Fifty Years on: Long‐term Patterns of Land Sensitivity to Desertification in Italy

The Mediterranean region has been regarded as a critical hotspot for desertification due to the impact of soil degradation, the land‐use changes and the climate variations. Few large‐scale studies have been devoted to analyse trends in land sensitivity to desertification in the northern Mediterranean basin. The present paper contributes to this deserving issue by quantifying the level of land sensitivity to desertification in Italy at seven points between 1960 and 2010 at a fine spatial scale. The approach used followed the Environmentally Sensitive Area scheme that assesses changes in four key themes (climate, soil, vegetation and land management) related to land degradation processes. Italian land was classified into four levels of sensitivity to desertification (non‐affected, potentially affected, fragile and critical) according to the Environmentally Sensitive Area framework. Interestingly, although land surface area classified as ‘fragile’ and ‘critical’ grew homogeneously in Italy between 1960 and 1990, the increase observed in the most recent time period was spatially clustered and contributed to reverse the polarisation in ‘structurally vulnerable’ and ‘non‐affected’ regions observed in Italy. The paper discussed these trends in the light of socioeconomic changes that occurred in Italy after World War II. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

毛乌素沙地生物土壤结皮与沙化土地的关系研究

生物土壤结皮在荒漠地区广泛分布,是固沙和促进沙地生态恢复的重要生物因子。利用1989,2002和2006年的Landsat遥感影像,分别通过生物土壤结皮指数和NDVI阈值法,提取了毛乌素沙地生物土壤结皮和沙化土地的空间分布,并分析了二者之间联系。结果表明:(1)研究区1989,2002和2006年结皮面积所占比例分别为54.77%,55.72%和64.29%,表现为持续增加趋势,结皮斑块间连接度在增强,结皮的稳定性进一步巩固。(2)1989—2006年区内沙化土地的程度逐渐减弱,沙化程度综合指数由1989年的3.24下降到2006年的2.65。(3)1989—2006年,中度和重度沙化土地结皮分布范围最为广泛,均在70%以上;极重度沙化土地内的结皮面积表现为持续下降,1989,2002和2006年分别为19.40%,5.76%和2.80%。(4)以1989年沙化土地的格局为基础,1989,2002和2006年极重度沙化土地内生物结皮的数量比例分别为19.40%,33.18%和45.21%,处于上升趋势。     

Processes and mechanisms of desertification in northern China during the last 30 years,with a special reference to the Hunshandake Sandy Land,eastern Inner Mongolia

Desertification has been widely recognized as one of the most serious environmental problems in China, although its concept and causes are still debated in scientific communities. The semi-arid region in northeastern China, located on northern margin of eastern Asian summer monsoon, is ideal for investigating the processes and mechanisms of desertification because of its very sensitive ecosystem. Using the Hunshandake Sandy Land of eastern Inner Mongolia, a former dormant dunes and wetlands environment, we monitored the variation of the desertified land and the wetlands in order to assess the climatic and human impacts on the processes of desertification. The research methods included digital image processing of LANDSAT data and ground checks. The remote sensing data from the last three decades show that the wetlands were larger in 1975 and 1992 than in 1989 and 2001. The variation of the extension of mobile dunes is in inverse proportion to that of wetlands. The main process of desertification is the reactivation of dormant sand dunes. The changes of wetlands and desertified lands correlate considerably well with the variations of local precipitation and temperature, suggesting that climate might be the key factor triggering desertification in the Hunshandake. In other sandy lands of China, however, human activities might be the key factor causing desertification and land degradation.     

