Innovative Approaches for Soil Remediation, Carbon Sequestration, and Remote Sensing in Degraded Areas

Soil degradation is a critical environmental challenge affecting ecosystem health, agricultural productivity, and climate resilience. This book explores how nature-based solutions (NbSs) can be effectively applied to restore degraded soils (mining soils, agricultural soils, brownfields soils, wildfire-affected soils, etc.) and transform them into healthy and functional soils and sustainable carbon sinks. Through a multidisciplinary perspective, it delves into the use of biochar, compost, hydrochar, phytoremediation, and inorganic by-products, among other materials, for soil remediation. This book also addresses the monitoring and mapping of degraded areas using remote sensing and geospatial technologies, offering tools for evaluating restoration efforts over time. Combining scientific evidence with practical case studies, this volume provides a comprehensive guide for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers working toward land restoration and climate mitigation.  

Call for Chapters

We warmly invite contributions to a forthcoming open access book focused on the use of nature-based solutions (NbSs) to restore degraded soils and promote sustainable carbon sinks. It will address scientific, technical, and policy-related perspectives, and is aimed at researchers, professionals, and practitioners in environmental science, soil restoration, and sustainability.

 

Proposed Structure and Chapter Overview:

 

The volume will consist of 12–15 chapters, grouped into three thematic sections, as follows:

Section I – Foundations and Frameworks

Chapters 1–3

• Chapter 1: Introduction to Soil Degradation and Global Restoration Needs;
• Chapter 2: Nature-Based Solutions: Concepts, Benefits, and Challenges;
• Chapter 3: Soils as Carbon Sinks: Science and Opportunities for Climate Mitigation.

Author profile: Research experts in soil science, sustainability, and climate.

Section II – Soil Remediation and Enhancement Strategies

Chapters 4–11

• Chapter 4: Biochar Applications in Soil Restoration;
• Chapter 5: Compost Applications in Soil Restoration;
• Chapter 6: Hydrochar Applications in Soil Restoration;
• Chapter 7: Other Organic Amendments in Soil Restoration;
• Chapter 8: Phytoremediation: Plant-Based Approaches for Soil Recovery;
• Chapter 9: Inorganic Subproducts in Soil Remediation;
• Chapter 10: Integrated Soil Amendment Strategies in Field Applications;
• Chapter 11: Case Studies: Soil Restoration Projects in Different Bioclimatic Zones.

Author profile: Soil scientists, environmental engineers, agronomists, and restoration ecologists with field-based experience or experimental research.

Section III – Monitoring, Mapping, and Evaluation

Chapters 12–15

• Chapter 12: Remote Sensing Techniques for Mapping Degraded Lands;
• Chapter 13: Monitoring Soil Health with Satellite and UAV Data;
• Chapter 14: Indicators and Models from Remote Sensing for Restoration Evaluation;
• Chapter 15: Toward Smart Restoration: AI, Big Data, and Predictive Tools.

Author profile: Experts in remote sensing, GIS, environmental monitoring, and data science applied to land systems.

 

Timeline:

• Abstract Submission: 1 December 2025
• Full Chapter Submission: 1 February 2026
• Peer Review & Processing: Q2/Q3 2026
• Publication: Q3 2026

To express interest or request more details, please contact us or submit your abstract/chapter via our submission system: MDPI Books | Submission - Login.