A statistical methodology is proposed to predict the probability of presence or absence of erosion in a river section considering locally spatial correlated independent variables. The proposed tool is easy to use and accurate and can be applied to any region and river. It requires information from easy-to-determine geomorphological and/or hydrological variables to provide the vulnerable locations. This tool could be used to assist in managing erosion and flooding events.

Incorporating trees into agriculture systems provides numerous environmental services. In this chronosequence study conducted across S. India, we found that agroforestry systems (AFSs), specifically home gardens, coffee, coconut and mango, can cause soil organic carbon (SOC) to rebound to forest levels. We established 224 plots in 56 clusters and compared the SOC between natural forests, agriculture and AFSs. SOC sequestered depending on AFS type, environmental conditions and tree diversity.

This study reviews pedotransfer functions from the literature for different soil and horizon types. It uses these formulae to predict bulk density (ρ_b) per horizon using measured data of other soil properties. These data were compared to known pb per horizon and recalibrated. These calculations were used to fill missing horizon data in the Irish soil database. This allowed the generation of a pb map to 50 cm. These pb data are at horizon level allowing more accurate estimation of C with depth.

Soil water models are used to design cover systems for containing hazardous waste following mining. Often, soil invertebrates are omitted from these calculations, despite playing a major role in soil development (nutrient cycling) and water pathways (seepage, infiltration). As such, soil invertebrates can influence the success of waste cover systems. We propose that experiments in glasshouses, laboratories and field trials on mined lands be undertaken to provide knowledge for these models.

Different tree species affect interrill erosion, but a higher tree species richness does not mitigate soil losses in young subtropical forest stands. Different tree morphologies and tree traits (e.g. crown cover or tree height) have to be considered when assessing erosion in forest ecosystems. If a leaf litter cover is not present, the remaining soil surface cover by stones and biological soil crusts is the most important driver for soil erosion control.

The purpose of our study was to explore the effects of land use changes on the dynamics of soil properties and their implications for land degradation. The result indicates that cultivated land has a lower organic matter, total nitrogen, cation exchange capacity, pH, and exchangeable Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ contents than forestland and grazing land.

This study evaluates the influences of vinasse waste of sugarcane industries on runoff and soil loss at small plot scale. Laboratory results indicated that the vinasse at different levels could not significantly (P > 0.05) decrease the runoff amounts and soil loss rates in the study plots compared to untreated plots. The average amounts of minimum runoff volume and soil loss were about 3985 mL and 46 g for the study plot at a 1 L m⁻² level of vinasse application.

The Intergovernmental Technical Panel on Soils has completed the first State of the World's Soil Resources Report. The gravest threats were identified for all the regions of the world. This assessment forms a basis for future soil monitoring. The quality of soil information available for policy formulation must be improved.

Savannas represent most of the world’s livestock grazing land and are suffering worldwide from bush encroachment and desertification. We studied soil under bush and grass in a bush-encroached savanna in Namibia. With bush removal, there were significant changes in soil chemistry and microbial community structure, but these changes gradually diminished with time. Our results indicate that the ecosystem can substantially recover over a time period of approximately 10 years following bush removal.