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Land
Special Issues
Soil and Water Conservation on Degraded Land
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Soil and Water Conservation on Degraded Land

A special issue of Land (ISSN 2073-445X). This special issue belongs to the section "Soil-Sediment-Water Systems".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 October 2023) | Viewed by 8838

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Lilian Niacșu

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Guest Editor
Department of Geography, Faculty of Geography and Geology, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Carol I, 11, 700506 Iasi, Romania
Interests: geomorphology; pedology; land use; land degradation; soil erosion; gully erosion; soil conservation measures; GIS
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Prof. Dr. Daniel Bucur

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Guest Editor
Department of Pedotechnics, Faculty of Agriculture, “Ion Ionescu de la Brad” Iasi University of Life Sciences (IULS), 3 Aleea Mihail Sadoveanu, 700490 Iasi, Romania
Interests: land planning; water exces removal; irrigation; soil erosion control; soil fertility; environment protection
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

At a global level, land degradation can be seen as a sensitive proxy for human impact, triggering gradual soil degradation or extreme soil erosion events and forming an important source of sediments, thereby forcing the decrease in fertility or even premature abandonment of land. Nevertheless, land degradation is an important sign of climate change, rendering extended slopes unfit for agriculture all over the world. Even though the driving forces of land degradation are extremely diverse, belonging to both natural (ecological) and anthropic (social, economic, technical) environments, land-use changes and unsustainable land management are generally recognized as the most influential causes.

In the context of continuous environmental changes, emphasized by the current social and geo-political crises, the need to preserve land resources in order to ensure food security for mankind is an ever-growing priority.

In order to successfully address this issue, we consider it appropriate and necessary for specialists (scientists and practitioners) in the natural sciences, agricultural engineering, agricultural economy and policy fields to work together and express their up-to-date perspectives on Soil and Water Conservation on Degraded Land.

This Special Issue topic takes into account original proposals in research themes including, but not limited to:

  • Impact of pedo-geomorphological hazards on land degradation (soil erosion, gully erosion, landslides, siltation, etc.);
  • Land degradation and hydro-climatic hazards (flood, drought, desertification, etc.);
  • Human impact on land degradation (deforestation, intensive agriculture, pollution, urban expansion, etc.);
  • Impact of land-use pattern and changes on land degradation;
  • Natural and anthropic risks associated to land degradation (fertility decline, land abandonment, reducing the quality of the environment and life, poverty, etc.);
  • Effective (economic) costs of land degradation;
  • Implementing soil and water conservation measures;
  • Costs and benefits of land restoration;
  • Environmental impact of implementing conservation measures;
  • Sustainable management plans and policies;
  • Investigating how our environment can be managed sustainably in the future, from both local and global perspectives;
  • GIS/RS modern techniques applied to sustainable land management.

Dr. Lilian Niacșu
Prof. Dr. Daniel Bucur
Guest Editors

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. Land 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 2600 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

  • land degradation
  • land-use pattern and changes
  • environmental changes
  • soil and water conservation measures
  • sustainable land use
  • GIS

