Soils as a Key Component of the Critical Zone 5

Book excerpt: One third of the world's soils have already been degraded. The burden on the land continues to grow under the combined pressures of demography, urbanization, artificialization and mining, and there are increased demands on agricultural land: changing dietary preferences, land speculation, as well as new demands for agroenergy, fiber, green chemistry, and more. Resulting issues such as soil crusting, water and wind erosion, soil salinization and soil acidity therefore constitute a major threat. The authors of this book present the main processes and factors of soil degradation, different ways to prevent it and methods of rehabilitation. The book also deals with the origin and processes of metallic and organic soil pollution as well as methods of phytoremediation and restoration. It is one of the few books to explore the issue of soil artificialization and urban soil management and to highlight how agricultural and urban waste can be used to amend and fertilize cultivated soils.