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Geosciences
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Soil Degradation: Salinization, Compaction, and Erosion
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Soil Degradation: Salinization, Compaction, and Erosion

A special issue of Geosciences (ISSN 2076-3263).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2020) | Viewed by 26745

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Uri Nachshon

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute of Soil, Water and Environmental Sciences, Agricultural Research Organization, the Volcani Research Center, 68 HaMacabim Rd., P.O Box 15159, Rishon Lezion 7528809, Israel
Interests: Soil; Soil degradation; Soil Salinization; Soil erosion; Soil quality; Sustainable agriculture
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Soil is one of the most important and essential resources on the globe; however its importance is somewhat underestimated, especially in political and decision-making circles. The lack of good quality soil risks the supply of food and fibre, of clean fresh water, biodiversity and the overall protection of the ecosystem. It also reduces the potential of soil to act as a sink in the carbon cycle and may remove a central platform for the production of renewable energy sources. Despite its economic and environmental importance, soil is continuously being lost globally due to various degradation processes, with modern agriculture being a main cause of these. This is demonstrated by the fact that more than 50% of agricultural soils are moderately or highly degraded, while less than one third of natural soils are exposed to degradation processes. Soil degradation and loss of soil fertility are mainly a result of loss of soil organic carbon, compaction, salinization and erosion, where the four processes are affecting each other and tightly related to hydrological processes at the unsaturated zone.

Given these considerations, the objective of this Special Issue is to encourage the submission of manuscripts about soil degradation processes, mainly with respect to soil salinization, compaction, and erosion and the interactions between these processes. Special attention will be given to relevant studies in agricultural environments and the examination of methods to reduce soil degradation of cultivated croplands.

The Special Issue will deal with the following major topics, at any scale and including experimental, modeling and field studies:

  • Soil salinization: Solute transport processes; salt precipitation; saline water irrigation; cropland soil salinization.
  • Soil compaction: Measuring methods; physical and hydraulic changes to soil properties following compaction; the impact of soil compaction on the spatial distribution of soil physical and hydraulic properties.
  • Soil erosion: Measuring methods; soil cultivation and soil erosion; natural processes of soil erosion.
  • Interactions between soil salinization, compaction, and erosion.
  • Practical methods for minimizing the risks of soil salinization, compaction and erosion.
  • Impact of soil salinization, compaction, and erosion on plant water and nutrient uptake.

Dr. Uri Nachshon
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short 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.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Geosciences is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Soil Salinization
  • Soil Erosion
  • Soil Compaction
  • Soil Degradation
  • Weathering
  • Solute Transport
  • Soil Fertility
  • Soil Management
  • Croplands

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Editorial

Jump to: Research

5 pages, 8157 KiB  
Editorial
Soil Degradation Processes: It’s Time to Take Our Head Out of the Sand
by Uri Nachshon
Geosciences 2021, 11(1), 2; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences11010002 - 23 Dec 2020
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3099
Abstract
Soil is one of the most important and essential resources on the globe; however, its importance is somewhat underestimated, especially in political and decision-making circles [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Degradation: Salinization, Compaction, and Erosion)
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Research

