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Land
Special Issues
Recent Progress in Land Degradation Processes and Control
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Recent Progress in Land Degradation Processes and Control

A special issue of Land (ISSN 2073-445X). This special issue belongs to the section "Land Environmental and Policy Impact Assessment".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 December 2024 | Viewed by 5355

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jianye Li

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Black Soils Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Harbin 150081, China
Interests: soil carbon loss; land restoration; soil nutrients loss
Prof. Dr. Xingyi Zhang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Black Soils Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Harbin 150081, China
Interests: soil erosion; gully erosion; conservation tillage; land degradation and control
Dr. Weida Gao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
College of Land Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
Interests: soil structure; conservational tillage; soil strength; root growth; soil hydraulic properties
Dr. Wei Hu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
State Key Laboratory of Black Soils Conservation and Utilization, Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Harbin 150081, China
Interests: soil erosion; land degradation progress
Dr. Qiang Chen

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Heilongjiang Province Key Laboratory of Geographical Environment Monitoring and Spatial Information Service in Cold Regions, Harbin Normal University, Harbin 150025, China
Interests: soil erosion; conservation tillage; land use

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Land degradation has become one of the biggest environmental challenges that human society is currently facing. All these physical and ecological attributes of land systems are constantly eroded by the multitude of land degradation pathways/processes that occur on various spatial scales throughout the world. As an interdisciplinary and complex issue, land degradation is currently caused by 17 land degradation pathways (aridity, biological invasions, coastal erosion, land erosion by water, land erosion by wind, land pollution, land subsidence, landslides, permafrost thawing, salinization, soil acidification, soil biodiversity loss, soil compaction, soil organic carbon loss, soil sealing, vegetation degradation, and water logging). However, recent progresses in land degradation processes and control are short of large-scale, long-term, interdisciplinary, and multidimensional studies.

The aim of this Special Issue is to collect papers (original research articles and review papers) to give insights about large-scale, long-term, interdisciplinary, and multidimensional studies on land degradation in different degradation pathways. New findings and progresses on land degradation and control are also welcome. The discussion of new forms of land degradation and pathways is encouraged in the Special Issue.

This Special Issue will welcome manuscripts that link the following themes:

  • Vegetation degradation and restoration;
  • Land use and degradation;
  • Land degradation pathways and control;
  • Soil carbon loss and sequestration;
  • Farmland degradation and protection;
  • Soil erosion and degradation;
  • Long-term land degradation effects;
  • Land degradation and ecosystem services;
  • Land degradation and environment effects.

We look forward to receiving your original research articles and reviews.

Dr. Jianye Li
Prof. Dr. Xingyi Zhang
Dr. Weida Gao
Dr. Wei Hu
Dr. Qiang Chen
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Land is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • land degradation pathways
  • land degradation progress
  • land use
  • soil erosion
  • soil carbon
  • environment effects
  • ecosystem functions and services
  • control measures

