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Rethinking global soil degradation: drivers, impacts, and solutions
Citation Link: https://doi.org/10.15480/882.16312
Publikationstyp
Review Article
Date Issued
2025-12
Sprache
English
Author(s)
Moldrup, Per
Thomas, Amy
TORE-DOI
Journal
Volume
63
Issue
4
Article Number
000883
Citation
Reviews of Geophysics 63 (4): 000883 (2025)
Publisher DOI
Scopus ID
Publisher
American Geophysical Union (AGU)
The increasing threat of soil degradation presents significant challenges to soil health, especially
within agroecosystems that are vital for food security, climate regulation, and economic stability. This growing
concern arises from intricate interactions between land use practices and climatic conditions, which, if not
addressed, could jeopardize sustainable development and environmental resilience. This review offers a
comprehensive examination of soil degradation, including its definitions, global prevalence, underlying
mechanisms, and methods of measurement. It underscores the connections between soil degradation and land
use, with a focus on socio‐economic consequences. Current assessment methods frequently depend on
insufficient data, concentrate on singular factors, and utilize arbitrary thresholds, potentially resulting in
misclassification and misguided decisions. We analyze these shortcomings and investigate emerging
methodologies that provide scalable and objective evaluations, offering a more accurate representation of soil
vulnerability. Additionally, the review assesses both physical and biological indicators, as well as the potential
of technologies such as remote sensing, artificial intelligence, and big data analytics for enhanced monitoring
and forecasting. Key factors driving soil degradation, including unsustainable agricultural practices,
deforestation, industrial activities, and extreme climate events, are thoroughly examined. The review
emphasizes the importance of healthy soils in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals,
particularly concerning food and water security, ecosystem health, poverty alleviation, and climate action. It
suggests future research directions that prioritize standardized metrics, interdisciplinary collaboration, and
predictive modeling to facilitate more integrated and effective management of soil degradation in the context of
global environmental changes.
within agroecosystems that are vital for food security, climate regulation, and economic stability. This growing
concern arises from intricate interactions between land use practices and climatic conditions, which, if not
addressed, could jeopardize sustainable development and environmental resilience. This review offers a
comprehensive examination of soil degradation, including its definitions, global prevalence, underlying
mechanisms, and methods of measurement. It underscores the connections between soil degradation and land
use, with a focus on socio‐economic consequences. Current assessment methods frequently depend on
insufficient data, concentrate on singular factors, and utilize arbitrary thresholds, potentially resulting in
misclassification and misguided decisions. We analyze these shortcomings and investigate emerging
methodologies that provide scalable and objective evaluations, offering a more accurate representation of soil
vulnerability. Additionally, the review assesses both physical and biological indicators, as well as the potential
of technologies such as remote sensing, artificial intelligence, and big data analytics for enhanced monitoring
and forecasting. Key factors driving soil degradation, including unsustainable agricultural practices,
deforestation, industrial activities, and extreme climate events, are thoroughly examined. The review
emphasizes the importance of healthy soils in achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals,
particularly concerning food and water security, ecosystem health, poverty alleviation, and climate action. It
suggests future research directions that prioritize standardized metrics, interdisciplinary collaboration, and
predictive modeling to facilitate more integrated and effective management of soil degradation in the context of
global environmental changes.
DDC Class
630: Agriculture and Related Technologies
363: Other Social Problems and Services
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Reviews of Geophysics - 2025 - Shokri - Rethinking Global Soil Degradation Drivers Impacts and Solutions.pdf
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