Search results for "Sustainable land management"
showing 7 items of 7 documents
Soil Quality Characterization of Mediterranean Areas under Desertification Risk for the Implementation of Management Schemes Aimed at Land Degradatio…
2020
Soil is a key component of ecosystems as it provides fundamental ecosystem functions and services, first of all supporting primary productivity, by physical, chemical and biological interaction with plants. However, soil loss and degradation are at present two of the most critical environmental issues. This phenomenon is particularly critical in Mediterranean areas, where inappropriate land management, in combination with the increasingly harshening of climatic conditions due to Climate Change, is leading to significant land degradation and desertification and is expected to worsen in the future, leading to economic and social crisis. In such areas, it is of fundamental importance to apply …
Soil Mapping and Processes Modeling for Sustainable Land Management
2017
Soil maps and models are indispensable tools in sustainable land management. The sustainable land use of our territory is fundamental to providing long-term socio-economic and environmental benefits. The risk of land degradation and corresponding declines in ecosystem services depends on the type of land use. Soil restoration can be extremely expensive, more than the implementation of sustainable land use practices. This is especially important in the context of climate change and the increasing pressure that a growing population places on soil resources, which is a global phenomenon. The objective of this chapter is to show the advantages of using soil mapping and modeling in sustainable l…
Soil Mapping and Processes Models for Sustainable Land Management Applied to Modern Challenges
2017
Abstract In the context of growing population and global change, increasing demands for food production are an enormous challenge that we face in the modern world. At the same time the need to prevent land degradation, restore lands that are already degraded, and maintain soil quality and health is critical to a sustainable use of land resources. Accurate maps and adequate models are indispensable tools to assist managers, scientists, and decision makers in addressing these challenges. In this chapter, we outline the main impacts of climate change on soils, key adaptation, and mitigation strategies and provide an overview of key issues in sustainable agricultural production as well as land …
Usage of European census data for sustainable land management – German case study
2014
AbstractThis paper describes opportunities and results of the usage of high resolution census data for sustainable land management. Following European Union requirements many countries in Europe have counted their population and other indicators in 2011. To take full benefit of the very rich high resolution census data in Germany some country specific problems had to be solved. By applying a semi-automatic procedure the study describes in which way the official topographical and property information systems provided by the surveying authorities are used to determine the boundaries of small scale census units. Linking the census data to the corresponding geographical units enables public adm…
Goal Oriented Soil Mapping
2017
Abstract Soil mapping is very important for the correct implementation of sustainable land use management. In recent decades, soil mapping methods and data availability have increased exponentially, improving the quality of the maps produced. Despite these advances, local knowledge is a great source of information, refined for centuries and useful for soil mapping and the implementation of a sustainable land management. Local wisdom and experience should be an important aspect of soil mapping because farmers will be one of the major end-users of the maps produced and they should account for the farmers’ reality. However, several problems have been identified in the spatial correlation betwe…
In-between sprawl and neo-rurality. Sparse settlements and the evolution of socio-demographic local context in a Mediterranean region
2018
Dispersed urbanization during the last half century has transformed metropolitan regions into well-connected, low-density residential areas. However, this kind of urbanization has changed irreversibly the traditional rural landscape around cities, leading to a new definition of &lsquo
Critical range of soil organic carbon in southern Europe lands under desertification risk.
2021
Soil quality is fundamental for ecosystem long term functionality, productivity and resilience to current climatic changes. Despite its importance, soil is lost and degraded at dramatic rates worldwide. In Europe, the Mediterranean areas are a hotspot for soil erosion and land degradation due to a combination of climatic conditions, soils, geomorphology and anthropic pressure. Soil organic carbon (SOC) is considered a key indicator of soil quality as it relates to other fundamental soil functions supporting crucial ecosystem services. In the present study, the functional relationships among SOC and other important soil properties were investigated in the topsoil of 38 sites under different …