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

21 pages, 5835 KiB  
Article
Identification of Agricultural Areas to Restore Through Nature-Based Solutions (NbS)
by Beatrice Petti and Marco Ottaviano
Land 2024, 13(11), 1954; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13111954 - 19 Nov 2024
Viewed by 407
Abstract
This study aims to present a methodological approach based on the objectives of the Nature Restoration Law and the concept of Forest Landscape Restoration to identify areas that are best suited for the implementation of Nature-based Solutions for the improvement of landscape and [...] Read more.
This study aims to present a methodological approach based on the objectives of the Nature Restoration Law and the concept of Forest Landscape Restoration to identify areas that are best suited for the implementation of Nature-based Solutions for the improvement of landscape and habitat status in the city of Campobasso (1028.64 km2). Using open data (ISPRA ecosystem services and regional land use capability), an expert based approach (questionnaire), and a multicriteria analysis (Analytical Hierarchy Process), the Total Ecosystem Services Value index was determined as a weighted additive sum of the criteria considered. The index was then classified into eight clusters, and the land use “Cropland” was extracted. Cluster 1 croplands (740.09 Ha) were identified as the areas to be allocated to Nature-based Solutions since they were those characterized by fewer ecosystem services provisioning, while Cluster 8 croplands (482.88 Ha) were identified as valuable areas to be preserved. It was then possible to compare the “Forest” areas currently present in the study area with those of a possible future scenario, represented by the areas occupied today by forest with the addition of Cluster 1 croplands. A landscape analysis was conducted; it showed greater dispersion and fragmentation of forest patches in the future scenario, but also greater connectivity and thus greater ecological functionality of the patches. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Progress in Land Degradation Processes and Control)
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21 pages, 4519 KiB  
Article
Co-Management Effects on Forest Restoration in Protected Areas of Bangladesh: A Remote Sensing and GIS-Based Analysis
by Md Rezaul Karim, Md Abdul Halim, Imrul Kayes, Wenxi Liao, Sharif A. Mukul, H. M. Tuihedur Rahman and Sean C. Thomas
Land 2024, 13(10), 1709; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13101709 - 18 Oct 2024
Viewed by 856
Abstract
Co-management is a promising forest governance strategy that integrates local communities’ traditional rights and forest dependencies while aiming to improve forest cover and ecosystem health. Bangladesh, facing high deforestation rates and limited per capita forest area, has implemented co-management initiatives since 2003 to [...] Read more.
Co-management is a promising forest governance strategy that integrates local communities’ traditional rights and forest dependencies while aiming to improve forest cover and ecosystem health. Bangladesh, facing high deforestation rates and limited per capita forest area, has implemented co-management initiatives since 2003 to restore forest cover and support the livelihoods of forest-dependent communities. While the socio-economic impacts of co-management are well studied, its effects on forest cover remain underexplored. This study addresses that gap by using three common spectral vegetation indices (NDVI, EVI, and MSAVI), calculated from Landsat 7 data, to analyze forest cover changes in five major protected areas under co-management. The results indicated that dense forest cover (41–71%) was initially prevalent in these areas, but a significant decline occurred between 2004 and 2015, with slope values ranging from −3.7 to −0.96. In contrast, the non-co-managed control site exhibited a much smaller decline (slope: −0.48 to −0.62) across all indices. Notable increases in agricultural land and forest–agriculture mosaics were also observed in the protected areas under co-management. Global Forest Watch data further confirmed substantial forest cover loss, particularly in CWS (158.77 ha) and SNP (0.49 ha). These findings highlight the need to reassess co-management strategies to address ongoing forest degradation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Progress in Land Degradation Processes and Control)
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17 pages, 2828 KiB  
Article
Short-Term Artificial Revegetation with Herbaceous Species Can Prevent Soil Degradation in a Black Soil Erosion Gully of Northeast China
by Jielin Liu, Yong Zhu, Jianye Li, Xiaolei Kong, Qiang Zhang, Xueshan Wang, Daqing Peng and Xingyi Zhang
Land 2024, 13(9), 1486; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13091486 - 13 Sep 2024
Viewed by 580
Abstract
Understanding the effects of short-term artificial revegetation on preventing soil degradation in erosion gullies of black soil areas is essential to choosing the most suitable species of vegetation for controlling the development of erosion gullies. A field experiment with short-term artificial revegetation with [...] Read more.
