6533b856fe1ef96bd12b1dd1
RESEARCH PRODUCT
An assessment of the global impact of 21st century land use change on soil erosion
Luca MontanarellaBrigitta SchüttLarissa R. FleischerKatrin MeusburgerCristiano BallabioPanos PanagosVito FerroKristof Van OostVincenzo BagarelloEmanuele LugatoSirio ModugnoPasquale BorrelliDavid A. RobinsonChristine Alewellsubject
010504 meteorology & atmospheric sciencesScienceGeneral Physics and AstronomyHigh resolution010501 environmental sciences01 natural sciencesArticleGeneral Biochemistry Genetics and Molecular BiologyAnthropogenic effect census conservation management environmental impact assessment GIS global perspective human activity land use change remote sensing soil conservation soil erosionSoutheast asiaCarbon cycleNutrientSettore AGR/08 - Idraulica Agraria E Sistemazioni Idraulico-ForestaliLand use land-use change and forestrylcsh:Scienceskin and connective tissue diseases0105 earth and related environmental sciencesLand productivityMultidisciplinaryQGeneral ChemistryAgriculture and Soil ScienceReference valuesEnvironmental sciencelcsh:QPhysical geographysense organsdescription
Human activity and related land use change are the primary cause of accelerated soil erosion, which has substantial implications for nutrient and carbon cycling, land productivity and in turn, worldwide socio-economic conditions. Here we present an unprecedentedly high resolution (250 × 250 m) global potential soil erosion model, using a combination of remote sensing, GIS modelling and census data. We challenge the previous annual soil erosion reference values as our estimate, of 35.9 Pg yr−1 of soil eroded in 2012, is at least two times lower. Moreover, we estimate the spatial and temporal effects of land use change between 2001 and 2012 and the potential offset of the global application of conservation practices. Our findings indicate a potential overall increase in global soil erosion driven by cropland expansion. The greatest increases are predicted to occur in Sub-Saharan Africa, South America and Southeast Asia. The least developed economies have been found to experience the highest estimates of soil erosion rates.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017-12-01 |