scholarly journals Evaluation of Soil Quality Parameters Development in Terms of Sustainable Land Use

10.5772/48686 ◽  
2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danica Fazekaov
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Soil Quality ◽  
Quality Parameters ◽  
Sustainable Land Use

scholarly journals Identification of sensitive indicators to assess the interrelationship between soil quality, management practices and human health

SOIL ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 173-185 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Zornoza ◽  
J. A. Acosta ◽  
F. Bastida ◽  
S. G. Domínguez ◽  
D. M. Toledo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Soil Quality ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Land Use Changes ◽  
Aggregate Stability ◽  
Health Indicators ◽  
Nutrient Content ◽  
Sustainable Land Use ◽  
Soil Quality Index

Abstract. Soil quality (SQ) assessment has long been a challenging issue, since soils present high variability in properties and functions. This paper aims to increase the understanding of SQ through the review of SQ assessments in different scenarios providing evidence about the interrelationship between SQ, land use and human health. There is a general consensus that there is a need to develop methods to assess and monitor SQ for assuring sustainable land use with no prejudicial effects on human health. This review points out the importance of adopting indicators of different nature (physical, chemical and biological) to achieve a holistic image of SQ. Most authors use single indicators to assess SQ and its relationship with land uses – soil organic carbon and pH being the most used indicators. The use of nitrogen and nutrient content has resulted sensitive for agricultural and forest systems, together with physical properties such as texture, bulk density, available water and aggregate stability. These physical indicators have also been widely used to assess SQ after land use changes. The use of biological indicators is less generalized, with microbial biomass and enzyme activities being the most selected indicators. Although most authors assess SQ using independent indicators, it is preferable to combine some of them into models to create a soil quality index (SQI), since it provides integrated information about soil processes and functioning. The majority of revised articles used the same methodology to establish an SQI, based on scoring and weighting of different soil indicators, selected by means of multivariate analyses. The use of multiple linear regressions has been successfully used for forest land use. Urban soil quality has been poorly assessed, with a lack of adoption of SQIs. In addition, SQ assessments where human health indicators or exposure pathways are incorporated are practically inexistent. Thus, further efforts should be carried out to establish new methodologies to assess soil quality not only in terms of sustainability, productivity and ecosystem quality but also human health. Additionally, new challenges arise with the use and integration of stable isotopic, genomic, proteomic and spectroscopic data into SQIs.

scholarly journals Sedentary Agriculture and Its Implications on Soil Quality in Agro-pastoral Semi-arid Karamoja, Uganda

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 148
Author(s):  
S. Muwanga ◽  
R. Onwonga ◽  
S. O. Keya ◽  
E. Komutunga
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Soil Fertility ◽  
Data Base ◽  
Soil Quality ◽  
Quality Indicators ◽  
Soil Depth ◽  
Sustainable Land Use ◽  
Soil Quality Indicators ◽  
Local Soil ◽  
Semi Arid

Uganda Government embarked on promoting sedentary agriculture in Karamoja agro-pastoral semi-arid livelihood zone, which experience rapid environmental and high soil quality (SQ) decline. However, studies on sedentary agriculture’s impact on soil quality using farmer’s knowledge is limited. Consequently, a survey was carried out in Karamoja (Iriiri, Matany Sub-counties of Napak of districts and Rengen sub-county of Kotido) to determine the soil quality indicator parameters based on the farmers knowledge in order to build a local soil knowledge data base to better inform sustainable land use strategies. Using a semi-structured questionnaire, forty indigenous farmers per sub-county, were interviewed between August and September, 2015. The study took into account the social demographic characteristics of the people, farming enterprises, methods of crops production, crops yields trends, causes of the perceived yields trends and soil quality indicators. Prospects of developing Karamoja indigenous knowledge data base lies in visible feature that predict soil quality. Farmers used 36 parameters to determine SQ. The parameters were clustered into five categories; soil, crop, biological, environmental and management each category contributing to 42, 19,14,8 and 17% of the total indicators, respectively. The relationship between age group and the perceived indicators of soil fertility was statistically significant (p-value = 0.045) with the majority stating that they use either soil colour, soil depth or soil texture to express the fertility of soil. The farmer’s soil quality indicators assessed in this study, is important in establishing indigenous-scientific hybrid knowledge data base to enhance soil fertility maintenance and better inform policy makers and other stakeholders on development of sustainable land use strategies.