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 2653 KiB  
Article
Restoration of Grassland Improves Soil Infiltration Capacity in Water-Wind Erosion Crisscross Region of China’s Loess Plateau
by Xiuzi Ren, Xiaohong Chai, Yuanyuan Qu, Yuanhui Xu, Farhat Ullah Khan, Junfeng Wang, Palixiati Geming, Weiwei Wang, Qi Zhang, Qinxuan Wu, Xuexuan Xu and Feng Du
Land 2023, 12(8), 1485; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12081485 - 27 Jul 2023
Viewed by 972
Abstract
Soil water infiltration is a key mechanism for meeting plant water demand and groundwater recharge cycles; however, unreasonable land use practices cause reduced infiltration capacity and greater soil erosion. To date, differences in the properties of aeolian sandy soil and Pisha sandstone soil [...] Read more.
Soil water infiltration is a key mechanism for meeting plant water demand and groundwater recharge cycles; however, unreasonable land use practices cause reduced infiltration capacity and greater soil erosion. To date, differences in the properties of aeolian sandy soil and Pisha sandstone soil under different utilization methods as well as in soil properties, aggregates, and infiltration among kind of soil types, remain poorly understood. In this work, 54 soil samples of cropland and grassland were selected to identify the unique characteristics of soil infiltration processes under transition from cropland to grassland and contributions of soil properties to soil infiltrability in the Loess Plateau of China. The results showed that converting cropland to grassland could enhance the stable infiltration capacity of shallow soils of aeolian sandy soil and loess soil by 43.6% and 35.7%, respectively. Compared with cropland, the root properties and soil aggregate formation of the three soil types increased during grassland use, with the largest increase in soil organic matter content (32.14%) and total porosities (6.4%). As determined by the ring knife method, the saturated infiltration capacity of Pisha sandstone soil was significantly lower than in aeolian sandy soil and loess soil (p < 0.5). Moreover, its saturated infiltration capacity of cropland was better than grassland. Spearman’s correlation analysis and structural equation modeling (SEM) revealed that soil infiltration capacity appeared to be the most influenced by soil organic matter, and aggregate structure. These results highlight that fifteen years of returning cropland to grassland is not enough to affect the infiltration ability of deep soil (≥20 cm), and this improvement requires longer term maintenance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil and Water Conservation on Degraded Land)
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20 pages, 28660 KiB  
Article
Gully Head-Cuts Inventory and Semi-Automatic Gully Extraction Using LiDAR and Topographic Openness—Case Study: Covurlui Plateau, Eastern Romania
by Ionut-Costel Codru, Lilian Niacsu, Andrei Enea and Latifa Bou-imajjane
Land 2023, 12(6), 1199; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12061199 - 08 Jun 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1068
Abstract
The Covurlui Plateau, a subunit of the Moldavian Plateau located in eastern Romania, possesses a high natural agricultural potential, significantly impacted by soil erosion, particularly gully erosion. The only inventory in the Moldavian Plateau that comprises approximately 9000 gullies extracted from topographical maps [...] Read more.
The Covurlui Plateau, a subunit of the Moldavian Plateau located in eastern Romania, possesses a high natural agricultural potential, significantly impacted by soil erosion, particularly gully erosion. The only inventory in the Moldavian Plateau that comprises approximately 9000 gullies extracted from topographical maps was conducted during the 90s. Nowadays, with the advent of advanced techniques and geodata, such as GIS software, aerial photograms, high-resolution satellite images, and high-resolution digital elevation models, we aim to achieve an (1) up-to-date comprehensive inventory of gully head-cuts and (2) a very detailed mapping of the spatial distribution of gullied lands. Firstly, the gully head-cuts were inventoried for the entire region using platforms such as Google, Esri, and Bing, through the QuickMapService plugin within QGIS 3.16 software, with the assistance of Landsat and Sentinel satellite images. Secondly, the automatic mapping of gullies was carried out using a 5 m high-resolution Digital Elevation Model and the Topographic Openness module offered by SAGA GIS software through QGIS software. As a result, we identified 5868 gully head-cuts for the Covurlui Plateau, with an average density of 2.57 gully head-cuts per square kilometer. Additionally, the identified gullies occupy over 3570 hectares, representing 1.57% of the total area. Overall, the topographic openness index proves to be an efficient tool for the semi-automatic extraction of gullies from high-resolution digital elevation models. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil and Water Conservation on Degraded Land)
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20 pages, 3856 KiB  
