[EBOOK] SOIL EROSION ISSUES IN AGRICULTURE, Edited by Danilo Godone and Silvia Stanchi, Published by InTech

Erosion is a natural process among soil dynamics concerning the movement of soil portions and their deposition in a different location. The intensity of particles removal is variable and leads to different environmental impacts. Soil formation rate is highly slower than any erosion phenomena, this fact suggest that erosion control and mitigation practices should be adopted in order to preserve soil as a crucial environmental resource.

Several natural events as water or atmospheric phenomena trigger erosion processes. Moreover anthropic activities, like inappropriate agricultural practices, deforestation, overgrazing, forest fires and construction activities, may exert a remarkable impact on erosion processes. The lack of appropriate knowledge of agricultural best practices or their disregarding, frequently due to the need of providing food in overpopulated areas, leads to the endangering of soil equilibrium. This aspect, also historically proven, is worsened in developing countries by critical socio-economical conditions and unfavourable climatic conditions. More generally, unsustainable land management policies, not only concerning agricultural sector, are key factors in soil endangering.

Moreover, in the current climate change scenario, weather related variables are increasing their impact on soil erosion; directly, by the amplification of their intensity (severe rainfalls, strong winds…), or indirectly, by worsening environmental conditions (droughts, heat waves…) thus leading to replace spoiled crops by the exploitation of marginal areas or forcing large human settlements to move towards more hospitable areas and available resources; in the worst case this migrations aim to settle in natural areas in order to acquire more space for moving population and for increasing cultivable land surface. This practice causes the reduction of natural areas such as forests, shrubland and consequently the simplification of landscape structure; moreover it influences water cycle and availability in the colonized area.

Soil erosion is a continuous process in Earth cycle and, if not properly faced, may conduct to extreme environmental consequences, like soil degradation o soil loss, threatening human activities and safety. In mountain and hillside areas soil erosion is an instability factor which may cause slope failures that can put in danger human settlements and infrastructures, from the agricultural point of view, extreme soil erosion may reduce nutrient availability thus reducing crop yield and causing land abandonment. Excessively impoverished soil, instead of evolving in other vegetation covers, could be involved in desertification processes.

This book, in its fourteen chapters, deals with several aspects of soil erosion, focusing on its connection with the agricultural world. Chapters’ topics are various, ranging from irrigation practices to soil nutrient, land use changes or tillage methodologies.

The book is subdivided into four sections grouping different facets of the topic. In the first one several case studies are presented with the aim of introducing soil erosion issue in the world; in fact, chapters come from India, Spain and China. Each one present soil erosion features in a different geographical and climatic context, and various study approaches. The other three sections focus on a detail among the vast topic.

Section number two covers a typical cultivation, vineyard. An agricultural practice limited to a confined geographical milieu but characterized by a remarkable economic impact. The correct agronomical management of vineyards is a key factor in soil erosion reduction, in hilly environments, allowing, contemporarily, to obtain profitable yields from vines, as quality production is required by market, instead of mass production. The two chapters describe experimental approaches applied to vineyards located in Italy.

The third section theme is a geoclimatic one, since it concerns dry environments and their relationship with soil erosion theme management. The section includes chapters coming from different areas such as Africa (Uganda and Zimbabwe), South America (Mexico) and Europe (Italy) covering Arid, Semiarid and Mediterranean environments.

In the last section the erosion control matter is investigated. Chapters from various countries evaluate erosion control practices like the employment of afforestation to reduce grazing impact or the role of terracing, tillage and irrigation practice in soil erosion control, in cultivated areas.

In conclusion, this book approaches the soil erosion theme, concentrated on agriculture world. Certainly, due to the extent of the subject, the book is not a comprehensive collection of soil erosion studies, but it aims to supply a sound set of scientific works, concerning the topic. It analyzes different facets of the issue, with various methodologies, and offers a wide series of case studies, solutions, practices, or suggestions to properly face soil erosion and, moreover, may provide new ideas and starting points for future researches.

Danilo Godone, PhD

Turin University, Faculty of Agriculture, Deiafa Department

NATRISK - Research Centre on Natural Risks in Mountain and Hilly Environments Grugliasco (TO), Italy

Silvia Stanchi, PhD

Turin University, Faculty of Agriculture, DiVaPRA Department

NATRISK - Research Centre on Natural Risks in Mountain and Hilly Environments Grugliasco (TO), Italy

[EBOOK] SOIL EROSION ISSUES IN AGRICULTURE, Edited by Danilo Godone and Silvia Stanchi, Published by InTech

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