scholarly journals Unraveling Latent Aspects of Urban Expansion: Desertification Risk Reveals More

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (11) ◽  
pp. 4001
Author(s):  
Gianluca Egidi ◽  
Ilaria Zambon ◽  
Ilaria Tombolin ◽  
Luca Salvati ◽  
Sirio Cividino ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Soil Quality ◽  
Land Use Planning ◽  
Urban Expansion ◽  
High Sensitivity ◽  
Sustainable Land Use ◽  
Land Use Patterns ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Regulatory Constraints ◽  
Desertification Risk

Urban expansion results in socioeconomic transformations with relevant impacts for peri-urban soils, leading to environmental concerns about land degradation and increased desertification risk in ecologically fragile districts. Spatial planning can help achieve sustainable land-use patterns and identify alternative locations for settlements and infrastructure. However, it is sometimes unable to comprehend and manage complex processes in metropolitan developments, fueling unregulated and mainly dispersed urban expansion on land with less stringent building constraints. Using the Mediterranean cities of Barcelona and Rome as examples of intense urbanization and ecological fragility, the present study investigated whether land use planning in these cities is (directly or indirectly) oriented towards conservation of soil quality and mitigation of desertification risk. Empirical results obtained using composite, geo-referenced indices of soil quality (SQI) and sensitivity to land desertification (SDI), integrated with high-resolution land zoning maps, indicated that land devoted to natural and semi-natural uses has lower soil quality in both contexts. The highest values of SDI, indicating high sensitivity to desertification, were observed in fringe areas with medium-high population density and settlement expansion. These findings reveal processes of land take involving buildable soils, sometimes of high quality, and surrounding landscapes in both cities. Overall, the results in this study can help inform land use planers and policymakers for conservation of high-quality soils, especially under weak (or partial) regulatory constraints.

scholarly journals Assessing the Effects of Land Use on Surface Water Quality in the Lower uMfolozi Floodplain System, South Africa

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 561
Author(s):  
Mandla Dlamini ◽  
George Chirima ◽  
Nebo Jovanovic ◽  
Elhadi Adam
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Water Quality ◽  
Land Use ◽  
South African ◽  
Soil Quality ◽  
Surface Water Quality ◽  
Quality Parameters ◽  
Sodium Adsorption Ratio ◽  
Nitrate Content ◽  
Quality Guidelines

This study investigated the impacts of cultivation on water and soil quality in the lower uMfolozi floodplain system in KwaZulu-Natal province, South Africa. We did this by assessing seasonal variations in purposefully selected water and soil properties in these two land-use systems. The observed values were statistically analysed by performing Student’s paired t-tests to determine seasonal trends in these variables. Results revealed significant seasonal differences in chloride and sodium concentrations and electrical conductivity (EC) and the sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) with cultivated sites exhibiting higher values. Most of the analyzed chemical parameters were within acceptable limits specified by the South African agricultural-water-quality (SAWQ) water quality guidelines for irrigation except for sodium adsorption ratio (SAR), chloride, sodium and EC. EC, pH and nitrate content which were higher than the specified SAWQ limits in cultivated sites. Quantities of glyphosate, ametryn and imidacloprid could not be measured because they were below detectable limits. The study concludes that most water quality parameters met SAWQ’s standards. These results argue for concerted efforts to systematically monitor water and soil quality characteristics in this environment to enhance sustainability by providing timely information for management purposes.

scholarly journals Impact of sustainable land-use management practices on soil carbon sequestration and soil quality in the west coast of India

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paramesh Venkatesh ◽  
SURENDRA SINGH ◽  
Deepak Mohekar ◽  
Vadivel Arunachalam ◽  
Shiva Misra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Land Use ◽  
Soil Quality ◽  
West Coast ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Sustainable Land Use ◽  
Areca Nut ◽  
Land Use Management ◽  
Coastal Plains ◽  
Land Use Systems ◽  
Soc Stocks

