Management of Soil Problems

ISBN-13: 9783030092559 / Angielski / Miękka / 2019 / 474 str.

Khan Towhid Osman

Spis treści

1 Management of Soil Problems: An Introduction
1.1 ‘Problem Soils’ and soil problems
1.2 Soil constraints to different uses
1.3 Land Resource Stress Classes
2 Dryland Soils
2.1 Drylands of the World
2.2 Global Distribution of Drylands
2.3 Land use in drylands
2.4 Soils of the Drylands
2.5 Droughts in Drylands
2.6 Dryland Agriculture
2.7 Integrated Soil and Crop Management for Drylands
3 Sandy Soils
3.1 Nature of Sandy Soils
3.2 Distribution of Sandy Soils
3.3 Properties of Sandy Soils
3.4 Advantages of Sandy Soils
3.5 Constraints of Sandy Soils
3.6 Management of Sandy Soils
4 Shallow Soils
4.1 Soil depth classes 
4.2 Properties of shallow soils
4.3 Limitations of shallow soils
4.4 Management of shallow soils
5 Soils with Drainage Limitations
5.1 Wetland Soils, Hydric Soils, Poorly Drained Soils
5.2 Criteria of Hydric Soils
5.3 Features of Hydric Soils
5.4 Land Use in Hydric Soils
5.5 Plants Suitable for Poorly Drained Soils
5.6 Soils That Need Artificial Drainage
5.7 Environmental impact of agricultural drainage
5.8 Drainage Water Re-use
5.9 Wet and Cold Soils
6 Expansive Soils
6.1 Types and Distribution of Expansive Soils
6.2 Parent Materials of Vertisols
6.3 Properties of Expansive Soils
6.4 Agricultural Uses of Expansive soils
6.5 Limitations of Expansive Soils to Agricultural Use
6.6 Integrated soil and crop management of expansive soils
6.7 Conservation Tillage in Vertisols
6.8 Amendments in Vertisols
7 Peat Soils
7.1 Organic Soils (Histosols, Peat and Muck)
7.2 The Nature, Distribution and Significance of Peat-lands
7.3 Properties of Peat Soils
7.4 Reclamation and Management of Peat Soils
7.5 Peat Extraction
7.6 Risks Associated with Peatland Use
7.7 Peatland Conservation
8 Soils on Steep Slopes
8.1 Slopes and Steep Slopes
8.2 Slope Failures and Mass Movement
8.3 Factors Affecting Landslides
8.4 Management of Steep Slopes
8.5 Formation of Gullies
8.6 Gully Control Measures
9 Poorly Fertile Soils
9.1 Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrients
9.2 Poorly Fertile Soils
9.3 Management of poorly fertile soils
10 Saline and Sodic Soils
10.1 Characteristics of Saline and Sodic Soils
10.2 Development of Salinity and Sodicity in Soils          
10.3 Distribution of Saline Soils
10.4 Field Indicators of Soil Salinity
10.5 Effect of Soil Salinity on Plants
10.6 Effects of Sodicity on Plant Growth
10.7 Reclamation and Management of Saline Soils
10.8 Management of Dryland Salinity
10.9 Reclamation and Management of Sodic Soils
10.10 Environmental Impact of Saline Soil Reclamation
11 Acid Soils and Acid Sulfate Soils
11.1 The pH Scale, Acidity and Alkalinity
11.2 Soil Reaction, Acid Soils and Acid Sulfate Soils
11.3 Global Extent of Acid Soils
11.4 Measurement of Soil pH
11.5 Development of Soil Acidity
11.6 Buffering Capacity of Soils
11.7 Effects of Soil Acidity on Soil Processes
11.8 Effect of Soil Acidity on Plants
11.9 Effect of Soil Acidity on Soil Fauna
11.10 Management of Acid Soils           
11.11 Management of Acid Sulfate Soils
11.12 Risks of Overliming
12 Polluted Soils
12.1 Soil Pollution
12.2 Sources of Soil Pollutants
12.3 Nature of Soil Pollutants
12.4 Prevention of Soil Pollution           
12.5 Remediation of Polluted Soils
13 Degraded Soils
13.1 Soil Use and Misuse
13.2 Soil Degradation
13.3 Prevention of Soil Degradation
13.4 Restoration and Rehabilitation of Degraded Soils
13.5 Desertification and Desert Reclamation

Blurb

Soils are neither good nor bad, but some have inherent or acquired characteristics that may or may not suit our intended use. Unsuitable characteristics are considered to be soil problems, soil constraints or soil limitations. 

Only twelve percent of global land is right for agricultural production without much limitation. Some soils have severe limitations for crop production. These soils are so called ‘problem soils’. Many of them do not have enough fertility to be productive; some are arid and saline; some are very sandy and dry; and some are wet and waterlogged for most of the growing season. 

The global demand for food, wood, fuel, fiber, medicine and other plant products for the 7.2 billion current world population has created such an immense pressure on global soil resources that even the most fertile soils are losing their productive capacity. We are being compelled to bring more and more unsuitable or marginally suitable soils under cultivation. Unless innovative and integrated soil, crop and environmental management practices are adopted for their improvement and sustainable use, further degradation is inevitable.

This book, Management of Soil Problems, identifies the problems and discusses management options in a smooth and reader-friendly style. It will be useful for students and professionals of soil science, agriculture, forestry, geography and environmental sciences.