New frontiers of land and water commodification: socio‐environmental controversies of large‐scale land acquisitions

A growing number of regions in the developing world are targeted by transnational investors who are acquiring large amounts of land and natural resources. Driven by the increasing global demand for agricultural products, such investments are often considered an opportunity for economic development in the target country. However, there are concerns about the social and environmental impacts on local communities. In this brief review, we discuss some key socio‐environmental controversies surrounding large‐scale land acquisitions (LSLAs). LSLAs often target common property systems and lead to privatization and commodification of land through long‐term land concessions. There is a debate between supporters of foreign land investments as a means to attract modern agricultural technology that would decrease the yield gap in underperforming agricultural land and those who question such a development model because it is seldom coupled with policy instruments that would ensure that the benefits improve food security in local populations. Large‐scale land investments displace a variety of systems of production ranging from small‐scale farming to (arguably) “unused” land such as forests and savannas on which local communities often depend. Moreover, LSLAs entail an appropriation of water resources that may negatively impact local farmers or downstream human and natural systems. In most cases, investors keep the land fallow but, when they put it under productive use, they typically change land cover and land use to start intensified commercial farming, often for nonfood crops. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Impact of indigenous‐based interventions on land conservation: a case study of a soil conservation and agroforestry project,Arumeru District,Tanzania

Land degradation has been identified as a serious problem in Tanzania since the 1920s. Among the factors normally cited as contributing to land degradation are deforestation, overgrazing and inappropriate farming practices. Several attempts by the government to arrest the problem have been based on top‐down approaches. Indigenous‐based interventions are among the alternative practices adopted by the Soil Conservation and Agroforestry Project in Arumeru District, Tanzania. The main objective of this study was to assess the impact of the indigenous‐based interventions on land conservation. More specifically the study intended to assess farmers' perception of land degradation, the adoption rate of indigenous‐based interventions, the impact of those interventions, and lastly the sustainability of those interventions. Data for the study were collected through Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) techniques and a questionnaire survey. The Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS®) was used to analyse quantitative data and Content and Structural‐Functional Analyses were used for qualitative data. The study found that the rate of land degradation was perceived by respondents to be rather severe. The study also revealed that indigenous‐based interventions, which require minimal labour and capital, have been highly adopted by many farmers while labour/capital intensive ones have been taken up by fewer farmers. In general, indigenous‐based interventions appear to have eased farm operations and contributed towards increased crop yield, improved soil fertility and increased income. Success in some of the indigenous interventions warrants their wider promotion beyond the project area. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Assessing the costs of land degradation: a case study for the Puentes catchment,southeast Spain

Whereas many studies point out the economic benefits of controlling land degradation through sustainable land management (SLM) approaches, there is often a lack of local adoption of SLM techniques. Analysis of the local impacts and costs of land degradation is critical for understanding farmers' responses to land degradation. The objective of this paper is to analyse the local costs of land degradation in the Puentes catchment in southeast Spain. This catchment has been identified as particularly vulnerable to erosion, yet farmers show a general lack of interest in applying erosion control techniques. The paper subsequently analyses land degradation processes in the Puentes catchment, the income derived from agriculture and several other ecosystem services, and the local costs of land degradation. Erosion is widespread in the catchment, comprising sheet and rill erosion as well as gulley erosion. Relatively high erosion rates are encountered in cropland. The most important source of local income is irrigated agriculture, with revenues of up to €1350/ha y⁻¹. Dryland agriculture, hunting and herding provide additional income. The costs of erosion on cropland, calculated with a replacement method, vary from around €5/ha y⁻¹ on slopes between five per cent and ten per cent, to around €50/ha y⁻¹ on slopes between 30 per cent and 50 per cent. Except on the steepest slopes, these costs are relatively low for the farmers, which explains the limited application of erosion control techniques in the catchment. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effects of land use on soil erosion in a tropical dry forest ecosystem,Chamela watershed,Mexico