Degradation propensity in Australian land tenure systems

Land degradation and its management have profound effects on environmental quality and sustainability. Given the diverse range of environmental conditions and land uses across Australia, it is not uncommon for land degradation to occur on many different tenure types. This paper presents an analysis of the relationships between soil physical and chemical limitations, different degradation types and their interactions with varying tenure classes. Three continental scale datasets were used in this analysis to analyse degradation propensity in Australian land tenure systems. The datasets comprised: The Australian Land Information Groups (AUSLIG) Land Tenure classification at a 1:5 million scale; the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)/Bureau of Resource Sciences (BRS) Soil Limitations for Agriculture classification at a 1:2 million scale; and a BRS classification of land degradation types and occurrence in Australia at a 1:20 million scale. The continental coverages were rasterized and summarized as a three-way contingency table of counts. The analysis of the three-way contingency table included: summary histograms; a non-parametric analysis of the cumulative empirical distribution functions; and the use of a generalized linear model (GLM). Over 60 per cent of the Australian continent is classified and used as agricultural land, which has a significant influence on the Australian environment. These agricultural lands are predominantly divided into two tenure types: freehold (20 per cent) and crown leasehold (42 per cent). The analysis indicates that although crown leasehold land has a large percentage of lands vulnerable to degradation, these lands are less degraded than the freehold lands, which have fewer soil physical and chemical limitations to agriculture. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Subsurface drainage for reversing degradation of waterlogged saline lands

In irrigated agriculture of arid and semiarid regions waterlogging coupled with salinity is a serious problem. Experimental evidence at several locations has led to the realization that subsurface drainage is an essential intervention to reverse the processes of land degradation responsible for the formation of waterlogged saline lands. This paper presents the results of a study conducted from 1995 to 2000 to evaluate the impacts of subsurface drainage on soil properties, groundwater‐table behaviour and crop productivity in a waterlogged saline area of 2200 ha. A subsurface drainage system was installed at 1·6 m depth with 60 m drain spacing covering an area of 1200 ha (23 blocks) during 1997–99 and compared with an undrained block of 1000 ha. Subsurface drainage facilitated the reclamation of waterlogged saline lands and a decrease in the soil salinity (EC_e, dS m⁻¹) that ranged from 16·0 to 66·3 per cent in different blocks. On average, 35·7 per cent decrease in salt content was observed when compared with the initial value. Provision of subsurface drainage controlled the water‐table below the root zone during the monsoon season and helped in bringing the soil to optimum moisture content for the sowing of winter crops. In the drained area, the increase in yields of different crops ranged from 18·8 to 27·6 per cent. However, in the undrained area the yield of different crops decreased due to the increased waterlogging and soil salinity problems. Overall the results indicated that investment in subsurface drainage is a viable option for reversing the land degradation of waterlogged saline lands in a monsoon climate. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Soil degradation in environmentally sensitive areas driven by urbanization: an example from Southeast Europe

Rapid urbanization together with policy ineffectiveness in controlling urban growth is often associated to soil and land degradation in both the developing and developed world. The present study analyses the relationship between urban expansion and soil degradation in an arid Mediterranean region (Attica, Greece) where the compact settlement pattern has been replaced by low‐density urban development. The study area is one of the most densely populated areas in the Mediterranean basin that has experienced an impressive growth in population during the last 60 yr. Low‐density, dispersed urban settlements developed during the last decade (2000–2010) occupy primarily land at medium‐low soil quality. However, the overall quality conditions of vegetation, climate and soil assessed by our study shows that urban expansion consumed high‐quality land previously classified as non‐vulnerable to desertification. By contrast, compact urban settlements have consumed land of intermediate or even high soil quality, but experience poor climatic and vegetation conditions that are classified as highly vulnerable to desertification. Regional planning should incorporate multi‐dimensional indicators of soil, climate and vegetation quality to evaluate the environmental impact of urban expansion.     

Effects of desertification on soil organic C and N content in sandy farmland and grassland of Inner Mongolia

Desertification is one of the most serious types of land degradation. A field experiment was conducted during 2002 and 2003 in Horqin Sand Land, China to investigate changes in soil C and N contents in relation to land desertification. Four primary results were derived from this work. First, land desertification characterized by wind erosion resulted in a significant decrease in soil fine particles (clay + silt) with a corresponding increase in sand content. In comparison to non-desertified land, soil fine particle content decreased by up to 89.2%, and sand content increased by up to 47.2%, in the severely desertified land. Second, the organic C and total N in soil were mainly associated with the soil fine particles, and decreased significantly with desertification development. Organic C decreased by 29.2% and total N by 31.5% in the severely desertified land compared to the non-desertified land. Third, the decrease in organic C and N content was greater in desertified grassland than in desertified farmland. Fourth, the changes in organic C and total N content had a significant positive correlation with the soil fine particle content (P < 0.01) and a significant negative correlation with coarse sand content (P < 0.01), indicating that land desertification by wind erosion is mediated through a loss of soil fine particles, with a resultant decrease in soil organic C and total N.     

