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World’s Soil Resources

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Research needs<br />

It will be evident from the discussion in this section that much remains to be learned. Amongst the priority<br />

research questions are the following:<br />

1. Sustainable intensification – How can we get the benefits from intensification while minimizing the<br />

associated environmental and social costs?<br />

2. Trade-offs between soils and efficiency – How can we manage for resilient soil and related ecosystem<br />

services while continuing to maximize efficiency? To what extent can we have both?<br />

3. <strong>Soil</strong> degradation and intensification – What is the extent of degraded soils? There are currently no sound<br />

estimates. What portion of degraded soils can be attributed to un-sustainable intensification?<br />

4. Options and trade-offs for improved soil management – What can we learn from management practices<br />

used in intensification areas to help restore degraded soils? Are there any options that can integrate<br />

best management practice for sustainable intensification? What are the short – and long-term tradeoffs<br />

of resource use and sustainability? What are the environmental and social costs and economic<br />

benefits of land use intensification?<br />

5. Farming practices and soil health – How do changes in harvest frequency and crop rotation affect soil<br />

resilience? How much change is needed to restore degraded soils?<br />

Land<br />

intensification<br />

Sector Distribution Major<br />

environmental<br />

consequence<br />

Knowledge gap<br />

Cropping<br />

intensification<br />

Harvest<br />

frequency<br />

Globally<br />

<strong>Soil</strong> quality and<br />

resilience<br />

Ecosystem service<br />

Continuing<br />

monoculture<br />

Developing<br />

and transition<br />

countries<br />

<strong>Soil</strong> health,<br />

pesticide residue<br />

Biological resilience<br />

Nutrient<br />

intensification<br />

Over fertilization<br />

Developing<br />

countries<br />

<strong>Soil</strong> acidification,<br />

water pollution,<br />

N 2<br />

O emission<br />

and nitrate<br />

accumulation<br />

Rate reducing versus<br />

balancing?<br />

Irrigation Submerged Rice Developing<br />

countries, Asia<br />

Water scarcity,<br />

methane<br />

emission<br />

Trade-offs C and water,<br />

Dry crops<br />

Arid/semi-arid<br />

regions<br />

Secondary<br />

salinization,<br />

water scarcity<br />

Competition for water<br />

Livestock<br />

intensification<br />

Over grazing<br />

Developing<br />

countries<br />

<strong>Soil</strong> degradation,<br />

water storage,<br />

C loss<br />

Forage versus feed crops?<br />

Industrial<br />

breeding<br />

Industrialized<br />

countries<br />

Waste, water<br />

pollution, residue<br />

of veterinary<br />

medicine and<br />

antibiotics<br />

Safe waste treatment<br />

and recycling<br />

Forest clearance,<br />

wetlands<br />

drainage<br />

Deforestation.<br />

wetland shrink<br />

Developing<br />

and transition<br />

countries<br />

Biodiversity,<br />

natural wealth,<br />

C loss<br />

Agro-benefit versus<br />

natural value<br />

Table 4.2 Threats to soil resource quality and functioning under agricultural intensification<br />

Status of the <strong>World’s</strong> <strong>Soil</strong> <strong>Resources</strong> | Main Report <strong>Soil</strong>s and Humans<br />

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