Jump to: Editorial

18 pages, 4439 KiB  
Article
Gas Permeability of Salt Crusts Formed by Evaporation from Porous Media
by Joseph Piotrowski, Johan Alexander Huisman, Uri Nachshon, Andreas Pohlmeier and Harry Vereecken
Geosciences 2020, 10(11), 423; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences10110423 - 25 Oct 2020
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2524
Abstract
Soil salinization in irrigated croplands is a key factor in soil degradation and directly affects plant growth and soil hydrological processes such as evaporation and infiltration. In order to support the development of appropriate irrigation strategies, it is important to understand the impact [...] Read more.
Soil salinization in irrigated croplands is a key factor in soil degradation and directly affects plant growth and soil hydrological processes such as evaporation and infiltration. In order to support the development of appropriate irrigation strategies, it is important to understand the impact of salt crusts that form during evaporation from saline soils on water flow. The determination of the effective hydraulic properties of salt crusts that control evaporation is still a challenge due to the lack of suitable measurement techniques. In this study, we propose an approach using gas flow to determine the permeability of salt crusts obtained from evaporation of unsaturated saline solutions of three different salt types and investigate the impact of the crust permeability on evaporation. For this, sand columns saturated with initial solutions of sodium chloride (NaCl), magnesium sulfate (MgSO4), and sodium sulfate (Na2SO4) at concentrations corresponding to 33% of the solubility limit were prepared and allowed to evaporate in order to induce crust formation. The results demonstrated that the intrinsic permeability of the dry salt crusts was similar for the different types of salts (≈4 × 10−12 m2), whereas the evaporation of the prepared columns differed significantly. We conclude that the intrinsic crust permeability only partly explains the impact of the crust on evaporation. Other effective crust properties such as porosity or unsaturated hydraulic properties may provide additional information on how evaporation is affected by salt crust formation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Degradation: Salinization, Compaction, and Erosion)
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19 pages, 2667 KiB  
Article
Modeling of Evaporation-Driven Multiple Salt Precipitation in Porous Media with a Real Field Application
by Emna Mejri, Rainer Helmig and Rachida Bouhlila
Geosciences 2020, 10(10), 395; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences10100395 - 4 Oct 2020
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3235
Abstract
Soil and groundwater salinization are very important environmental issues of global concern. They threaten mainly the arid and semiarid regions characterized by dry climate conditions and an increase of irrigation practices. Among these regions, the south of Tunisia is considered, on the one [...] Read more.
Soil and groundwater salinization are very important environmental issues of global concern. They threaten mainly the arid and semiarid regions characterized by dry climate conditions and an increase of irrigation practices. Among these regions, the south of Tunisia is considered, on the one hand, to be a salt-affected zone facing a twofold problem: The scarcity of water resources and the degradation of their quality due to the overexploitation of the aquifers for irrigation needs. On the other hand, this Tunisian landform is the only adequate area for planting date palm trees which provide the country with the first and most important exportation product. In order to maintain the existence of these oases and develop the date production, a good understanding of the salinization problem threatening this region, and the ability to predict its distribution and evolution, should not be underestimated. The work presented in this paper deals with the Oasis of Segdoud in southern Tunisia, with the objective of modeling the evaporation-driven salt precipitation processes at the soil profile scale and under real climatic conditions. The model used is based on the one developed and presented in a previous work. In order to fulfil the real field conditions, a further extension of the geochemical system of the existing model was required. The precipitated salts considered in this work were halite (NaCl), gypsum (CaSO4) and thenardite (Na2SO4). The extended model reproduces very well the same tendencies of the physico-chemical processes of the natural system in terms of the spatio-temporal distribution and evolution of the evaporation and multiple-salt precipitation. It sheds new lights on the simulation of sequences of salt precipitation in arid regions. The simulation results provide an analysis of the influence of salt precipitation on hydrodynamic properties of the porous medium (porosity and permeability). Moreover, the sensitivity analysis done here reveals the influence of the water table level on the evaporation rate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Degradation: Salinization, Compaction, and Erosion)
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15 pages, 5785 KiB  
Article
Wheel Load and Wheel Pass Frequency as Indicators for Soil Compaction Risk: A Four-Year Analysis of Traffic Intensity at Field Scale
by Katja Augustin, Michael Kuhwald, Joachim Brunotte and Rainer Duttmann
Geosciences 2020, 10(8), 292; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences10080292 - 31 Jul 2020
Cited by 28 | Viewed by 4003
Abstract
Avoiding soil compaction is one of the objectives to ensure sustainable agriculture. Subsoil compaction in particular can be irreversible. Frequent passages by (increasingly heavy) agricultural machinery are one trigger for compaction. The aim of this work is to map and analyze the extent [...] Read more.
Avoiding soil compaction is one of the objectives to ensure sustainable agriculture. Subsoil compaction in particular can be irreversible. Frequent passages by (increasingly heavy) agricultural machinery are one trigger for compaction. The aim of this work is to map and analyze the extent of traffic intensity over four years. The analysis is made for complete seasons and individual operations. The traffic intensity is distinguished into areas with more than five wheel passes, more than 5 Mg and 3 Mg wheel load. From 2014 to 2018, 63 work processes on a field were recorded and the wheel load and wheel passes were modeled spatially with FiTraM. Between 82% (winter wheat) and 100% (sugar beet) of the total infield area is trafficked during a season. The sugar beet season has the highest intensities. High intensities of more than five wheel passes and more than 5 Mg wheel load occur mainly during harvests in the headland. At wheel load ≥3 Mg, soil tillage also stresses the headland. In summary, no work process stays below one of the upper thresholds set. Based on the results, the importance of a soil-conserving management becomes obvious in order to secure the soil for agriculture in a sustainable way. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Degradation: Salinization, Compaction, and Erosion)
