In view of the grave consequences of soil degradation on ecosystem functions, food security, biodiversity and human health, this book covers the extent, causes, processes and impacts of global soil degradation, and processes for improvement of degraded soils. Soil conservation measures, including soil amendments, decompaction, mulching, cover cropping, crop rotation, green manuring, contour farming, strip cropping, alley cropping, surface roughening, windbreaks, terracing, sloping agricultural land technology (SALT), dune stabilization, etc., are discussed. Particular emphasis is given to soil pollution and the methods of physical, chemical and biological remediation of polluted soils. This book will lead the reader from the basics to a comprehensive understanding of soil degradation, conservation and remediation.
"The book ... 'give lucid accounts of the principal processes of soil degradation, its effects on soil quality, plant production and human health, and methods of improvement of degraded soils'. ... the book is interesting to the graduate and undergraduate students in Soil Science, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences as it provides complete aspect of soil degradation supplemented with many color plates of the real issues and a lot of self study questions at the end of each unit." (P. C. Abhilash, Journal of Cleaner Production, April, 2015)