Soils, land use and sustainable agriculture: A review

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Abstract
Viewing soils in the full context of landscape ecology is imperative. Both land and its component soil resources are finite. The biological capability of the earth’s ecosystems is limited, even though agriculture productivity has been manipulated by genetic selection of plants, adjusting nutrient flows, managing water, and controlling pests. However, these interventions also have serious economic and environmental repercussions. Increasing populations require more space, more food, more fuels and more of other resources. For soil scientists, the challenge is to (a) understand soil processes, (b) characterize and map soil resources, and (c) predict soil behavior under a variety of potential uses in the interest of providing society and its governing institutions with options and trade-offs in land use decisions. Global and regional economic and agricultural productivity will depend solely on our ability to increase productivity by (a) making economic–agricultural development congruent with ecological and social–political realities, (b) proper use and conservation of indigenous genetic resources, and (c) rehabilitating disturbed and degraded ecosystems. In this review, we assess these considerations and suggest needed strategies. Key words: Productivity, sustainable agriculture, land use, food security, soil quality

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