Research Catalog

Title

Food security and soil quality / edited by Rattan Lal, B.A. Stewart.

Publication

Boca Raton : CRC Press, c2010.

Items in the Library & Off-site

Details

Additional Authors

• Lal, R.
• Stewart, B. A. (Bobby Alton), 1932-

Description

xiii, 416 p., [2] p. of plates : ill., maps (some col.); 25 cm.

Summary

"A tree's leaves may be ever so good," "So may its bark, so may its wood;" "But unless you put the right thing to its root," "It never will show much flower or fruit." " ︣from "Leaves Compared With Flowers", by Robert Frost" "Just five years ago, it was generally believed that the number of food-insecure people in the world was on continuous decline. Unfortunately, widespread soil degradation along with resistance to recommended agronomic practices, and little attempt to restore degraded soils have conspired with significant droughts (in regions that could least tolerate them) to swell the ranks of the food-insecure to over a billion people. The U.N. Millennium Development Goals' intent to halve hunger by 2015 will not be realized." "Food Security and Soil Quality brings together leading experts from across the world to provide a concise and factually supported exploration of the problem at hand and the critical steps needed to reverse it. Edited by Rattan Lal, and B. A. Stewart, two of the world's most respected soil scientists, this important work" "Assesses farming systems and food security in Sub-Saharan Africa, with special emphasis on land degradation" "Examines concerns with and approaches to soil quality management in Brazil and China" "Details achievable methods for improving soil quality for sustainable production" "Provides an insightful comparison of temporal changes in agricultural systems productivity in Punjab, India, and Ohio" "Discusses the human dimension of the crisis including the influence of culture and spiritual beliefs" "Dr. Lal himself writes that despite the existence of scientific data on sustainable management of soil and water resources, problems of soil and environmental degradation have persisted and have been aggravated. And that these problems are rooted in land misuse and soil mismanagement." "This book does provide policymakers and others with an understanding of the depth, complexity, and immediacy of this crisis, but more than a call to action, it also offers soil scientists working in this area with an understanding of what is being done and what needs to be done. Most importantly, this book helps us understand that the situation is not beyond remediation were we to act with great resolve and a sense of urgency."--BOOK JACKET.

Series Statement

Advances in soil science

Uniform Title

Advances in soil science (Boca Raton, Fla.)

Subjects

• Soils > Quality
• Food security

Bibliography (note)

• Includes bibliographical references and index.