During the past few decades, Mexico has been converting tropical dry forest (TDF) into cropland and pasture, with land degradation expressed as soil erosion being the main environmental consequence. The factors and processes influencing soil erosion are related to scale. At a microscale, the stability of soil aggregates has a significant impact on soil erodibility and strongly influences other soil properties. However, at plot and watershed scales, these relationships are less well known. The relationships between the distribution of soil aggregate size, soil properties and soil erosion were examined for two soil geomorphological units (hillslopes over granite and hillslopes over tuffs) and three land uses (TDF, unburned pasture and burned pasture) within the Chamela watershed of west–central Mexico. To evaluate soil aggregation as a parameter for upscaling soil erosion, the researchers measured microtopographic features at plot scales and interpreted 1:35,000 panchromatic aerial photographs at a watershed scale. Analysis of variance indicated significant differences in soil organic carbon (P < 0.05) and soil moisture (P < 0.01) contents between the two soil geomorphological units, and field tests showed differences in soil texture and structure.     

Assessing scale effects on modelled soil organic carbon contents as a result of land use change in Belgium

This paper explores the influence of spatial scale on modelled projections of soil organic carbon (SOC) content. The effect of land use change (LUC) on future SOC stocks was estimated using the Rothamsted Carbon model for a small area of southern Belgium. The study assumed no management change and used a single climate change scenario. Three model experiments were used to identify how data scale affects predicted SOC stocks: (i) using European LUC datasets at a resolution of 10′ and assuming equal distribution of change within the study area, (ii) using more accurate regional data aggregated to the 10’ resolution, and (iii) using the regional data at a spatial resolution of 250 m. The results show that using coarse resolution (10′) data is inappropriate when modelling SOC changes in the study area as only the methods using precise data predict a change in SOC stocks similar to those reported in the literature. This is largely because of differences in model parameterisation. However, precisely locating LUC does not significantly affect the results. The model, using either pan‐European or region‐specific precise data predicts an average SOC increase of 1 t C ha^?1 (1990–2050), mainly resulting from afforestation of 13% of agricultural land.     

A soil carbon and land use database for the United Kingdom

Abstract. The compilation of a database of soil carbon and land use is described, from which models of soil carbon dioxide emissions across the United Kingdom (UK) can be run. The database gives soil organic carbon, sand, silt and clay contents and bulk densities weighted to reference layers from 0 to 30 cm and from 30 to 100 cm depths. The data are interpolated from information on soil types and land use on a 1 km grid across the UK and are used to estimate soil carbon stocks. For 1990, the baseline year for the Kyoto Protocol on carbon emissions, the estimate is 4562 Tg soil organic carbon in the top 1 m of soil across the UK, with an average density of 18 kg m⁻². The data can be reported by layer (e.g. 54% in topsoils) and country (e.g. 48% in Scotland) as well as by soil and land type.     

Placing land degradation and biological diversity decline in a unified framework: Methodological and conceptual issues in the case of the north Mediterranean region

The development of synergies between efforts to mitigate land degradation and biological diversity decline can enhance effectiveness, speed up implementation and avoid potential conflicts. Due to the variable nature of these processes and to the variable characteristics of the areas where they occur, there is no general rule linking land degradation and biological diversity decline. Thus, a geographically limited approach focusing on drivers of change may provide a more appropriate base upon which synergies can be built. This exercise is undertaken for the case of northern Mediterranean. Three related processes are discussed: land use change (in the form of agricultural abandonment and intensification, as well as urbanization), wildfires and overuse of freshwater resources. Agricultural abandonment stands out as it may or may not have adverse effects on land resources and it may promote either a reduction in biological diversity or a shift in community synthesis. Agricultural intensification affects adversely both biological diversity and land resources, though often through different mechanisms. Urbanization, by taking up space, wildfires, if they recur in short intervals or they are very extended spatially, and overuse of freshwater resources adversely affect both issues through common mechanisms. The fact that the various drivers may operate through different mechanisms and sometimes they do not even produce consistently positive or negative results calls for a site‐specific understanding of the mechanisms. As many of the processes generating these patterns are not reversible, e.g. intensification of agriculture or tourism growth, ways should be sought to reconcile them with conservation. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Large‐scale soil maps and a supplementary database for land use planning in Estonia