Understanding the effects of short-term artificial revegetation on preventing soil degradation in erosion gullies of black soil areas is essential to choosing the most suitable species of vegetation for controlling the development of erosion gullies. A field experiment with short-term artificial revegetation with herbaceous species (Medicago sativa L., Glycyrrhiza pallidiflora Maxim., Elytrigia repens (L.) Desv. ex Nevski, Rheum palmatum L., Asparagus officinalis L., Trifolium repens L., Bromus inermis Leyss., Elymus dahuricus Turcz.) and a runoff scouring test were conducted in a typical erosion gully in a black soil area. Soil erosion, physicochemical characteristics, and shoot/root characteristics were measured to evaluate the effects of short-term artificial revegetation. Short-term artificial revegetation significantly decreased (p < 0.05) sediment yield by 91.1% ± 7.2% compared with that of bare soil. Soil total nitrogen (TN), total potassium (TP), available phosphorus (AP), cation exchange capacity (CEC), water-stable aggregates > 0.25 mm (WR0.25), and aggregate mean weight diameter (MWD) and mean geometric diameter (GWD) were significantly correlated with vegetated treatments, indicating they were factors sensitive to short-term artificial revegetation. Except for total potassium (TK), the other soil characteristics decreased in vegetated treatments. In addition to increasing TK, vegetated treatments also increased soil available nitrogen (AN)/TN ratios in the short term. The overall effects of different herbaceous species on soil and water conservation, soil quality, and vegetation growth were evaluated, and Trifolium repens L. is the most suitable for preventing soil degradation in an erosion gully. The results of this study will provide a reference for the restoration and protection of the ecological environment in black soil areas with gully erosion. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Progress in Land Degradation Processes and Control)
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17 pages, 2704 KiB  
Article
Changes in Ground Cover Layers, Biomass and Diversity of Vascular Plants/Mosses in the Clear-Cuts Followed by Reforested Scots Pine until Maturity Age
by Dovilė Gustienė and Iveta Varnagirytė-Kabašinskienė
Land 2024, 13(9), 1477; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13091477 - 12 Sep 2024
Viewed by 477
Abstract
The distribution of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) forests, particularly the Vaccinio myrtillo-Pinetum type, is determined by edaphic conditions, and although clear-cutting is used to promote regeneration, it remains controversial. This study evaluated the changes in non-living (forest floor and dead wood) [...] Read more.
The distribution of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) forests, particularly the Vaccinio myrtillo-Pinetum type, is determined by edaphic conditions, and although clear-cutting is used to promote regeneration, it remains controversial. This study evaluated the changes in non-living (forest floor and dead wood) and living (mosses, herbs, and dwarf shrubs) ground cover in clear-cut areas and reforested Scots pine stands. Continuous ground cover studies were conducted in clear-cuts, with samples collected over three years after clear-cutting, while data from 8–80-year-old and mature Scots pine stands were collected using the chronological series method with a consistent methodology in temporary plots. The research has shown that, as ecosystem recovery progresses, similarity to the mature forest increases, and a threshold stand age has been identified, beyond which the ecological changes induced by clear-cutting diminish. The study findings demonstrated that clear-cutting in Pinetum vaccinio-myrtillosum-type forest stands lead to a rapid increase in herb and dwarf shrub cover due to reduced competition for light and nutrients. However, clear-cutting caused a significant decline in forest-specific species and a drastic reduction in forest floor and dead wood mass, with a gradual recovery of moss cover over 10–30 years. These findings highlight the importance of managing clear-cutting practices to balance immediate vegetative responses with long-term ecosystem stability and biodiversity conservation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Progress in Land Degradation Processes and Control)
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18 pages, 937 KiB  
Article
Determination of Soil Erodibility by Different Methodologies in the Renato and Caiabi River Sub-Basins in Brazil
by Jones Anschau Xavier de Oliveira, Frederico Terra de Almeida, Adilson Pacheco de Souza, Rhavel Salviano Dias Paulista, Cornélio Alberto Zolin and Aaron Kinyu Hoshide
Land 2024, 13(9), 1442; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13091442 - 5 Sep 2024
Viewed by 520
Abstract
Mitigating soil erosion‘s effects have been prioritized since the early 20th century. Rainfall simulators and analytical prediction models are used to determine soil erosion susceptibility. This study used different methodologies to measure soil erodibility in two hydrographic sub-basins, the Renato and Caiabi, in [...] Read more.