21世纪初科尔沁沙地沙漠化对区域气候变化的响应

利用2000—2013年生长季MODIS-NDVI时间序列遥感数据和降水、气温、蒸发和风速等气象数据,研究21世纪初科尔沁沙地沙漠化动态变化及其对区域气候变化的响应关系。结果表明:21世纪初,科尔沁沙地沙漠化经历了逆转-发展-逆转的过程,轻度和中度沙漠化土地面积呈显著下降趋势,重度和极重度沙漠化土地面积呈下降趋势但不显著。未沙漠化土地主要分布在研究区西北部,轻度和中度沙漠化土地广泛分布在研究区南部、东部和北部,重度和极重度沙漠化土地主要分布在西南部。2000—2013年,科尔沁沙地降水量呈上升趋势,气温、蒸发量和起沙风日数呈下降趋势,斜率分别为8.34 mm/a、-0.04℃/a、-23.56 mm/a和-1.7 d/a,其中蒸发量和起沙风日数下降趋势较为显著;近14 a来,科尔沁沙地沙漠化主要受水热条件的影响,尤其是在2000—2005年、2009—2013年2个时期,降水增多、蒸发减少,区域气候较湿润,研究区沙漠化2次逆转;此外,沙漠化受气候影响具有地域差异性,受气候影响较大的地区主要集中在研究区东部和东南部地区。研究可为科尔沁沙地沙漠形成机理分析及沙漠化防治工作提供理论依据。     

Fractal features of soil particle size distribution and the implication for indicating desertification

Some of the effects of land desertification on soil properties are manifested by the coarsening of the soil particlesize distribution (PSD) and the losses in organic C and nutrients. The changes and characteristics of PSD and selected chemical properties in soils at the 0-15 cm plough layer from different degrees of desertified croplands are analyzed in the semiarid Horqin Sandy Land, northern China. The fractal dimension of the PSD is emanated to characterize the patterns of PSD. The relationships between the fractal dimension of the PSD and selected soil properties are discussed. The results show that: (1) in the transformation from potential desertified cropland to extremely desertified cropland, the sand content at the 0-15 cm soil increased from 69% to 93%, organic C and total N contents decreased by 65% and 69%, respectively; (2) the fractal dimension of PSD ranged from 2.179 to 2.611, the more the contents of sand, the lower the fractal dimension and the higher the desertified degree of farmland. In the desertification process within the studied area, the mean fractal dimension decreased from 2.555 for the potential desertified soils to 2.298 for extremely desertified soils; (3) there existed considerable linear relationships between fractal dimension and soil properties. It was shown that fractal dimensions of PSD are useful parameters able to monitor soil degradation and to estimate the degree of soil desertification.     

青海省共和县土地沙化与土地覆盖变化遥感监测研究

以Landsat-TM、ETM＋遥感数据为信息源，对青海省共和县1987年至2002年的土地沙化和土地覆盖变化进行了监测．研究结果表明．应用TM、ETM＋等中分辨率遥感影像，对以县为单位的区域性土地沙化和土地覆盖变化进行监测是适宜的．监测精度可达90％以上；监测期内．研究区的沙化土地面积不断增加，沙化程度也迅速加深，说明沙化土地治理的效果不明显；由于草地围封面积的扩大，一、二类草地的面积显著增加，草场质量显著改善，但由于未封育草地的过牧仍很普遍，三类草地沙化仍很严重；国营农场的撤离和国家退耕还草工程的实施是农田和居民地面积减少的主要原因。     

