World’s Soil Resources

Threat
to soil
function
Soil erosion
Organic
carbon
change
Salinisation
and
sodification
Nutrient
imbalance
Contamination
Summary
Serious water erosion occurs
in regions with dry and wet
seasons covering South Asia
to East Asia, particularly in
the hilly and mountainous
landscapes. However, it is
of little concern for wellestablished
forests and
paddy fields.
Wind erosion is
concentrated mainly in the
most western and northern
arid and semi-arid regions
of Afghanistan, Pakistan,
India, and China.
Increase in crop yield retains
soil organic carbon (SOC)
in croplands of East and
Southeast Asia. Whereas,
SOC is decreasing in South
Asia, because crop residues
are widely used as fuel and
fodder, and not returned to
the soil.
The degradation of
grassland has caused great
losses of SOC stock.
The threat of salinisation/
sodification in the Asia
region is widespread but
variable. In semiarid and
arid zones of central Asia,
salt-affected soils are widely
distributed. On the other
hand, salt- affected soils
are developed in certain
coastal areas in monsoon
zones, mainly by salt water
intrusion in South and
Southeast Asia.
Negative soil nutrients
balances have been
reported for N, P, K and
micronutrients in many…”
South Asian countries.
Whereas, large excess of
nutrients, in particular
N, causes serious
environmental problems in
other countries.
Rapid urbanization,
industrialization, and
intensive farming causes
contamination of heavy
metals (Cd, Ni, As, Pb,
Zn, etc.) and pesticides in
various parts of Asia, which,
in turn, poses a serious risk
to human health.
Condition and Trend
Confidence
Very poor Poor Fair Good Very good In condition In trend
Status of the World’s Soil Resources | Main Report Regional Assessment of Soil Changes
317
in Asia