The most complete, nonpartisan source of information on this hot agronomic topic available today, this book brings together a diverse group of papers and data to resolve the debate between sedimentologists and soil scientists and agronomists over whether the effects of soil erosion on carbon and atmospheric CO2 is beneficial or destructive. Divided into four sections, it offers data on how soil erosion affects soil, water, and air quality. Topics include mineralization rate, inundation, sediment deposition, and global warming potential, as well as carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide...

This work discusses important issues confronting soil management in current global conditions and examines the increasingly harmful impact of the greenhouse effect on various ecosystems. Policy issues and considerations are also reviewed.

Soil-The Basis of All Terrestrial Life

Ancient civilizations and cultures-Mayan, Aztec, Mesopotamian, Indus, and Yangtze-were built on good soils, surviving only as long as soils had the capacity to support them. In the twenty-first century, productive soil is still the engine of economic development and essential to human well-being. The quality of our soil resources, however, is threatened by human-induced and natural perturbations.

World Soil Resources and Food Security takes an in-depth look at the availability and status of soil...

Crop water use can be increased by management of surface runoff, groundwater, irrigation, and soil water. Technological innovations to enhance availability of water for agricultural crops depend on soil and site-specific conditions. Devoted to the principles and practices of enhancing water use efficiency, Soil Water and Agronomic Productivity addresses current problems associated with water supplies required for agricultural purposes and food production.

Written for professionals and students in agricultural fields, the book focuses on innovative...

Soil degradation is clearly one of the most pressing problems facing man kind. A continuation of soil degradation will eventually lead to a loss in crop productivity even though fertilizers and other inputs often result in increased yields in the short term. Soil degradation also leads to environ mental pollution. A decrease in soil quality invariably leads to a decrease in water quality, and often in air quality. While there is a clear consensus that soil degradation is a major problem, the literature on this subject leaves numerous baffling questions. If statis tics on land degradation are...

Advances in Soil Science was conceived in 1982 to provide a forum for leading international scientists to analyze and summarize the available scientific information on a subject, assessing its importance and ident ifying additional research needs. This goal seems even more appropriate today. Much is known about our soil resources. The principles learned and the technology developed need to be used to increase food pro duction, particularly in developing countries, and sustain the productivity of the resource base. Advances in Soil Science fills a gap between the scientific journals and the...

In the past 10 years, there has been a resurgence in interest in soil management and conservation of the soil resource. With the knowledge we have accumulated in the past 100 years, there is the possibility of developing new and innovative ways of effectively managing the soil. The emphasis on sustainable agriculture requires that we understand how to utilize the soil as a viable living resource. To meet the world demand for food within the next 50 years requires a healthy and strong soil resource which can sustain production. With the dedication of the National Soil Tilth Laboratory in 1989,...

The key to sustaining the soil resource base is to maintain, or enhance, soil quality. Soil quality cannot be seen or measured directly from the soil alone but is inferred from soil characteristics and soil behavior under defined conditions. In essence, the quality of soils is analogous to the health of humans, and just as there is no single characteristic that can be measured to quantify a person's health, there is no single measurement that can quantify soil quality. However, there are certain characteristics, particularly when considered together, that are good indicators. Soil quality,...

The study of soils has taken on increased importance because a rapidly expanding population is placing demands on the soil never before experi enced. This has led to an increase in land degradation. Land degradation is one of the most severe problems facing mankind. Volume 11 of Advances in Soil Science was devoted entirely to this critical area of soil science. The editors of that volume, R. Lal and B.A. Stewart, defined soil degradation as the decline in soil quality caused by its misuse by humans. They further stated that soil degradation is a major concern for at least two reasons. First,...

The International Society ofSoil Science was organized in 1924 and the 1st International Congress ofthe Society was held in Washington, D. C., United States ofAmerica, in 1927. The 14th Congress was held August 12-18, 1990 in Kyoto, Japan. Dr. Akira Tanaka, Society President, stated "It is a serious concernofpeopleintheworldtosustainhighfarming productivityfor feeding the ever growing population, and also to protect the environment for human habitation. For this purpose, it is necessary to maximize crop yield per unit field areathroughintensivemanagementofthesoilandcropsonlands which are best...