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CC BY V4.0, Open Access
Journal article
Rethinking Global Soil Degradation: Drivers, Impacts, and Solutions
Reviews of geophysics, Vol.63(4), e2025RG000883
2025
Abstract
The increasing threat of soil degradation presents significant challenges to soil health, especially within agroecosystems that are vital for food security, climate regulation, and economic stability. This growing concern arises from intricate interactions between land use practices and climatic conditions, which, if not addressed, could jeopardize sustainable development and environmental resilience. This review offers a comprehensive examination of soil degradation, including its definitions, global prevalence, underlying mechanisms, and methods of measurement. It underscores the connections between soil degradation and land use, with a focus on socio-economic consequences. Current assessment methods frequently depend on insufficient data, concentrate on singular factors, and utilize arbitrary thresholds, potentially resulting in misclassification and misguided decisions. We analyze these shortcomings and investigate emerging methodologies that provide scalable and objective evaluations, offering a more accurate representation of soil vulnerability. Additionally, the review assesses both physical and biological indicators, as well as the potential of technologies such as remote sensing, artificial intelligence, and big data analytics for enhanced monitoring and forecasting. Key factors driving soil degradation, including unsustainable agricultural practices, deforestation, industrial activities, and extreme climate events, are thoroughly examined. The review emphasizes the importance of healthy soils in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly concerning food and water security, ecosystem health, poverty alleviation, and climate action. It suggests future research directions that prioritize standardized metrics, interdisciplinary collaboration, and predictive modeling to facilitate more integrated and effective management of soil degradation in the context of global environmental changes.
Details
- Title
- Rethinking Global Soil Degradation: Drivers, Impacts, and Solutions
- Authors/Creators
- Nima ShokriDavid A. Robinson - UK Centre for Ecology & HydrologyMehdi AfsharChristine AlewellMilad AminzadehEmmanuel ArthurNils BroothaertsGrant A. CampbellLina EklundSurya GuptaRichard Harper - Murdoch University, School of Agricultural SciencesAmirhossein HassaniCathy HoheneggerThomas KellerMaximilian KienerInma Lebron - UK Centre for Ecology & HydrologyKaveh MadaniTshilidzi MarwalaFrancis MatthewsPer MoldrupAttila NemesPanos PanagosRemus PrăvălieMatthias C. Rillig - Freie Universität BerlinPhilipp SaggauSalome M. S. Shokri-KuehniPete SmithAmy ThomasLis Wollesen de JongeDani Or
- Publication Details
- Reviews of geophysics, Vol.63(4), e2025RG000883
- Publisher
- John Wiley & Sons, Inc.; WASHINGTON
- Number of pages
- 103
- Identifiers
- 991005838966207891
- Copyright
- © 2025. The Author(s).
- Murdoch Affiliation
- Centre for Crop and Food Innovation; School of Agricultural Sciences
- Resource Type
- Journal article
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