area of Concern

23.3 Materials, Equipment and Procedures

23.3.1 Grain Size Analysis

23.3.2 Chemical Analysis

23.3.3 Unconfined Compression Tests

23.3.4 Water Runoff Tests

23.4 Results and Discussion

23.4.1 Grain Size Analysis

23.4.2 Chemical Analysis

23.4.3 Unconfined Compression Tests

23.4.4 Water Runoff Test

23.5 Conclusions

References

24 Mountainous Tea Industry Promotion: An Alternative for Stable Land Use in the Lao PDR

24.1 Introduction

24.2 Study Area: Khomen Village

24.3 Before the Tea Project

24.4 The Tea Project

24.4.1 Tea Plantation Areas

24.4.2 Price

24.4.3 The Tea Trade

24.4.4 Improving Local Livelihoods

24.5 Key Challenges

24.5.1 Phongsaly Tea Development Model

24.5.2 Stakeholders

24.6 Conclusions

References

25 Rehabilitation of Deserted Quarires in Lebanon to Initial Land Cover or Alternative Land Uses

25.1 Introduction

25.2 Materials and Methods

25.3 Results and Discussion

25.4 Conclusion

References

26 The Impact of Land Use Change on Water Yield: The Case Study of Three Selected Urbanised and Newly Urbanised Catchments in Peninsular Malaysia

26.1 Introduction

26.2 Material and Methods

26.3 Results and Discussion

26.4 Conclusions

References

27 Reclamation of Land Disturbed by Shrimp Farming in Songkla Lake Basin, Southern Thailand

27.1 Introduction

27.2 Materials and Methods

27.2.1 Areal Extent of Shrimp Farming

27.2.2 Characterization of the Shrimp Farm Soils

27.2.3 Physical Amelioration of the Shrimp Farmed Soils

27.3 Results and Discussion

27.3.1 Areal Extent of the Shrimp Farming

27.3.2 Characterization of the Shrimp Farmed Soils

27.3.3 Amelioration of Physical Limitations of Shrimp Farmed Soils

27.4 Conclusions

References

28 The Effect of Bio-solid and Tea Waste Applications on Erosion Ratio Index of Eroded Soils

28.1 Introduction

28.2 Materials and Methods

28.3 Results and Discussions

28.3.1 Soil Properties

28.3.2 ER Index

28.4 Conclusions

References

29 Modern and Ancient Knowledge of Conserving Soils in Socotra Island, Yemen

29.1 Introduction

29.2 Materials and Methods

29.3 Results and Discussion

29.3.1 Ancient Knowledge on Soil Conservation

29.3.2 Modern Knowledge of Conserving Soils

29.4 Conserving Soils

29.5 Conclusions

References

Part IV Land Degradation and Mitigation in Europe

30 Content of Heavy Metals in Albanian Soils and Determination of Spatial Structures Using GIS

30.1 Introduction

30.2 Materials and Methods

30.2.1 Study Area

30.2.2 Sampling Sites

30.2.3 Soil Analyses

30.3 Analyses and Results

30.3.1 Soil Analyses

30.3.2 Statistical Summary of Total Content of Heavy Metals

30.3.3 Spatial Distribution

30.4 Conclusions

References

31 Radioisotopic Measurements (137Cs and 210Pb) to Assess Erosion and Sedimentation Processes: Case Study in Austria

31.1 Introduction

31.2 Materials and Methods

31.2.1 Study Area, Soil Sampling and Laboratory Analyses

31.2.2 Conversion of FRNs Areal Activity into Soil Redistribution

31.3 Results and Discussion

31.3.1 FRNs (137Cs and 210Pb) Baseline Level in the Reference Site and Test of the 210Pb Methodology

31.3.2 Assessment of Soil Deposition Rates Using 137Cs Data

31.4 Conclusions

References

32 Development and Opportunities for Evaluation of Anthropogenic Soil Load by Risky Substances in the Czech Republic

32.1 Introduction

32.2 Materials and Methods

32.3 Results and Discussion

32.3.1 Limit Threshold Values of Risky Substances in the Soil

32.3.2 The Limit Threshold Values Regulating the Inputs of Risky Substances Entering into the Soil

32.4 Conclusions

References

33 Land Degradation in Greece

33.1 Introduction

33.2 Land Degradation and Desertification Status

33.2.1 Soil Degradation

33.2.2 Water Degradation, Scarcity and Quality Deterioration

33.2.3 Decline of Biodiversity

33.2.4 Land Use Change

33.3 Actions to Mitigate Land Degradation

33.4 Conclusions

References

34 Factors Influencing Soil Organic Carbon Stock Variations in Italy During the Last Three Decades

34.1 Introduction

34.2 Materials and Methods

34.2.1 Methodological Approach

34.2.2 Data Sources and Data Preparation

34.2.3 Data Selection

34.2.4 Data Elaboration

34.3 Results and Discussion

34.3.1 Soil Organic Carbon and Factors of Pedogenesis

34.3.2 Soil Carbon Stock Variations During the Last Three Decades

34.3.3 Survey and Laboratory Biases

34.4 Conclusions

References

35 Monitoring Soil Salinisation as a Strategy for Preventing Land Degradation: A Case Study in Sicily, Italy

35.1 Introduction

35.2 Materials and Methods

35.2.1 Field and Irrigation Description

35.2.2 EM-38 Measurements

35.2.3 Instrumentation and Technique

35.3 Results and Conclusions

References

36 Severe Environmental Constraints for Mediterranean Agriculture and New Options for Water and Soil Resources Management

