Difference between revisions of "Land degradation"

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Although a comprehensive model to capture the complex system interactions is not readily available, IMAGE 3.0 offers the following approaches to address soil degradation:  
 
Although a comprehensive model to capture the complex system interactions is not readily available, IMAGE 3.0 offers the following approaches to address soil degradation:  
A. Water Erosion Risk: Risk assessment of soil erosion caused by water based on the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE; [[Wischmeier and Smith, 1978|(1978)]]).  
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A. Water Erosion Risk: Risk assessment of soil erosion caused by water based on the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE; Wischmeier and Smith[[Wischmeier and Smith, 1978|(1978)]]).  
  
 
B. Change in soil properties: Quantitative assessment of changes in soil properties, from a hypothetically undisturbed (pristine) situation to a new situation, accounting for changes in land cover and other changes caused by human activity. The effect of changes in soil properties on crop production, hydrology and water can be assessed in other components of IMAGE.
 
B. Change in soil properties: Quantitative assessment of changes in soil properties, from a hypothetically undisturbed (pristine) situation to a new situation, accounting for changes in land cover and other changes caused by human activity. The effect of changes in soil properties on crop production, hydrology and water can be assessed in other components of IMAGE.

Revision as of 10:47, 18 May 2014

Key policy issues

  • In what parts of the world have human-induced changes in land and soil conditions occurred?
  • What are the future risks of soil degradation?
  • To what extent are ecosystem functions lost by soil degradation, adding to local and global concerns about food security, biodiversity loss and climate change?

Introduction