Article
Effects of Waste Application (Carboniferous Rock and Post-Fermentation Sludge) on Soil Quality
by Jacek Pranagal, Sławomir Ligęza, Halina Smal and Joanna Gmitrowicz-Iwan
Land 2023, 12(2), 488; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12020488 - 16 Feb 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1712
Abstract
This paper shows the changes in soil properties in the fourth year after the application of two kinds of environmentally burdensome wastes. One of the wastes was mineral—carboniferous rock from a coal mine, and the other one was organic—post-fermentation sludge from an agricultural [...] Read more.
This paper shows the changes in soil properties in the fourth year after the application of two kinds of environmentally burdensome wastes. One of the wastes was mineral—carboniferous rock from a coal mine, and the other one was organic—post-fermentation sludge from an agricultural biogas plant. The wastes were applied once to a soil of poor quality—a Podzol. The hypothesis to be verified was that one-time application of waste carboniferous rock and/or post-fermentation sludge to a soil has a beneficial effect on the physical status of the soil, and the changes in the soil properties have a permanent character. Also, based on the experiment results, we suggested how these types of waste should be applied to soil. For that purpose, an assessment was performed of the durability, range, and character of changes in soil properties, inter alia: soil texture (PSD), total organic carbon content (TOC), particle density (PD), bulk density (BD), total porosity (TP), air capacity (FAC), air permeability (FAP), sampling moisture (SM), field water capacity (FC), available water (AWC), unavailable water (UWC), and hydraulic conductivity (Ks). Some soil properties have been improved by the use of post-fermentation sludge and the combined application of the two wastes. These were the following soil properties: PSD, TOC, BD, TP, and SM. However, changes to the soil air-water properties (FAC, FAP, FC, AWC, UWC, and Ks) were unfavorable. The effect of the waste’s application was permanent, as differences in soil properties were still visible in the fourth year after their addition. The observations made in the course of the experiment indicate that natural utilization of wastes requires a lot of consideration and should be focused on keeping the balance in the relations between the environmental functions of the soil. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil and Water Conservation on Degraded Land)
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12 pages, 7459 KiB  
Article
Measuring Rainfall Kinetic Power in Two Sicilian Experimental Areas by Drop-Size Distribution Data
by Francesco Giuseppe Carollo, Alessio Nicosia, Vincenzo Palmeri, Vincenzo Pampalone, Maria Angela Serio and Vito Ferro
Land 2023, 12(2), 418; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12020418 - 05 Feb 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1343
Abstract
The rainfall kinetic energy, which affects soil erosion processes, can be calculated by the drop-size distribution (DSD) and falling velocity. This study presents the outcomes derived by the DSDs recorded with the same optical disdrometer in two experimental areas, located in Sicily (southern [...] Read more.
The rainfall kinetic energy, which affects soil erosion processes, can be calculated by the drop-size distribution (DSD) and falling velocity. This study presents the outcomes derived by the DSDs recorded with the same optical disdrometer in two experimental areas, located in Sicily (southern Italy). Specifically, the DSDs were recorded from March 2017 to December 2019 at Sparacia and from June 2006 to April 2014 at Palermo. The aims of this paper are both to compare the DSDs for the two sites and to evaluate the applicability of Gamma theoretical distribution. Moreover, the relations of rainfall kinetic power vs. rainfall intensity are assessed. Differences in DSDs, especially for rainfall intensity I lower than 100 mm h−1, are detected, while they are less evident for the highest I values. The kinetic power per unit volume of rainfall varies between the two sites and can be considered roughly coincident only for I higher than 100 mm h−1. The observed kinetic power-rainfall intensity relations are not well described by the equations by Wischmeier and Smith and Brown and Foster. Finally, the reliability of a theoretical relationship for estimating the kinetic power by I and the median volume diameter D0 is positively tested for the Palermo dataset, while it is found to be reliable only for D0 greater than 0.17 cm for the Sparacia dataset. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil and Water Conservation on Degraded Land)
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12 pages, 2669 KiB  
Article
Kastoria and Mikri Prespa Lakes: The Impact of Anthropogenic Activities on the Differentiation in the Genotoxic and Toxic Profile of the Surface Water
by Ioanna Efthimiou, Dimitris Vlastos, Vassilios Triantafyllidis and Maria Antonopoulou
Land 2023, 12(1), 119; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12010119 - 30 Dec 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1368