Mitigating soil erosion‘s effects have been prioritized since the early 20th century. Rainfall simulators and analytical prediction models are used to determine soil erosion susceptibility. This study used different methodologies to measure soil erodibility in two hydrographic sub-basins, the Renato and Caiabi, in the Middle and Upper Teles Pires River in Mato Grosso state, Brazil. The rainfall simulator showed a higher range of K-factor values for the Renato sub-basin of 0.0009 to 0.0086 Mg × h × (MJ × mm)−1 and a lower range of K-factor values for the Caiabi sub-basin of 0.0014 to 0.0031 Mg × h × (MJ × mm)−1. Soil loss equations similarly estimated a higher range of K-factor values for the Renato of 0.0008 to 0.0990 Mg × h × (MJ × mm)−1 and a lower range of K-factor values for the Caiabi of 0.0014 to 0.0846 Mg × h × (MJ × mm)−1. There was no significant difference at the 5% level for the K factor determined by the rainfall simulator for both sub-basins. Equations specified in Bouyoucos (1935) and Lombardi Neto and Bertoni (1975) showed significant correlation (5%) for farming systems in the Caiabi sub-basin. Indirect methodologies that performed well for correlation were equations 2 and 3 from Roloff and Denardin (1994), which use iron and aluminum as parameters. Soil erosion was most influenced by physical texture parameters of the region’s soil. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Progress in Land Degradation Processes and Control)
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14 pages, 2413 KiB  
Article
Rapid Estimation of Soil Erosion Rate from Exhumed Roots (Xiaolong Mts, China)
by Miklós Kázmér, Keyan Fang, Yunchao Zhou and Zoltán Kern
Land 2024, 13(6), 771; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13060771 - 29 May 2024
Viewed by 819
Abstract
Soil erosion is a challenge worldwide, including in China. The dendrogeomorphic method was applied, for the first time, at Xiaolong Mts in Gansu Province to obtain a quantitative estimate of the soil erosion rate. The dataset built in this pilot study allowed the [...] Read more.
Soil erosion is a challenge worldwide, including in China. The dendrogeomorphic method was applied, for the first time, at Xiaolong Mts in Gansu Province to obtain a quantitative estimate of the soil erosion rate. The dataset built in this pilot study allowed the identification of exhumation texture in exposed roots between 1967 and 2002. The calculated mean erosion rate estimates (Era) ranged from 2.6 to 16.5 mm yr−1 and showed an increase with the slope steepness (s). The best fitting linear model (Era = 0.043(±0.017) × s + 3.09(±1.04); R² = 0.20; R²adj = 0.16; F = 6.18; p = 0.02) could be used in future research to determine and to map soil denudation in this part of the Xiaolong Mts. Notable associations were found between erosive rainfalls and root exhumation events. Daily (Rx1day) and 5-day (Rx5day) precipitation totals of 56 and 73 mm, respectively, seem to be critical thresholds which if exceeded will always induce root exhumation in the same year or in the consecutive season in the forest of the Xiaolong Mts in the studied period. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Progress in Land Degradation Processes and Control)
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18 pages, 7566 KiB  
Article
Coupling Changes in Runoff and Sediment and Their Relationships with Erosion Energy and Underlying Surface in the Wuding River Basin, China
by Qiannan Yang, Haidong Gao, Yong Han, Zhanbin Li and Kexin Lu
Land 2024, 13(4), 496; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13040496 - 11 Apr 2024
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 858
Abstract
Investigating the changes in the runoff and sediment coupling relationship in the Middle Yellow River Basin of China can not only deepen the understanding of soil loss control in arid areas, but also help solve key issues of regional ecological protection. Since the [...] Read more.
Investigating the changes in the runoff and sediment coupling relationship in the Middle Yellow River Basin of China can not only deepen the understanding of soil loss control in arid areas, but also help solve key issues of regional ecological protection. Since the 1960s, soil- and water-conservation projects have been implemented in the Middle Yellow River Basin, inducing a significant reduction in runoff and sediment and changes in the relationship between runoff and sediment. The study identified the change points of coupling relationship between runoff and sediment in the Wuding River Basin (WRB) by constructing a diagnostic method based on coupling coordination degree and the Pettitt test; the study validated this using the Copula function and analyzed the impacts of erosion energy and underlying surface factors. The results showed the following: (1) the method based on coupling coordination degree and the Pettit test could accurately reflect the coupling relationship of runoff and sediment and identify two change points (1971 and 1996); (2) runoff and sediment in the WRB decreased gradually over three periods (P1, 1960–1970; P2, 1971–1995; P3, 1996–2020), with an average annual runoff of 15.34 × 108, 10.72 × 108, and 8.32 × 108 m3 and average annual sediment load of 1.84 × 108, 0.82 × 108, and 0.32 × 108 t, respectively; (3) the maximum possible joint design value of runoff and sediment under different return periods in P1 were all the highest, followed by P2 and P3, and the larger the return period, the higher the maximum possible joint design value; (4) runoff erosion power could promote runoff and sediment in PE (1960–2020), P1, P2 and P3 at a significant level, check dams and terrace could decrease runoff and sediment significantly in PE, and the highest contribution to runoff reduction was check dam (95.4%), while the highest contribution to sediment reduction was REP (93.8%). The study can provide a new way to analyze the changes in the runoff and sediment relationship and provide scientific support for runoff and sediment regulation in the Middle Yellow River Basin. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Progress in Land Degradation Processes and Control)
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