我国北方半干旱地区土壤的沙漠化演变过程与机制

土地沙漠化是我国北方干旱半干旱地区土地退化最严重的类型之一。但迄今为止,人们对这一地区土地沙漠化过程中土壤沙化过程和机制的了解还不够透彻。2002-2003年,我们在科尔沁沙地选择具有明显沙漠化梯度的一个区域,调查和研究了土壤沙漠化演变过程和机制。结果表明,在科尔沁沙地,不同粒径土壤颗粒的理化特性具有较大差异,其中土壤粘粉粒和粗沙相比,具有较低的土壤容重和较高的土壤结持力、起沙风速、毛管持水力和养分含量。从土壤粘粉粒到粗沙,容重增加了10.32%,结持力、毛管持水量、有机碳、全氮分别下降了99.15%,51.23%,83.73%和80.24%。沙漠化过程中,土壤的理化性质随着土地沙漠化程度的增强而明显恶化。和非沙漠化土地相比,严重沙漠化土地的土壤粗沙含量、非毛管孔隙度和容重分别增加了35.04%,117.50%和21.7%,细沙含量、粘粉粒含量、总孔隙度、毛管孔隙度、田间持水量、毛管持水量、土壤有机碳、全氮、全磷、有效氮和有效磷分别下降了77.78%,70.00%,15.38%,27.49%,54.34%,37.54%,64.15%,70.77%,65.90%,66.32%和50.59%。相关分析结果表明,沙漠化过程中,土壤有机碳、全氮、全磷、土壤含水量和土壤结持力的变化与土壤粘粉粒的减少呈明显正相关,与土壤粗沙含量的增加呈明显负相关。这说明,沙漠化过程中,由于风蚀而导致的富含养分和具有较高持水能力的土壤细颗粒的损失,是沙漠化过程中土壤退化的主要机制。     

Land degradation: socioeconomic and environmental causes and consequences in the eastern Mediterranean

Land degradation is a natural and socioeconomic cause–effect phenomenon that is widespread all over the world. This study investigated the socioeconomic factors and causes of land degradation (e.g. population growth and urbanization, poverty, overgrazing, pollution, biodiversity, erosion) in the eastern part of the Mediterranean region. The study revealed a significant land use change from agricultural and natural vegetation to urbanized areas due to the high population increase during the last ca. 80 years (51‐times the magnitude of the total built‐up area). The high poverty rate that exists in the area (57 per cent of the population can be classed as ‘poor’) has resulted in damaging environmental practices (overgrazing and intensive usage of natural plants); we found 83 per cent of the farmers admitted to the adoption of these practices. Poverty has also resulted in an inverse and significant correlation (at the 95 per cent confidence level) between holding size and the sale of land for urban uses. We also noted that 75 per cent of the smallholder farmers surveyed had sold their lands for immediate benefits to cope with poverty. This relation was affected by the education level of the farmers; we found a direct and significant (95 per cent confidence level) correlation existed between these factors. Overgrazing was practised by 70 per cent of the farmers and was found to be one of the most important environmental consequences of land use change (1600 ha have been transformed from natural grazing to built‐up (urban) in the study area). Socio‐economic induced land degradation demands efforts to improve farmer environmental awareness as well as environmental standards, laws and bylaws and the reduction of mismanagement of land. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Essential oil bearing aromatic plants: Their potential for sequestering carbon in marginal soils of India