Abstract
Urban–industrial and agricultural waste can add significant amounts of pollutants to surface water. Therefore, the surface water from Mikri Prespa and Kastoria lakes was assessed for its toxic, genotoxic, and cytotoxic effects. Water samples were collected during the spring of two different years [...] Read more.
Urban–industrial and agricultural waste can add significant amounts of pollutants to surface water. Therefore, the surface water from Mikri Prespa and Kastoria lakes was assessed for its toxic, genotoxic, and cytotoxic effects. Water samples were collected during the spring of two different years (S1 and S2) in order to investigate the anthropogenic effects on both lakes. Physicochemical parameters were identified, while significant elements were determined via ICP-MS/MS. The in vitro cytokinesis-block micronucleus (CBMN) assay in cultured human lymphocytes and the Aliivibrio fischeri bioassay were applied to evaluate the genotoxic–cytotoxic and toxic effects, respectively. In the CBMN assay, significant differences were observed in genotoxic and cytotoxic indices between the different time periods. Decreased indices in S2 could be correlated with a potential diminution in the negative human effect on the environment along the lakes. In the Aliivibrio fischeri bioassay, no significant difference in the toxicity of the surface water samples from Mikri Prespa was observed, whereas significant differences were identified in the samples from Lake Kastoria. The differences in toxic, genotoxic, and cytotoxic effects reveal the impact and the influence of anthropogenic activities in the areas of land around the lakes in relation to their surface water quality. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil and Water Conservation on Degraded Land)
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17 pages, 4003 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Cultivated Land Quality in Semiarid Sandy Areas: A Case Study of the Horqin Zuoyihou Banner
by Jie Liang, Huihui Zheng, Zhaoyang Cai, Yimin Zhou and Yan Xu
Land 2022, 11(9), 1457; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11091457 - 02 Sep 2022
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1482
Abstract
Objective: The evaluation of cultivated land quality from the regional perspective and the clear level and change in cultivated land quality in the whole region can better guide the construction of cultivated land quality, carry out scientific optimization allocation, improve grain production capacity, [...] Read more.
Objective: The evaluation of cultivated land quality from the regional perspective and the clear level and change in cultivated land quality in the whole region can better guide the construction of cultivated land quality, carry out scientific optimization allocation, improve grain production capacity, and promote the sustainable use of cultivated land. Research methods: The utilization of local resources and natural conditions were comprehensively considered, and the evaluation was carried out from the four dimensions of ecology, quantity, spatial structure and scale to comprehensively reflect the level of regional cultivated land utilization. Results: (1) The cultivated land quality level of the Horqin Zuoyihou Banner is low, and the pressure of regional water resources is great. Some cultivated land is located in the area with poor natural conditions, and there are many thin and narrow cultivated areas of land. The area of cultivated land that can be carried by regional water resources under current irrigation is 184,492.17 hm2, and that under water-saving irrigation is 259,703.72 hm2, which are lower than the current cultivated land areas. (2) During the study period, the total amount and spatial distribution of cultivated land changed greatly, and there were good natural conditions and utilization conditions of newly added cultivated land, but the quality of cultivated land from the regional perspective showed a downward trend. The dynamic attitude of cultivated land change was 0.99%. (3) According to the evaluation results, the cultivated land was divided into the following four categories: priority protection type, optimization and coordination type, gradual conversion type and priority conversion type, which accounted for 34.18%, 30.59%, 28.83% and 6.40% of the total cultivated land area, respectively. Conclusions: There is a sharp contradiction between the supply and demand of water resources, and the quality of cultivated land in the region is low and shows a downward trend, which is not conducive to the sustainable use of regional land resources. In this regard, the Horqin Zuoyihou Banner should actively curb the growth of cultivated land, develop water-saving irrigation processes, strengthen ecological environment protection, and systematically optimize the layout of cultivated land on the premise of ensuring ecological security according to the actual conditions of different regions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Soil and Water Conservation on Degraded Land)
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