Monitor soil degradation or triage for soil security? An Australian challenge

Koch, Andrea, Chappell, Adrian ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0694-7348, Eyres, Michael and Scott, Edward 2015. Monitor soil degradation or triage for soil security? An Australian challenge. Sustainability 7 (5) , pp. 4870-4892. 10.3390/su7054870

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Abstract

The Australian National Soil Research, Development and Extension Strategy identifies soil security as a foundation for the current and future productivity and profitability of Australian agriculture. Current agricultural production is attenuated by soil degradation. Future production is highly dependent on the condition of Australian soils. Soil degradation in Australia is dominated in its areal extent by soil erosion. We reiterate the use of soil erosion as a reliable indicator of soil condition/quality and a practical measure of soil degradation. We describe three key phases of soil degradation since European settlement, and show a clear link between inappropriate agricultural practices and the resultant soil degradation. We demonstrate that modern agricultural practices have had a marked effect on reducing erosion. Current advances in agricultural soil management could lead to further stabilization and slowing of soil degradation in addition to improving productivity. However, policy complacency towards soil degradation, combined with future climate projections of increased rainfall intensity but decreased volumes, warmer temperatures and increased time in drought may once again accelerate soil degradation and susceptibility to erosion and thus limit the ability of agriculture to advance without further improving soil management practices. Monitoring soil degradation may indicate land degradation, but we contend that monitoring will not lead to soil security. We propose the adoption of a triaging approach to soil degradation using the soil security framework, to prioritise treatment plans that engage science and agriculture to develop practices that simultaneously increase productivity and improve soil condition. This will provide a public policy platform for efficient allocation of public and private resources to secure Australia’s soil resource.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Earth and Environmental Sciences
Publisher:	MDPI
ISSN:	2071-1050
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	6 December 2018
Date of Acceptance:	9 April 2015
Last Modified:	06 May 2023 21:56
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/116349

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