Continuous rise in the atmospheric CO₂ concentration upshots the genesis of cataclysmic planetary problems such as global warming and climate change. Another critical issue which is environmentally challenging is land degradation. When productive land is poorly managed, it turns to marginal land. And further degradation of marginal land ends up to being unproductive land. On the Contrary, considerable part of depleted soil C pool can be restored through the adoption of conservation agricultural practices, unproductive land could be converted to marginal land and by its further restoration, into productive land. Aromatic plants can sustain various adverse conditions prevailing on the marginal lands. Aromatic plants require low input but the output is quite high due to the production of highvalue essential oil. The pivotal perspective of utilization of marginal lands of India for the production of aromatic plants would explore factors such as land availability, aromatic plants adaptability, C sequestration potential and economic feasibility. India is the largest exporter of essential oils and produces huge amount of aromatic spent residues, which could be converted into several valueadded products. Proficient recycle of distillation waste of aromatic plants in marginal lands will aid to sequester C in soil and enhance the biomass yield. Improvement in the livelihood of farmers especially in developing nations through rise in production and income diversification would encourage farmers to reclaim their marginal lands and accelerate their transition to aromatically cultivable lands.     

Spatial Monitoring of Desertification Extent in Western Iraq using Landsat Images and GIS

Desertification refers to land degradation in arid, semi‐arid, and dry sub‐humid areas caused by various factors, including climatic variations and human activities. In recent decades, sandstorms have increased significantly in Western Iraq, which primarily increased desert lands. Proper management is required to control and to monitor the phenomena, as well as to calculate the desertified areas caused by desertification. The study area covered 50,861.854 km² in Western Iraq. Landsat‐5 TM, Landsat‐7 ETM+, and Landsat‐8 OLI data for 1990, 2002, and 2014 were used. Maximum likelihood algorithm was used to classify the images. Change detection results were discussed in two terms: short‐term (1990–2002) and (2002–2014) and long‐term (1990–2014) analysis. Change detection analysis from 1990 to 2014 showed that desert area increased to 2286.7308 km², becoming a new source of dust storms. Hazard occurrence probability was studied on September and October 2014. The desertification amount decreased from 1990 to 2002 and increased significantly from 2002 to 2014. Sandstorms have recently been considered a hazardous phenomenon affecting the human population, the vegetation, and the ecosystem in Iraq. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

松嫩平原西部盐渍荒漠化机理研究

选择松嫩平原西部盐碱化程度最高的大安市叉干镇明乐村,研究碱斑地的蒸散过程、土壤水分入渗过程,以及盐分运移和水盐平衡规律,进一步探讨该地区盐渍荒漠化的形成机理。结果表明:碱斑地没有植被覆盖,蒸散过程以土壤蒸发为主,水分运动带动盐分大量向土表积累;碱斑地土壤水分入渗率低,下行盐分远远小于上行盐分。土壤表层盐分累积的结果,使得该地区的草地景观退化,碱斑地面积增加,导致盐渍荒漠化程度加剧。     

人为干预下喀斯特峡谷区不同土地利用类型对土壤理化性质的影响

[目的]探究人为干预下喀斯特峡谷区不同土地利用类型对土壤理化性质的影响,为岩溶山区的生态环境保护和可持续发展提供科学依据。[方法]以贵州省花江喀斯峡谷示范区生态系统土壤为研究区,选取典型喀斯特石漠化治理区域进行野外定点取样,通过室内分析的方法进行不同土地利用石漠化地区土壤理化性质比较研究。[结果](1)土壤含水量随着土层深度的增加递增,土壤含水量大小依次为:封山育林径流场坡改梯自然灌丛撂荒地,形成土壤水分的垂直变化;(2)经过改良后坡改梯通过种植花椒的田间持水量明显比草地含量高,相对于进行石漠化治理并合理耕作的坡改梯花椒地来说,荒草地的持水能力明显下降;(3)石漠化环境下土壤颗粒分散、土体结构破坏,土壤通透能力下降,孔隙的变化规律为:林地坡改梯灌草丛耕地撂荒地;(4)示范区土壤总钾偏高,与pH值呈正相关,总氮普遍低于全国农田氮含量,土壤养分不足。[结论]不同土地利用条件下土壤特征有显著差异,这种差异是基于不同石漠化等级下不同土地利用的治理措施造成的。花江示范区土壤持水效益低,土壤养分不足,不利于耕作,农业产量不高,建议花江示范区应减少耕地,多种植经济林和草地,保护天然林地。     