Contents

• Chapter 1. Introduction: Food Security and Soil Quality / R. Lal -- Chapter 2. Managing Soils to Address Global Issues of the Twenty-First Century / B.A. Stewart -- 2.1. Introduction -- 2.2. Global Issues of the Twenty-First Century -- 2.2.1. Energy Consumption -- 2.2.2. Climate Change -- 2.2.3. Agricultural Land Area -- 2.2.4. Soil Degradation and Desertification -- 2.2.5. Urbanization -- 2.2.6. Water Use -- 2.2.7. Fertilizers and Agricultural Chemicals -- 2.2.8. Food Security -- 2.2.9. Waste Disposal -- 2.2.10. Industrial Raw Materials -- 2.3. Managing Soils for Addressing Global Issues -- 2.3.1. Soil Processes and Properties -- 2.3.2. Biofuels -- 2.3.3. Dialogue with Policy Makers -- 2.4. Emerging Technologies for the Twenty-First Century -- 2.4.1. Agronomic Innovations and Food Security -- 2.4.2. Nanotechnology and Soil Science -- 2.4.3. Biotechnology and Soil Science -- 2.4.4. Information Technology -- 2.4.5. Biofuels -- 2.4.6. Farming Carbon -- 2.4.7. Putting It All Together -- 2.4.8. Raising the Profile and Enhancing the Respectability of the Soil Science Profession -- 2.4.9. Planetary Soils -- 2.4.10. Archives of Human and Planetary History -- 2.5. Conclusions -- References -- Chapter 3. Farming Systems and Food Security in Sub-Saharan Africa / R. Lal -- 3.1. Introduction -- 3.2. Overall Setting -- 3.3. African Farming Systems -- 3.4. Land Degradation -- 3.5. Climate -- 3.6. Food Security -- 3.7. Food Security and Political Stability -- 3.8. Policy, Politics, and Investment in African Agriculture -- 3.9. Summary -- References -- Chapter 4. Assessment of Land Degradation, Its Possible Causes and Threat to Food Security in Sub-Saharan Africa / W.A. Payne, P.L.G. Vlek and Q.B. Le -- 4.1. Introduction -- 4.2. Definition and Approaches -- 4.2.1. Definition of Land Degradation -- 4.2.2. Approaches to Assess Global/Continental Land Degradation -- 4.3. Land Productivity Dynamics in SSA -- 4.3.1. Long-Term NDVI Trend as a Proxy for Change in Land Productivity -- 4.3.2. Rainfall Data and Zones -- 4.3.3. Vegetation Response to Shifts in Annual Rainfall -- 4.3.4. Long-Term Trend in Land Productivity in SSA -- 4.3.5. Atmospheric Fertilization Effect on NPP -- 4.4. Relational Analysis of Long-Term Land Productivity Decline -- 4.4.1. Population Factor -- 4.4.2. NDVI Decline in Relation to Soil and Terrain Constraints -- 4.4.3. Land Use and Land-Degradation Processes -- 4.5. Land Degradation and the Threat to Food Security -- 4.6. Conclusions and Recommendations -- References -- Chapter 5. Crop Productivity, Fertilizer Use, and Soil Quality in China / L. Tamene, M. Fan, P. Christie and W. Zhang -- 5.1. Introduction -- 5.2. Crop Production and Crop Yields in China -- 5.2.1. Crop Production and Crop Yields -- 5.2.2. Yield Potential and Yield Gaps -- 5.3. Fertilizers and Fertilizer Use Efficiency in Cropland -- 5.3.1. Fertilizer Use Since the 1950's -- 5.3.2. Fertilizer Use Efficiency in Cropland -- 5.4. Soil Quality, Soil Organic Carbon, and Soil Nutrient Status in Cropland in China -- 5.4.1. Soil Indigenous Fertility and Crop Productivity -- 5.4.2. Soil Organic Carbon and Carbon Sequestration -- 5.4.3. Soil Nutrients in Cropland -- 5.5. Technological Options for Increasing Crop Yields, Nutrient Use Efficiency, and Soil Quality -- Acknowledgments -- References -- Chapter 6. The Role of Fertilizers in Food Production / F. Zhang -- 6.1. Introduction -- 6.2. World Food-Population Issues -- 6.2.1. Growing Population -- 6.2.2. Future World Food Needs -- 6.3. Means of Increasing World Food Supply -- 6.3.1. Major Alternatives -- 6.3.2. Increasing Crop Land -- 6.3.3. Increasing Crop Yields -- 6.4. Fertilizers -- 6.4.1. Raw Materials for Fertilizer Production -- 6.4.2. Nitrogen Fertilizers -- 6.4.2.1. Natural Organics -- 6.4.2.2. Nitrogen Fertilizers from Synthetic Ammonia -- 6.4.3. Phosphate Fertilizers -- 6.4.3.1. Natural Organic Phosphate Fertilizers -- 6.4.3.2. Fertilizers from Mineral Phosphates -- 6.4.4. Potassium Salts -- 6.4.4.1. Potassium Minerals -- 