36.1 Introduction

36.2 Materials and Methods

36.2.1 Study Area

36.2.2 The Approach for the Current Risk Evaluation

36.2.3 The Approach for the Expected Risk Evaluation

36.3 Results and Discussion

36.4 Conclusions

References

37 Assessment of Desertification in Semi-Arid Mediterranean Environments: The Case Study of Apulia Region (Southern Italy)

37.1 Introduction

37.2 Reference Framework and Applied Methodology

37.3 Description of the Study Area

37.4 Results and Discussion

37.5 Conclusions

References

38 Spatial Variability of Light Morainic Soils

38.1 Introduction

38.2 Materials and Methods

38.3 Results and Discussions

38.4 Important Concluding Remarks

38.5 Conclusions

References

39 Studding the Impacts of Technological Measures on the Biological Activity of Pluvial Eroded Soils

39.1 Introduction

39.2 Materials and Methods

39.2.1 Eco-Pedological Research

39.2.2 Pedo-Biological Research

39.3 Results and Discussions

39.3.1 Biological Activity of the Degraded Soils During the Spring Season

39.3.2 Biological Activity of the Degraded Soils in the Summer Season

39.3.3 The Indicator of Vital Activity Potential (IVAP 0)

39.4 Conclusions

References

40 Achievements and Perspectives on the Improvement by Afforestation of Degraded Lands in Romania

40.1 Introduction

40.2 Materials and Methods

40.3 Results and Discussions

40.4 Outlook and Conclusions

References

41 Investigating Soils for Agri-Environmental Protection in an Arid Region of Spain

41.1 Introduction

41.2 Materials and Methods

41.3 Results and Discussion

41.4 Conclusions

References

42 Risk Assessment in Soils Developed onINTtie;Metamorphic and Igneous Rocks Using Heavy Metal Sequential ExtractionProcedure

42.1 Introduction

42.2 Materials and Methods

42.2.1 Soil Sampling

42.2.2 Analytical Methods

42.3 Results and Discussion

42.3.1 Soil Properties and Characteristics

42.3.2 Risk Assessment Using Sequential Extraction Procedure

42.4 Conclusions

References

43 Assessing the Impact of Fodder Maize Cultivation on Soil Erosion in the UK

43.1 Introduction

43.2 Materials and Methods

43.3 Results and Discussion

43.4 Conclusions

References

Part V Land Degradation and Mitigation in the Americas

44 Evolution and Human Land Management During the Holocene in Southern Altiplano Desert, Argentina (26S)

44.1 Introduction

44.2 Geomorphic and Climatic Setting

44.3 Methods

44.4 Results

44.5 Cultural Process and Land Management

44.6 Conclusions

References

45 Metal Pollution by Gold Mining Activities in the Sunchulli Mining District of Apolobamba (Bolivia)

45.1 Introduction

45.2 Description of the Study Area

45.3 Materials and Methods

45.3.1 Sampling Procedures

45.3.2 Analysis

45.4 Results

45.4.1 Physical and Chemical Parameters

45.4.1.1 Soils from the Plots

45.4.1.2 Profiles

45.4.2 Heavy Metals

45.4.2.1 Soils from the Plots

45.4.2.2 Profiles

45.5 Conclusions

References

46 Areas Degradated by Extraction of Clay and Revegetated with Acacia mangium and Eucalyptus camaldulensis: Using Soil Fauna as Indicator of Rehabilitation in an Areaof Brazil

46.1 Introduction

46.2 Materials and Methods

46.3 Results and Discussion

46.4 Conclusion

References

47 Conservation Tillage in Potato Rotations in Eastern Canada

47.1 Introduction

47.2 Materials and Methods

47.2.1 Experimental Site and Treatments

47.2.2 Methodology for System Indicators

47.2.2.1 Potato Yields and Quality

47.2.2.2 Surface Crop Residue Cover

47.2.2.3 Soil Organic Matter and Structure

47.2.2.4 Soil-Borne Disease

47.2.3 Statistics

47.3 Results and Discussion

47.3.1 Potato Yield and Quality

47.3.2 Surface Crop Residue Cover

47.3.3 Soil Organic Matter and Structure

47.3.4 Soil-Borne Diseases

47.4 Conclusions

References

48 An Assessment of Soil Erosion Costs in Mexico

48.1 Introduction

48.2 Soil Erosion Research in Mexico

48.3 Materials and Methods

48.3.1 Economic Assessment of Productivity Loss

48.3.2 Economic Assessment of Nutrient Loss

48.4 Results

48.5 Conclusions

References

49 Predicting Winter Wheat Yield Loss from Soil Compaction in the Central Great Plains of the United States

49.1 Introduction

49.2 Materials and Methods

49.3 Results

49.4 Discussion

49.5 Conclusions

References

Index