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24 pages, 7707 KiB  
Article
A Probabilistic Assessment of Soil Erosion Susceptibility in a Head Catchment of the Jemma Basin, Ethiopian Highlands
by Mariaelena Cama, Calogero Schillaci, Jan Kropáček, Volker Hochschild, Alberto Bosino and Michael Märker
Geosciences 2020, 10(7), 248; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences10070248 - 27 Jun 2020
Cited by 31 | Viewed by 3855
Abstract
Soil erosion represents one of the most important global issues with serious effects on agriculture and water quality, especially in developing countries, such as Ethiopia, where rapid population growth and climatic changes affect widely mountainous areas. The Meskay catchment is a head catchment [...] Read more.
Soil erosion represents one of the most important global issues with serious effects on agriculture and water quality, especially in developing countries, such as Ethiopia, where rapid population growth and climatic changes affect widely mountainous areas. The Meskay catchment is a head catchment of the Jemma Basin draining into the Blue Nile (Central Ethiopia) and is characterized by high relief energy. Thus, it is exposed to high degradation dynamics, especially in the lower parts of the catchment. In this study, we aim at the geomorphological assessment of soil erosion susceptibilities. First, a geomorphological map was generated based on remote sensing observations. In particular, we mapped three categories of landforms related to (i) sheet erosion, (ii) gully erosion, and (iii) badlands using a high-resolution digital elevation model (DEM). The map was validated by a detailed field survey. Subsequently, we used the three categories as dependent variables in a probabilistic modelling approach to derive the spatial distribution of the specific process susceptibilities. In this study we applied the maximum entropy model (MaxEnt). The independent variables were derived from a set of spatial attributes describing the lithology, terrain, and land cover based on remote sensing data and DEMs. As a result, we produced three separate susceptibility maps for sheet and gully erosion as well as badlands. The resulting susceptibility maps showed good to excellent prediction performance. Moreover, to explore the mutual overlap of the three susceptibility maps, we generated a combined map as a color composite where each color represents one component of water erosion. The latter map yields useful information for land-use managers and planning purposes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Degradation: Salinization, Compaction, and Erosion)
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13 pages, 1671 KiB  
Article
Short Term Effects of Livestock Manures on Soil Structure Stability, Runoff and Soil Erosion in Semi-Arid Soils under Simulated Rainfall
by Nurit Goldberg, Uri Nachshon, Eli Argaman and Meni Ben-Hur
Geosciences 2020, 10(6), 213; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences10060213 - 2 Jun 2020
Cited by 17 | Viewed by 4095
Abstract
The long term effects of applying livestock manures as soil amendment are well known. However, these manures usually contain high soluble salts content, which could increase the soil salinity and sodicity within a short time after their application. The aim of this study [...] Read more.
The long term effects of applying livestock manures as soil amendment are well known. However, these manures usually contain high soluble salts content, which could increase the soil salinity and sodicity within a short time after their application. The aim of this study was to investigate the short term effects of animal manure application on soil structure stability, infiltration rate (IR), and runoff and soil erosion formation under rainfall conditions. Two soils, a non-calcareous, sandy soil with 0.2% organic matter, and a calcareous, clayey soil with 4.7% organic matter were sampled from a semiarid region. The soils were mixed with raw cattle manure or with compost, and soils with no addition were considered as a control. The two soils with the three treatments were incubated for 21 days, and then subjected to 80 mm of simulated rainstorm. In contradiction to previous works, it was found that the manure reduced soil structure stability, reduced infiltration, increased surface runoff and led to soil loss. The negative impact of the raw manure on soil structure was stronger than that of the mature compost. The findings of this study indicate the high sensitivity of arable soils to erosion processes during the first few weeks following the addition of manure to the soil, and therefore could contribute to the decision-making process of the timing of manure application, namely to make sure that the manure is applied well before the rainy season, in order to avoid the aforementioned soil erosion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Degradation: Salinization, Compaction, and Erosion)
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22 pages, 8422 KiB  
Article
Mapping Spatio-Temporal Soil Erosion Patterns in the Candelaro River Basin, Italy, Using the G2 Model with Sentinel2 Imagery
by Christos Karydas, Ouiza Bouarour and Pandi Zdruli
Geosciences 2020, 10(3), 89; https://doi.org/10.3390/geosciences10030089 - 27 Feb 2020
Cited by 16 | Viewed by 4371
Abstract
This study aims at mapping soil erosion caused by water in the Candelaro river basin, Apulia region, Italy, using the G2 erosion model. The G2 model can provide erosion maps and statistical figures at month-time intervals, by applying non data-demanding alternatives for the [...] Read more.
This study aims at mapping soil erosion caused by water in the Candelaro river basin, Apulia region, Italy, using the G2 erosion model. The G2 model can provide erosion maps and statistical figures at month-time intervals, by applying non data-demanding alternatives for the estimation of all the erosion factors. In the current research, G2 is taking a step further with the introduction of Sentinel2 satellite images for mapping vegetation retention factor on a fine scale; Sentinel2 is a ready-to-use, image product of high quality, freely available by the European Space Agency. Although only three recent cloud-free Sentinel2 images covering Candelaro were found in the archive, new solutions were elaborated to overcome time-gaps. The study in Candelaro resulted in a mean annual erosion rate of 0.87 t ha−1 y−1, while the autumn months were indicated to be the most erosive ones, with average erosion rates reaching a maximum of 0.12 t ha−1 in September. The mixed agricultural-natural patterns revealed to be the riskiest surfaces for most months of the year, while arable land was the most extensive erosive land cover category. The erosion maps will allow competent authorities to support relevant mitigation measures. Furthermore, the study in Candelaro can play the role of a pilot study for the whole Apulia region, where erosion studies are rather limited. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil Degradation: Salinization, Compaction, and Erosion)
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