Soil degradation as a reason for inadequate human nutrition

Lal, Rattan

doi:10.1007/s12571-009-0009-z

Cited by 317 publications

(214 citation statements)

References 123 publications

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“…Yet, soil is finite in extent, prone to degradation by natural and anthropogenic factors, and is non-renewable over the human timescale (decades). Soil quality also has strong implications to human health [8,10], thus illustrating its important role in both society and the environment. Because of numerous ecosystem services provisioned through soils (e.g., food, feed, fiber, climate moderation through C cycling, waste disposal, water filtration and purification, elemental cycling) [11,12], soil quality must be protected or restored to enhance these services.…”

Section: Soil and Ecosystem Servicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In addition to negatively impacting agronomic production, soil degradation can also dampen economic growth, especially in countries where agriculture is the engine for economic development [6]. Over and above the environmental and economic impacts, there are also health risks of soil erosion [7] and other degradation processes [8]. Soil degradation implies a decline in soil quality [8] with an attendant reduction in ecosystem functions and services.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Over and above the environmental and economic impacts, there are also health risks of soil erosion [7] and other degradation processes [8]. Soil degradation implies a decline in soil quality [8] with an attendant reduction in ecosystem functions and services. Conceptually, there are four types of soil degradation: (i) physical; (ii) chemical; (iii) biological; and (iv) ecological ( Figure 1).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Restoring Soil Quality to Mitigate Soil Degradation

2015

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Abstract:Feeding the world population, 7.3 billion in 2015 and projected to increase to 9.5 billion by 2050, necessitates an increase in agricultural production of ~70% between 2005 and 2050. Soil degradation, characterized by decline in quality and decrease in ecosystem goods and services, is a major constraint to achieving the required increase in agricultural production. Soil is a non-renewable resource on human time scales with its vulnerability to degradation depending on complex interactions between processes, factors and causes occurring at a range of spatial and temporal scales. Among the major soil degradation processes are accelerated erosion, depletion of the soil organic carbon (SOC) pool and loss in biodiversity, loss of soil fertility and elemental imbalance, acidification and salinization. Soil degradation trends can be reversed by conversion to a restorative land use and adoption of recommended management practices. The strategy is to minimize soil erosion, create positive SOC and N budgets, enhance activity and species diversity of soil biota (micro, meso, and macro), and improve structural stability and pore geometry. Improving soil quality (i.e., increasing SOC pool, improving soil structure, enhancing soil fertility) can reduce risks of soil degradation (physical, chemical, biological and ecological) while improving the environment. Increasing the SOC pool to above the critical level (10 to 15 g/kg) is essential to set-in-motion the restorative trends. Site-specific techniques of restoring soil quality include conservation agriculture, integrated nutrient management, continuous vegetative cover such as residue mulch and cover cropping, and controlled grazing at appropriate stocking rates. The strategy is to produce "more from less" by reducing losses and increasing soil, water, and nutrient use efficiency.

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Section: Soil and Ecosystem Servicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Restoring Soil Quality to Mitigate Soil Degradation

2015

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“…Some examples include a loss of soil fertility which impacts the nutritional quality of plants grown (St Clair and Lynch 2010;Lai 2009); deteriorating animal nutrition derived from a diet limited in variety in domesticated livestock (Poulson et al 2004;Villalba et al 2010); the shift to formulate animal feed to modify and accelerate the growth of the produce (Adams 2006); and for human food consumption, there is a reduction in nutritional health where the menu of a once wide variety of foods offered in nature is now limited to the food choices commonly farmed (Hodgson et al 1994;Tucker 2001;Michels and Wolk 2002;Hughes and Dhiman 2002;Larsen 2003). It is estimated that one third of humanity suffers from the effects of poor nutrition and obesity.…”

Section: Introduction and Objectivesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Combining micro-bottom-up and macro-top-down modelling responses to nutrient cycles in complex agricultural systems

Burdock

Crawford

2015

Nutr Cycl Agroecosyst

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Concerns over the long-term sustainability of the food production system and the nutritional content of food from mineral depleted soils have encouraged a policy shift to sustainable agricultural practices where soil health supports nutrition-sensitive agriculture. Interventions at the micro scale have the ability to affect the entire system, forcing an examination at the whole of systems level. Modelling plays an important role in determining the outcomes of policy intervention combinations, particularly when systems are identified as being complex. This study begins with a systems map tracing the nutrient cycling process between natural ecosystem processes and farm practices from the bottom-up within a top-down framework. Soil is at the centre of this approach, expanding links to other influences within the framework in order to understand the relationships between elements in an environmental-agricultural system. Moving to a generic model from a broad conceptual system map is problematic when crop types, plant mineral absorption rates, soil and geographic differences are to be accommodated. Work has been done to develop top-down framework models integrating bottom-up component models, capable of being used in different scenarios. Whether existing models are used or new models are created, this study recommends that an appropriate modelling response require examination of systems and policy interventions both holistically and in detail encompassing situational specifics.

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“…If unabated, further 'unintended consequences' of this N saturation include reduced biodiversity, polluted water and air, increased human health risks and an even more perturbed greenhouse-gas balance [2,7,8]. Besides these environmental consequences, many farming practices do not sufficiently maintain soil health [9], thus undermining global long-term food production capacity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental impacts of organic agriculture in temperate regions.

Lynch

Halberg²,

Bhatta³

et al. 2012

CABI Reviews

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Can organic agriculture elaborate a scientifically based, resource-efficient and agroecological approach to low-input farm management? This review examines the literature from temperate regions, with a particular emphasis on Canadian and US studies that relate to environmental and ecological impacts of organic agriculture with respect to (i) soil organic matter storage, (ii) soil quality/soil health, (iii) nutrient loading and risks of off-farm nutrient and agrochemical losses, (iv) biodiversity and (v) energy use and global warming potential. The context and implications of semi-arid conditions and low soil P levels, common to many organic farms in North America, and widespread adoption of genetically engineered crops in conventional production, is also considered. The consensus of the data available to date indicates the distinctiveness of cropping, floral and habitat diversity, soil management regime, nutrient intensity and use efficiency, and energy, and pesticide use in organic farming confer important environmental and ecological benefits. These include maintenance of soil organic matter and added return of carbon to soil, improved soil health, reduced off-farm nitrogen and phosphorus losses, enhanced vegetative and wildlife (bird) biological diversity, extended sometimes to other taxa depending on landscape context, improved support for pollinators and pollination and reduced energy use and improved energy efficiency. The continued evolution of organic agriculture to a more outcomes-based, agroecological production system will require an expanded multi-disciplinary research effort, linked ideally to support from consumers and policy-makers on the basis of renewed understanding of its potential contribution to global environmental sustainability.

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Soil degradation as a reason for inadequate human nutrition

Abstract: Food security, Hidden hunger, Desertification, Soil quality, Sustainable agriculture,

Cited by 317 publications

References 123 publications

Restoring Soil Quality to Mitigate Soil Degradation

Restoring Soil Quality to Mitigate Soil Degradation

Combining micro-bottom-up and macro-top-down modelling responses to nutrient cycles in complex agricultural systems

Environmental impacts of organic agriculture in temperate regions.

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