Scholarly record
SOIL DEGRADATION AND POSSIBLE MITIGATION MEASURES IN LATVIA
Abstract
Soil degradation, characterized by decline in quality, decreases ecosystem goods and services, and is a major constraint for further agricultural, including food, production. In addition, soil degradation caused by human activities, especially agriculture, contributes to climate change. The need to ensure a sustainable use of soils is outlined by the European Union (EU) Soil Thematic Strategy, as well as related legislation. This requires the prevention to further soil degradation and the preservation of its functions, as well as the restoration of degraded soils. The degradation processes and mechanisms of soil are various and include physical, chemical, biological and ecological types. The aim of research presented in the paper is twofold: 1) to evaluate the current state and trends of agricultural soil degradation in Latvia; 2) to provide some soil degradation mitigation or restoration measures, which could be more suitable for Latvia. Besides, support measures (i.e., sub-measures) and subsidies of the Rural Development Programme (RDP) 2014-2020, which more or less promote the soil restoration, are evaluated.
Publication Impact Profile
Publication details
References15
FAO, Voluntary Guidelines for Sustainable Soil Management. Rome: FAO. 26 p., 2017.
Bai, Z., Caspari, T., Gonzalez, M. R., Batjes, N. H., Mader, P. et al., Effects of agricultural management practices on soil quality: A review of long-term experiments for Europe and China. Agriculture, ecosystems & environment, vol. 265, pp. 1-7, 2018
Keesstra, S., Mol, G., de Leeuw, J., Okx, J., de Cleen, M. et al., Soil-related sustainable development goals: Four concepts to make land degradation neutrality and restoration work. Land, vol. 7(4), 133, 2018
EC, Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection. Communication from the Commission to the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. COM/2006/0231 final. https://eur-lex.europa.eu
Melece, L., Shena, I., Farm size and farming method's impact on ecosystem services: Latvia’s case. International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference Surveying Geology and Mining Ecology Management, vol. 18(5.1), pp. 393- 400, 2018.
Lal, R., Restoring soil quality to mitigate soil degradation. Sustainability, vol. 7(5), pp. 5875-5895, 2015.
European Environment Agency (EEA). https://www.eea.europa.eu/
Chen, S., Wang, W., Xu, W., Wang, Y., Wan, H. et al., Plant diversity enhances productivity and soil carbon storage. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 115(16), pp. 4027-4032, 2015.
Panagos, P., Borrelli, P., Poesen, J., Ballabio, C., Lugato, E. et al., The new assessment of soil loss by water erosion in Europe. Environmental science & policy, vol. 54, pp. 438-447, 2015.
Van-Camp. L., Bujarrabal, B., Gentile, A-R., Jones, R.J.A., Montanarella, L. et al., Reports of the Technical Working Groups Established under the Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection. Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 872 p., 2004.
Schjonning, P., Heckrath, G., Christensen, B. T., Threats to soil quality in Denmark-A review of existing knowledge in the context of the EU Soil Thematic Strategy. Aarhus, DK: Aarhus University, 121 p., 2009.
Panagos, P., Borrelli, P., Poesen, J., Soil loss due to crop harvesting in the European Union: A first estimation of an underrated geomorphic process. Science of the Total Environment, vol. 664, pp. 487-498, 2019.
Lilly, A., Baggaley, N. J., Loades, K. W., McKenzie, B. M., Troldborg, M., Soil erosion and compaction in Scottish soils: adapting to a changing climate. 2018. https://www.climatexchange.org.uk/
EC. Environment. http://ec.europa.eu/environment
European Soil Data Centre (ESDAC). https://esdac.jrc.ec.europa.eu
View or Download full articleAccess options
SWS access login
Login as SWS Scientific CommitteeLogin as SWS Scientific PartnerLogin as SWS AuthorAuthors and approved SWS contributors will read and export their own linked papers after identity matching by SWS profile, email and SGEM GlobalID.
For librarian assistance: [email protected]
Purchase Instant Access
- Article can be downloaded after successful payment.
- Article may be used according to SWS library access terms.
- Article cannot be redistributed.
