Special Issue "Soil Erosion: A Major Threat to Food Production and the Environment"

Guest Editor
Prof. Dr. David Pimentel
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
E-Mail: dp18@cornell.edu
Phone: +1 607 255 2212
Fax: +1 607 255 0939
Interests: basic population ecology; genetics; ecological and economic aspects of pest control; biological control; energy use and conservation; genetic engineering; sustainable agriculture; soil and water conservation; natural resource management and environment

Dear Colleagues,

Soil erosion and degradation is one of the most serious environmental and public health problems facing human society today. Humans obtain more than 99.7% of their food from the land and less than 0.3% from the oceans and other aquatic ecosystems. Each year about 10 million ha of cropland are lost due to soil degradation, thus significantly reducing the cropland available for food production. The loss of cropland is a serious problem because the World Health Organization and the Food and Agricultural Organization jointly report more than 66% of the people are malnourished in the world. The United Nations reports that malnutrition is the number 1 cause of deaths in the world. Overall soil is being lost from land areas 10 to 40 times faster than the rate of soil renewal imperiling future human food security and the environment.

Prof. Dr. David Pimentel
Guest Editor

Submission

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. Papers will be published continuously (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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• soil
• water
• wind
• environment
• erosion
• food
• nutrients

Type of Paper: Review
Title: The Potential Impact of Climate Change on Soil Properties and Processes and Corresponding Influence on Food Security
Author: Eric C. Brevik
Abstract: According to the IPCC global temperatures are expected to increase 1.1 to 6.4 °C during the 21st century and precipitation patterns will be altered. Soils are intricately linked to the atmospheric/climate system through the carbon, nitrogen, and hydrologic cycles. Altered climate will have an effect on soil processes and properties. Recent studies indicate at least some soils may become net sources of atmospheric carbon, lowering soil organic matter levels. Soil erosion by wind and water is also likely to increase. However, there are many things we need to know more about. How climate change will affect the nitrogen cycle and, in turn, how that will affect carbon sequestration in soils is a major research need, as is a better understanding of soil water-CO₂ level-temperature relationships. The response of plants to elevated atmospheric CO₂ given limitations in nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus is another critical research need. All of these processes influence a soil’s ability to support crop growth, which has significant ramifications for food security. Therefore, further study of soil-climate interactions in a changing world is critical to addressing future food security concerns.
Keywords: climate change; food security; soil properties; soil processes; soil health/quality

Type of Paper: Article
Title: Alternative Land Use Strategies and their Impact on Soil Conservation
Author: Tiziano Gomiero
Affiliation: ICTA Universitat Autonoma Barcelona, Campus of Bellaterra,Cerdanyola del Valles 08193, Spain
Abstract: Soil conservation is threatened by a number of factors: (1)  the increasing pressure for food production linked to the increasing human population and the consumption patterns in developed and  emerging economies, (2) the land use change due to the increasing rate of urbanization all over the world, (3) the conversion of agriculture from the production of commodities to the production of biofuels. The extent of human pressure and the effects of conflicting land use systems urge to be addressed. Awareness need to be raised on the perils we are going to face, namely to lose our living support system. Alternative, and conservative, agricultural practices need to be explored  and widely adopted in order to preserve soil fertility.
Keywords: soil conservation; biofuel; organic farming; low-input farming; demographic growth; land use change