The evaluation of sustainable land management practices is imperative under particular soil type, climate, and cropping sequence following area-specific best management practices. The alternative land-use system (ALUS-natural forest, pasture, cashew, areca nut, coconut) on hills and agricultural land-use system (AGLUS-rice-rice, rice-pulse) in the coastal plains of west coast India was evaluated in this study. The present study assessed the impact of sustainable land-use management practices on different fractions of SOC and soil quality under ALUS and AGLUS. The total SOC stocks under different land-use systems varied from 14.4 Mg ha−1 in rice–rice rotations to 133.7 Mg ha−1 in cashew and more than 75% of total SOC stock were found as a passive carbon pool. The higher lability index, available nutrients, and biochemical properties were found in ALUS. This variation in the levels of SOC and soil quality was due to land use and management practices. The results indicated land use with areca nut (0.8) on the hills and rice–pulses (0.25) rotations on the coast had maintained soil quality of high order. On upscaling the different land-use systems by growing cashew, areca nut, coconut, pasture, and rice-pulses rotations, SOC stocks of Goa can increase from 6.33 Tg at present to 32 Tg. We recommend promoting sustainable agriculture with ALUS on the hills and with AGLUS on the coastal plains of Goa for enhancing SOC sequestration and improving soil quality.

scholarly journals Sustainable land use and soil quality: organic matter as an indicator

2003 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 106-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. C. Du Preez
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Quality ◽  
Soil Degradation ◽  
Organic Matter Content ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
Sustainable Land Use ◽  
Important Indicator ◽  
Recent Approach

In this review the most recent approach to sustainable land use and the role that soil quality plays therein are described briefly. The requirements to which indicators must conform for the meaningful evaluation of the quality of soil and sustainability of land use are also elucidated. Thereafter the processes of physical, chemical and biological soil degradation are given. A concise discussion follows on the extent of physical and chemical soil degradation in South Africa, of which there is reliable information. Biological soil degradation is treated in more detail. Attention is given firstly to the role of soil organic matter in biogeochemical cycles. Thereafter the influence of different land use systems in the central parts of South Africa on the organic matter content and consequently the nitrogen, phosphorus and sulphur reserves of soils is discussed by using examples. The conclusion is that organic matter is an important indicator of soil quality and thus also of sustainable land use.

scholarly journals Spatio-seasonal variation of water quality influenced by land use and land cover in Lake Muhazi

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Edovia Dufatanye Umwali ◽  
Alishir Kurban ◽  
Alain Isabwe ◽  
Richard Mind’je ◽  
Hossein Azadi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Land Use ◽  
Seasonal Variation ◽  
Land Cover ◽  
Rainy Season ◽  
Quality Parameters ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Sustainable Land Use ◽  
Water Quality Parameters ◽  
Strong Positive Correlation

AbstractUnderstanding the influence of land use/land cover (LULC) on water quality is pertinent to sustainable water management. This study aimed at assessing the spatio-seasonal variation of water quality in relation to land use types in Lake Muhazi, Rwanda. The National Sanitation Foundation Water Quality Index (NSF-WQI) was used to evaluate the anthropogenically-induced water quality changes. In addition to Principal Components Analysis (PCA), a Cluster Analysis (CA) was applied on 12-clustered sampling sites and the obtained NSF-WQI. Lastly, the Partial Least Squares Path Modelling (PLS-PM) was used to estimate the nexus between LULC, water quality parameters, and the obtained NSF-WQI. The results revealed a poor water quality status at the Mugorore and Butimba sites in the rainy season, then at Mugorore and Bwimiyange sites in the dry season. Furthermore, PCA displayed a sample dispersion based on seasonality while NSF-WQI’s CA hierarchy grouped the samples corresponding to LULC types. Finally, the PLS-PM returned a strong positive correlation (+ 0.831) between LULCs and water quality parameters in the rainy season but a negative correlation coefficient (− 0.542) in the dry season, with great influences of cropland on the water quality parameters. Overall, this study concludes that the lake is seasonally influenced by anthropogenic activities, suggesting sustainable land-use management decisions, such as the establishment and safeguarding protection belts in the lake vicinity.

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