A soil map at the scale 1:10,000 serves as a major important document for land owners and local governments, which allows them to use soil information in their daily activity. The intensity of exploitation of soil maps will increase when the very map and its legend are supplemented, within colored and indexed polygons, with information about soil texture and reaction by layers, but also about the thickness and characterization of the epipedon, quality indices for soil assessment, classes of stoniness, and prevalent fractions of stones, erosion risk, etc. Special maps of agronomical status, with a list of proper measures for improvement of soils and their associations, should form a regular component of large‐scale mapping. As decrease in arable land and increase in the forest area are common trends in land use, these maps and general soil data should serve as the fundamental source of information for decision making concerning land use. Data indicating the suitability of any soil for any crop should be entered in a database. Application of GIS on any level of national economy, digitization of a large‐scale soil database and making it accessible to land users would allow to expand the amount of available information for each soil map polygon.     

Landscape and land use effects on soil resources in a Himalayan watershed

Sustainable land management decisions at all scales require solid, science-based information. Soil quality assessment can provide this regarding soil physical, chemical, and biological characteristics and the ability to provide ecosystem and societal services. Our objective was to make a regional assessment of soils in the Garhwal Himalayas to determine their ability to perform various functions and respond to external influences. Five functional categories were assessed using 13 soil parameters focused on ecological sustainability. Human land use effects on soils were referenced to natural woodlands at each landscape position. Within upper-slope regions, flora and fauna habitat, moisture retention, organic matter and nutrient cycling, air and water infiltration and resistance to erosion were decreased 35, 27, 24, 24, and 9%, respectively. At mid-slope positions the order and magnitude of decrease were organic matter and nutrient cycling, flora and fauna habitat, and moisture retention (26, 22, and 16%, respectively). Changes within the valley were lowest, averaging − 3% for flora and fauna habitat and − 13% for organic matter and nutrient cycling. We conclude that the minimum data set (MDS) used provided a representative assessment of soil quality and could serve as a basis for assessment in similar tropical watersheds.     

The influence of different types of urban land use on soil microbial biomass and functional diversity in Beijing,China

Soil microbes in urban ecosystems are affected by a variety of abiotic and biotic factors resulting from changes in land use. However, the influence of different types of land use on soil microbial properties and soil quality in urban areas remains largely unknown. Here, by comparing five types of land use: natural forest, park, agriculture, street green and roadside trees, we examined the effects of different land uses on soil microbial biomass and microbial functional diversity in Beijing, China. We found that soil properties varied with land uses in urban environments. Compared to natural forest, soil nutrients under the other four types of urban land use were markedly depleted, and accumulation of Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd was apparent. Importantly, under these four types of land use, there was less microbial biomass, but it had greater functional diversity, particularly in the roadside‐tree soils. Furthermore, there were significant correlations between the microbial characteristics and physicochemical properties, such as organic matter, total nitrogen and total phosphorus (P < 0.05), suggesting that lack of nutrients was the major reason for the decrease in microbial biomass. In addition, the larger C/N ratio, Ni concentration and pool of organic matter together with a higher pH contributed to the increase in microbial functional diversity in urban soils. We concluded that different land uses have indirect effects on soil microbial biomass and microbial community functional diversity through their influence on soil physicochemical properties, especially nutrient availability and heavy metal content.     