LANDSAT IMAGES REVEAL TRENDS IN THE AEOLIAN DESERTIFICATION IN A SOURCE AREA FOR SAND AND DUST STORMS IN CHINA'S ALASHAN PLATEAU (1975–2007)

The development and reversal of aeolian desertification have been widely recognised as the dominant causes of changes in the source areas of dust storms. The Alashan Plateau, which is near China's Hexi Corridor, is one of the major dust storm source regions in northern China. To investigate the relationship between climatic and anthropogenic factors and the development of aeolian desertification, we reconstructed the temporal and spatial evolution of aeolian desertification and the underlying processes from 1975 to 2007 using Landsat images and analysed the driving forces. The results show that aeolian desertified land in the study area covered 32 847·79 km² in 2007, amounting to 11·3 per cent of the total area, with an initial period of desertification expansion from 1975 to 2000 and a reversal of desertification from 2000 to 2007. On the basis of the analysis of effects of climate changes and human activities in the region, aeolian desertification was principally driven by human activities in this area; climatic variations had little effect on the area of severe desertification. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

贵州喀斯特山区石漠化土壤理化性质及分形特征研究

研究了贵州喀斯特山区石漠化过程中土壤颗粒粗化和理化性质特征,土壤颗粒分形的变化特征,以及分形维数与土壤性状的关系。结果表明:土壤细颗粒含量越少,土壤分形维数越低,表征石漠化程度越高;土壤颗粒分形维数与土壤有机质、容重、粘粉粒含量之间存在显著的线形关系(P<0.01)。分形维数能较好地表征喀斯特石漠化过程中土壤物理性质和养分状况以及石漠化的程度,可作为评价喀斯特地区土壤退化的定量指标之一,对区域生态环境的恢复与重建有着重要的指导意义。     

ASSESSMENT OF LAND COVER CHANGES AND THEIR EFFECT ON SOIL ORGANIC CARBON AND SOIL TOTAL NITROGEN IN DAQING PREFECTURE,CHINA

The aim of this study was to examine the influence of land cover changes on soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil total nitrogen (STN) in the Daqing Prefecture of China, where heavy industrialisation in the form of dense oil wells has impacted the environment. Time‐series presentations for the period 1978 to 2008 of remotely sensed data and soil survey data were used to assess the extent of the changes. The study revealed soil degradation under all land cover types and in all soil types, grassland retreat (−15 per cent), swampland retreat (−45 per cent) and increases in the area of farmland (+19 per cent), sand land (+1450 per cent) and alkaline land (+52 per cent). Depletion of the SOC pool occurred in swampland (−64 per cent) both because of the decrease in the area of swampland and because of a decrease in SOC density (−34 per cent). An increase in the SOC pool occurred in alkaline land because of the increase in the area and also because of an increase in SOC density (+297 per cent), but there was little change in the SOC pool in farmland because the increase in area was largely offset by a decrease in SOC density (−14 per cent). The decrease in the STN pool was substantial (−44 per cent), with the largest contributor being the decrease in swamplands (−74 per cent), partly because of the decrease in the area of swampland and partly because of a decrease in STN density (−52 per cent). Large decreases in the STN pool also occurred in farmland (−22 per cent) and grassland (−41 per cent). The direct impacts of construction associated with the expansion of the oil industry were overshadowed by indirect impacts such as interference with water flows and water levels resulting in salinisation of soil. The study also revealed that land cover changes are much more dynamic than a simple analysis would reveal, and because of lag times in the loss of SOC, soil degradation will continue even if land cover changes cease. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

土地沙化与防沙治沙措施研究

土地沙化是我国特别是西北地区当前最为严重的生态环境问题,不断加剧的沙尘暴与沙化土地的扩张更使生态环境问题雪上加霜。根据中国土地沙化现状及世界防沙治沙经验展开思考,分析了土地沙化治理的几个重点问题是:重视森林;搞好退耕还林还草治沙工程;强制节约水资源,开展径流林业;调整费税,政府投资放粮,携手治沙抗贫。提出了防沙治沙的总体原则、方针、思路和技术对策等。