6.4.4.2. Potassium-Magnesium Minerals -- 6.4.5. Overview of the Fertilizer Industry -- 6.5. Energy, Fuel, and Price of Fertilizers -- 6.6. Fertilizer and the Environment -- References -- Chapter 7. Conservation Agriculture, Improving Soil Quality for Sustainable Production Systems? / A. Roy, N. Verhulst, B. Govaerts, E. Verachtert, A. Castellanos-Navarrete, M. Mezzalama, P.C. Wall, A. Chocobar and J. Deckers -- 7.1. Introduction -- 7.1.1. Food Production and Land Degradation -- 7.1.2. Conservation Agriculture -- 7.1.3. Soil Quality -- 7.2. Influence of Conservation Agriculture on Physical Soil Quality -- 7.2.1. Soil Structure and Aggregation -- 7.2.1.1. Influence of Tillage -- 7.2.1.2. Influence of Residue Management -- 7.2.1.3. Influence of Crop Rotation -- 7.2.2. Soil Porosity -- 7.2.2.1. Bulk Density and Total Porosity -- 7.2.2.2. Pore Size Distribution and Pore Continuity -- 7.2.3. Hydraulic Conductivity and Water-Holding Capacity -- 7.2.4. Soil Water Balance -- 7.2.4.1. Infiltration and Runoff -- 7.2.4.2. Evaporation -- 7.2.4.3. Soil Water Content and Plant Available Water -- 7.2.5. Soil Erosion -- 7.2.6. Soil Temperature -- 7.3. Influence of Conservation Agriculture on Chemical Soil Quality -- 7.3.1. Soil Organic Carbon -- 7.3.1.1. Total SOC Content -- 7.3.1.2. SOC Fractionation -- 7.3.2. Nutrient Availability -- 7.3.2.1. Nitrogen Availability -- 7.3.2.2. Phosphorus -- 7.3.2.3. Potassium, Calcium, and Magnesium Content -- 7.3.2.4. Cation Exchange Capacity -- 7.3.2.5. Micronutrient Cations and Aluminum -- 7.3.3. Acidity -- 7.3.4. Salinity/Sodicity -- 7.4. Influence of Conservation Agriculture on Biological Soil Quality -- 7.4.1. Soil Microfauna and Microflora -- 7.4.1.1. Microbial Biomass -- 7.4.1.2. Functional Diversity -- 7.4.1.3. Enzyme Activity -- 7.4.1.4. Microbial Community Structure -- 7.4.1.5. Soil-Borne Diseases -- 7.4.2. Soil Mesofauna and Macrofauna -- 7.4.2.1. Soil Mesofauna -- 7.4.2.2. Soil Macrofauna -- 7.5. Soil Quality and Crop Production -- 7.6. Conclusions -- Acknowledgments -- References -- Chapter 8. Soil Quality Management in Brazil / K.D. Sayre, C.E. Cerri, C. Bayer, J. Dieckow, J. Carvalho and B. Feigl -- 8.1. Introduction -- 8.2. SOC Stocks in Conventional versus NT Systems in Brazil -- 8.3. Microbial Biomass in Conventional versus NT Systems in Brazil -- 8.4. Crop Rotation and Residue Management -- 8.5. Soil Quality Assessed by Carbon Management Index: Case Study of a Subtropical Acrisol in Brazil Subjected to Tillage Systems and Irrigation -- 8.6. Conclusion -- References -- Chapter 9. Organic Matter Knowledge and Management in Soils of the Tropics Related to Ecosystem Services / C.C. Cerri, C. Feller, E. Blanchart, M. Bernoux, R. Lal and R. Manlay -- 9.1. Introduction -- 9.2. The Search for "Functional" Pools of SOM Related to the Concept of Ecosystem Services -- 9.2.1. Functional Pools -- 9.2.2. A Quantitative Definition of Functionality for SOM Compartments -- 9.2.3. The Physical Fractionation of SOM: A Relevant Approach to Separate Functional SOM Compartments? -- 9.2.4. Are Particle-Size Fractions Functional SOM Compartments? -- 9.2.5. Does SOM Functionality Change with Soil Aggregation? -- 9.2.6. Effect of Residue Management on Functional SOM Pools: Case Studies -- 9.2.6.1. Effect of Annual Crops and Organic Amendments -- 9.2.6.2. Effect of Mulch Systems -- 9.2.6.3. Effect of Fallows, Tree Plantations, and Agroforestry -- 9.2.6.4. Effect of Improved Pasture -- 9.2.7. Conclusion -- 9.3. SOM, Agroecology, and Tropical Ecosystem Services -- 9.3.1. SOM and Fertility -- 9.3.2. SOM and GHG Fluxes Regulation: C Sequestration --