Long‐term changes in the floristic composition and soil characteristics of reclaimed sodic land during eco‐restoration

The study was conducted under the “Uttar Pradesh Sodic Lands Reclamation Project” to examine changes that occurred in the reclaimed sodic land in two districts of Uttar Pradesh, India. The study focuses on long‐term seasonal changes in the floral diversity and soil characteristics of the reclaimed sodic land over a period of 10 y. The changes in the floristic composition, plant density, and soil characteristics (microbial biomass carbon [MBC], pH, exchangeable‐sodium percentage (ESP), and electrical conductivity) were compared among the different study plots after different years of sodic‐land reclamation. The study plots comprised reclaimed land with rice–wheat cultivation; semireclaimed land under rice cultivation only and nonreclaimed barren sodic land. There was a significant variation in the floristic composition of the three study plots. Dominance in the floristic composition was shifted from monocotyledonous weeds in the nonreclaimed sodic land to dicotyledonous weeds in the reclaimed land after 10 y of reclamation. Among the soil characteristics, the most remarkable changes were observed in soil MBC and ESP during the course of sodic‐land reclamation. Soil MBC increased up to 480% and ESP values decreased up to 79% in the reclaimed plots with reference to the nonreclaimed plots. The soil amelioration was more pronounced in the upper layer (0–30 cm) as compared to the lower layer (below 30 cm depth). A positive significant correlation was revealed between soil MBC and floristic composition of the reclaimed plots. These changes in floristic composition and soil characteristics could be used as good indicators of the eco‐restoration of the sodic lands. The present study provides useful insights in understanding the temporal progress of eco‐restoration in the reclaimed sodic lands.     

Soil carbon and related soil properties along a soil type and land‐use intensity gradient,New South Wales,Australia

The aim of this study was to systematically quantify differences in soil carbon and key related soil properties along a replicated land‐use intensity gradient on three soil landscapes in northwest New South Wales, Australia. Our results demonstrate consistent land‐use effects across all soil types where C, N and C:N ratio were in the order woodland > unimproved pasture = improved pasture > cultivation while bulk density broadly showed the reverse pattern. These land‐use effects were largely restricted to the near surface soil layers. Improved pasture was associated with a significant soil acidification, indicating that strategies to increase soil carbon through pasture improvement in these environments might also have associated soil degradation issues. Total soil carbon stocks were significantly larger in woodland soils, across all soil types, compared with the other land‐uses studied. Non‐wooded systems, however, had statistically similar carbon stocks and this pattern persisted whether or not carbon quantity was corrected for equivalent mass. Our results suggest that conversion from cultivation to pasture in this environment would yield between 0.06 and 0.15 t C/ha/yr which is at the lower end of predicted ranges in Australia and well below values measured in other cooler, wetter environments. We estimate that a 10% conversion rate (cultivation to pasture) across NSW would yield around 0.36 Mt CO₂‐e/yr which would contribute little to emission reductions in NSW. We conclude that carbon accumulation in agricultural soils in this environment might be more modest than current predictions suggest and that systematically collected, regionally specific data are required for the vegetation communities and full range of land‐uses before accurate and reliable predictions of soil carbon change can be made across these extensive landscapes.     

Pedogenesis,land management and soil classification in hyper‐arid environments: results and implications from a case study in the United Arab Emirates

A study of the soils in the Northern Emirates (NE), which covers 8.2% of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) was undertaken applying the USDA Soil Taxonomy (ST) to classify soils up to the family level. The objective of the study was to identify the key factors and processes responsible for soil formation in hyper‐arid environments in general and the study area in particular and to draw conclusions regarding soil classification and land management. Fifteen pedons representing the major soils in the region were investigated. Samples were collected, processed and analysed for physical, chemical and mineralogical characteristics. Factors controlling soil development such as parent material, climate, plants and animals, relief, time, human activities and processes of salinization, calcification, gypsification, sodification and aeolian deposition were evaluated to guide soil classification and management. Data from soil families were used for describing and comparing soil‐forming factors and processes. It is concluded that these factors and processes play major roles in influencing soil use and management. There are also strong relationships between these factors and processes and the relevant soil taxa from Soil Taxonomy.     

