Soil Degradation in the United States Extent, Severity, and Trends

About this book

Soil degradation, a decline in soil quality due to anthropogenic perturbations, is a serious threat with negative impacts on agriculture and the environment. The assessment and monitoring of all forms of degradation is essential to the evaluation of negative trends and implementation of mitigating technologies. Soil Degradation in the United States: Extent, Severity, and Trends is an assessment of current trends and geographic hot spots. It not only describes the types of soil degradation, but also evaluates the processes and triggers that cause the damage.

Written by world-renowned leaders in the field of soil science, the book is thematically divided into three sections: Section I addresses basic processes and discusses concepts and definitions, land use change, and global trends. Section II provides the data on soil degradation by various processes such as water and wind erosion, salt build-up, and soil contamination. Section III summarizes the magnitude and severity of degradation and addresses policy issues in relation to economic and environmental impact. Several appendices provide much needed information on past trends and future projections.

This book is a state-of-the-art compendium that provides a ready reference and data source for soil scientists, agronomists, environmentalists, land managers, and policy makers.

Contents

BASIC PROCESSESSoil DegradationSoilSoil DegradationFactors of Soil DegradationCauses of Soil DegradationLand vs. Soil DegradationSoil Degradation vs. Soil FormationSoil QualitySoil Exhaustion vs. Soil DegradationSoil ResilienceSoil Degradation and DesertificationConclusionGlobal Extent of Soil Degradation and DesertificationBackgroundDatabase, Methodology, and ExtrapolationGLASOD MethodologyDesertification AssessmentThe Need for a Strong and Credible DatabaseLand Use in the U.S.DefinitionsLand Use ClassesDatabaseLand Use in the U.S.Trends in CroplandTrends in Grazing LandConclusionsSoil Degradation Category Indicators MethodologySoil DegradationWater Erosion, Sheet and Rill (E)-Degradation of Landthrough the Process of Sheet and Rill Soil Erosion by WaterWater Erosion, Concentrated Flow (E)-Degradation ofLand through the Process of Concentrated Flow Erosion (i.e., Gullying, Streambank Cover and Use Categories of Rangeland)Wind Erosion (E)-Degradation of Land through SoilErosion by WindSalinization (S)-Degradation of Land through SaltAccumulationMining or Other Soil Rmoval/Destruction (M)--Degradatoin of Land through Soil DestructionVegetative Condition/Status (V)-Degradation of Landthrough Degradation of the Quantity, Quality, or Ecological Status of Vegetative Land Cover (Applied Only to the Broad Land Cover/Use Category of Rangeland)WATER AND WIND EROSIONSoil Erosion by Water from CroplandsCropland Area Affected by Water ErosionSeverity of Sheet and Rill Erosion on U.S. CroplandMagnitude of Soil Erosion on U.S. CroplandPrime Cropland and Severity of Sheet and Rill ErosionErosion Rate on Highly Erodible CroplandDistribution of Eroded Cropland in the U.S.ConclusionsSoil Erosion by Water from Grazing, CRP and Minor LandsPastureland Area Affected by Water ErosionSeverity of Soil Erosion on PasturelandMagnitude and Rate of Soil Erosion on PasturelandSoil Erosion on CRP LandMinor Land Affected by Water ErosionTotal Land Area Affected by Water Erosion on Private U.S.LandConclusionWind Erosion on Private Lands in the U.S.Cropland Area Affected by Wind ErosionWind Erosion on Irrigated and Nonirrigated CroplandSeverity of Wind Erosion on U.S. CroplandWind Erosion on U.S. Cropland for Different SeverityClassesWind Erosion on Grazing LandWind Erosion on CRP LandWind Erosion on Minor Miscellaneous LandComparison of Wind Erosion Hazard among PredominantLand UsesTotal Land Area on U.S. Private Land Affected by WindErosionConclusionsWater and Wind Erosion on U.S. CroplandThe Extent of Sheet, Rill, and Wind Erosion on CroplandThe Magnitude of Sheet, Rill, and Wind ErosionThe Rate of Sheet, Rill, and Wind ErosionConclusionsTotal Erosion, Wind Erosion, and Erosion on Pasture and CRP LandsTotal Erosion on PasturelandTotal Erosion on CRP LandWind Erosion in the U.S.Total Win

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