• 9.3.2.1. What Is Soil C Sequestration? -- 9.3.2.2. NT and Coverplant Systems in Brazil -- 9.3.2.3. Sugarcane Systems in Brazil -- 9.3.3. SOM and Soil Biodiversity -- 9.3.3.1. NT and Cover Plant Systems in Brazil -- 9.3.3.2. No Burning of Sugarcane in Brazil -- 9.4. Toward Conflicts between Soil, Livestock, and Energy in the Tropics -- 9.5. Perspective: SOM as a "Natural Capital" -- References -- Chapter 10. Temporal Changes in Productivity of Agricultural Systems in Punjab, India and Ohio, USA / T. Ollivier and A. Dubey -- 10.1. Introduction -- 10.2. The Data Sources -- 10.3. Off-Farm Input and Agricultural Production -- 10.3.1. Fertilizer Input -- 10.3.1.1. Ohio -- 10.3.1.2. Punjab -- 10.3.2. Pesticides -- 10.3.2.1. Ohio -- 10.3.2.2. Punjab -- 10.3.3. Tillage -- 10.3.3.1. Ohio -- 10.3.3.2. Punjab -- 10.3.4. Irrigation -- 10.3.5. Crop Yields -- 10.3.5.1. Ohio -- 10.3.5.2. Punjab -- 10.3.6. Total Crop Production -- 10.3.6.1. Ohio -- 10.3.6.2. Punjab -- 10.4. General Discussion -- 10.5. Conclusions -- References -- Chapter 11. Soil Quality and Ethics: The Human Dimension / R. Lal -- 11.1. Introduction -- 11.2. The Human Dimension of Soil Degradation -- 11.3. Land Ethics and Spirituality -- 11.4. Basic Principles of Sustainable Soil Management -- 11.5. Conclusions -- References -- Chapter 12. Comprehensive Management of Nutrients in Dryland Soils of China for Sustainable Agriculture / R. Lal and S.-X. Li -- 12.1. Importance of Nutrient Management on Crop Production -- 12.2. Nutrient Status in Dryland Soils of China -- 12.3. Prescription Fertilization -- 12.3.1. Land Regionalization and Soil Fertility Gradation -- 12.3.2. Fertilizer Response Function -- 12.3.2.1. Procedures for Fertilization Based on Fertilizer Response Function -- 12.3.2.2. Roles of Fertilizer Response Function in Prescription Fertilization -- 12.3.3. Projected Yield -- 12.3.3.1. Determination of Parameters -- 12.3.3.2. Improvement of the Conversion Coefficient and Projected Yield -- 12.3.4. Soil Nutrient-Supplying Index -- 12.3.4.1. Soil Nutrient Gradation -- 12.3.4.2. Critical Nutrient Level -- 12.3.5. A Recommended Design Currently and Widely Used in Prescription Fertilization Experiments in China -- 12.3.6. Other Methods Used in Dryland Areas for Fertilization -- 12.3.7. Effects of Prescription Fertilization in Dryland Areas -- 12.4. Combinative Use of Different Fertilizers in Dryland Areas -- 12.4.1. Application of Organic and N Fertilizers -- 12.4.2. Application of P with N Fertilizers -- 12.4.3. Application of K on the Basis of N and P Fertilizers -- 12.4.4. Combinative Use of Macronutrients with Micronutrients -- 12.5. Methods for Fertilization -- 12.6. Simultaneous Supply of Water and Fertilizer -- 12.6.1. Importance of Simultaneous Supply of Water and Nutrients -- 12.6.2. Traditional Methods for Simultaneous Supply of Water and Nutrients -- 12.6.3. Fertigation A New Way for Simultaneous Supply of Water and Nutrients to Plants -- 12.6.4. Fertigation Used in Soilless Culture -- 12.6.5. Potentials for Use of Fertigation in Protected Soil Culture -- 12.6.6. Issues of Fertigation in Protected Cultivation -- 12.7. Improvement of Chemical Fertilizers by Industrious Ways -- 12.7.1. Shortcomings of Chemical Fertilizers -- 12.7.2. Ways to Increase Multiple Nutrients in Chemical Fertilizers -- 12.7.3. Ways to Prevent Nutrient Loss and Degradation -- 12.7.4. Ways to Reduce N Fertilizer Solubility or Release Velocity -- 12.7.4.1. Organic or Inorganic N Low-Solubility Compounds -- 12.7.4.2. Coated Controlled-Release Fertilizers -- 12.7.4.3. Current Situation and Growth Potential of S/CRFs -- 12.7.5. Development of Slow/Controlled Fertilizers in China -- 12.7.5.1. Research and Production of S/CRFs -- 12.7.5.2. Nutrient Release Characteristics of S/CRFs -- 12.7.5.3. Crop Responses to S/CRFs and Effect of S/CRFs on Crop Production -- 12.7.5.4. Current State and Issues Existing in China for S/CRFs Production -- 12.8. Considerations for Nutrient Management in Dryland Areas -- 12.8.1. Further Improvement of Fertilization -- 12.8.2. Crop Rotation with Legumes -- 12.8.3. Full Use of Biological Materials as Nutrient Sources -- 12.8.4. Improving Soil Physical, Chemical, and Biological Properties for Healthy Growth of Plants and for Better Use of Nutrients -- 12.9. Conclusions -- Acknowledgments -- References.

ISBN

• 9781439800577 (alk. paper)
• 143980057X (alk. paper)

LCCN

2010002148

Owning Institutions

Columbia University Libraries