Impact of land use and land cover change on environmental degradation in lake Qinghai watershed,northeast Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau

Lake Qinghai, the largest saline lake in China, covers 4234 km² (2007) with a catchment area of 29 660 km² on the northeastern margin of the Qinghai‐Tibet Plateau. The ecosystem of the lake is extremely vulnerable and sensitive to global climate change and human interference. However, little information is available on land use/cover change (LUCC) in Lake Qinghai watershed. Using a geographical information system (GIS) and remote sensing (RS), this study analysed land use and land cover change pattern in Lake Qinghai watershed between 1977 and 2004 and discussed major environmental issues in this area. LUCC analysis indicated that grassland (63 per cent) and water body (18 per cent) dominated in the watershed and the magnitude of the land use and land cover change was generally low; the percentage of the change of various land types relative to the total area was less than 1 per cent. From 1977 to 2004, cropland, sandy land, bare rock, salinized land, swampland and built‐up areas increased by 0·43, 0·35, 0·24, 0·06, 0·03 and 0·03 per cent of the total area, respectively; in contrast, water body, grassland and woodland decreased by 0·99, 0·22 and 0·05 per cent, respectively. Moreover, the area of LUCC tended to expand from places around the lake to the upper reaches of the watershed during the last three decades. The LUCC transition pattern was: woodland converted to grassland, grassland converted to cropland and water body converted to sandy land. Lake level decline and grassland degradation are major ecological and environmental problems in Lake Qinghai watershed. The level and area of the lake decreased at the rate of 6·7 cm a⁻¹ and 6·4 km² a⁻¹, respectively, between 1959 and 2007, resulting in sandy land expansion and water quality deterioration. Lake level decline and area shrinkage was mainly attributed to climate change, but grassland degradation was mainly resulted from anthropogenic activities (increasing population, overgrazing and policy). Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The environmental impact of livestock ranches in the Kalahari,Botswana: natural resource use,ecological change and human response in a dynamic dryland system

This paper examines the ways in which a policy aiming to improve both use of an extensive dryland natural resource, and the well‐being of rural peoples in Botswana, has impacted on the environment and upon indigenous land‐use activities. The impacts of the Tribal Grazing Land Policy (TGLP) have been spatially and temporally variable. Previous assertions about its contribution to desertification may have been overstated, although environmental changes have certainly resulted from policy impacts. Effects upon traditional indigenous population coping strategies for environmental variability are considered both in terms of subsistence activities and the ability to respond to drought events. It is concluded that the policy has not met its environmental, pastoral production or societal objectives, largely because it was founded on unestablished assumptions. Large‐scale environmental degradation and desertification, however, cannot yet be attributed to the TGLP, but it can be contended that the policy has reduced both environmental and societal resilience to natural environmental variability. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A study of the effects of land use changes on soil physical properties and organic matter

Changes in land use can significantly affect soil properties. This study was conducted in the Taleghan watershed of Tehran Province, Iran, to determine the effects of land use changes on soil organic matter (SOM) and soil physical properties including soil aggregate stability, saturated hydraulic conductivity, infiltration rate, available water content, total porosity and bulk density (BD). In the present study, two sites contained adjacent land uses of natural pasture and dryland farming were selected. Soil samples were taken from depths of 0–15 and 15–30 cm for each land use. The results indicated that the conversion of natural pasture to dryland farming led to a significant decrease in SOM at 0–30 cm in the first and second sites (24.7 and 44.2%, respectively). In addition, a significant increase in BD was observed at a depth of 0–30 cm in dryland farm soils (1.39 g cm^–3) compared to pastureland (1.20 g cm^–3) at the first site. An increase in BD was also observed at the same depth of dryland farm soils (1.46 g cm^–3) and pastureland soils (1.42 g cm^–3) at the second site. In addition, total porosity, mean‐weight diameter of aggregates, saturated hydraulic conductivity, available water content and estimated final infiltration rate showed significant differences between land uses. The results showed that the conversion of natural pasture to dryland farming alters soil properties that negatively affect soil productivity and erodibility. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Using the VS‐Fast methodology for soil degradation assessment: a case study from Senegal

Soil degradation threatens sustainable food production and accelerates global warming. Poorer countries, whose agricultural sectors are highly dependent on their natural resource bases, are hit particularly hard by declining soil productivity. Calls for soil‐quality monitoring are therefore, justified and this could inform decision‐makers on the preparation of appropriate interventions. However, the provision of monitoring methodologies is not an easy task. Soil degradation affects several soil characteristics that at larger scales cannot be evaluated with models or remote‐sensing techniques. Therefore, this study focuses on investigating the use of field‐based soil assessment methodologies to differentiate degrees of soil degradation. Specifically, we test the Visual Soil Field Assessment Tool (VS‐Fast) for detecting and monitoring soil degradation using a cross‐section of 71 sites in Senegal, the soil quality of which were classed by local experts. We found low correlation between VS‐Fast classes and expert assessments. By using an ordered logit model to quantify class boundaries, we show that experts categorized areas as ‘degraded’ for a wider range and higher VS‐Fast scores than the corresponding VS‐Fast class. Yet, from general linear models and analysis of variance procedures we found that areas classed by experts as ‘degraded’ had statistically significant lower VS‐Fast scores compared to those that were judged as ‘normal’ and ‘good’, while differences of the VS‐Fast scores between the latter two were negligible. It is remarkable that the visual assessment, the cheaper component of the VS‐Fast score, performs better in differentiating degradation status than its measured counterpart. The results support the need to investigate the applicability of other VSA methodologies that only use field observations and tactile methods.     

Soil quality indices for evaluation of long‐term land use and soil management practices in semi‐arid sub‐tropical India

Land use changes and soil management can potentially alter soil quality. A study was conducted to assess the long‐term (>20 years) effects of perennial trees (PT), vegetable crops (VC), rice–wheat (RW) system, sewage‐irrigated fields (SF), maize–wheat (MW) system and uncultivated soils (US) on soil quality. Soil physical quality parameters were significantly affected only in the SF system when compared with the US soil, particularly for bulk density (BD 1·51 Mg m⁻³ in SF vs. 1·34 in US). Among chemical parameters, electrical conductivity was high in SF, and soil nutrients (N, P, K, S, Zn, Fe, Cu and Mn) were well above the critical limits of deficiency in all the systems. Soil parameters were integrated into soil quality indices (SQIs) by unscreened transformation and principal component analysis (PCA). SQI observed under each system were compared with the US to assess the degree of degradation. Mean SQI differences showed that PT (+16·02 per cent), VC (+4·80 per cent), RW (+10·04 per cent), and MW (+11·30 per cent) are aggrading, whereas SF (−2·06 per cent) is degrading with respect to the reference soil (US). Adoption of MW system proved to be better than traditional RW; and in general agricultural crops have a significant advantage than VC, in terms of maintaining soil quality. Sewage irrigation is not a sustainable practice and long‐term use may degrade the soil. Among the SQIs, PCA with nonlinear scoring function (NLSF) based SQI was effective in judging land degradation due to soil quality changes as affected by long‐term land use and soil management practices. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Assessing the potential of changing land use for reducing soil erosion and sediment yield of catchments: a case study in the highlands of northern Ethiopia

Reservoir sedimentation is the most serious threat for water harvesting schemes and hydroelectric power dams in Ethiopia. Designing watershed conservation strategies and management is crucial to reduce the rate of sedimentation. Because different landscape types have varying potentials for enhancing erosion processes, site‐ and process‐specific conservation measures are needed to target an appropriate intervention to the most needed locations. In this study, a GIS‐based distributed soil erosion/deposition model was used to simulate the potential of land‐use and cover (LUC) changes and conservation measures for reducing water induced soil erosion and potential sediment yield for two catchments in northern Ethiopia. LUC change and conservation measures targeted gully and stream buffers, protection of steep slopes and protection of areas with soil loss greater than a given threshold. The results show that land management measures targeted at hot‐spot areas of erosion and gully formation could reduce potential annual sediment yield from catchments by approximately 60% compared with the current losses. The study demonstrates the potential of a GIS‐based LUC‐redesign approach as a tool for optimizing land‐use and management strategies to reduce run‐off and erosion rates in the highlands of northern Ethiopia.