Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-s2hrs Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-10-31T22:46:28.739Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

3 - Detection and measurement of land degradation processes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 February 2012

Anthony Chisholm
Affiliation:
Australian National University, Canberra
Robert Dumsday
Affiliation:
La Trobe University, Victoria
Robert Wasson
Affiliation:
Senior Research Scientist in the CSIRO Division of Water and Land Resources
Adrian Webb
Affiliation:
Assistant Director of the Soil Conservation Research Branch of the Queensland Department of Primary Industries
Get access

Summary

Introduction

Detection and measurement are necessary if land degradation is to be accurately located, its past and future trends estimated, and its impact on human welfare assessed. Detection and measurement both depend on and contribute to an understanding of the processes and phenomena of degradation, and it is only by explanation that prediction of the future course of degradation is possible.

This chapter includes a discussion of what needs to be detected and measured, considers the role of natural science in that choice, discusses the nature of explanation and prediction, and attempts to establish a framework for a discussion of processes and the space and time scales of reference to degradation. Wherever appropriate, stress is laid upon the degree to which a process is understood. The intention is to emphasise processes by which we can better understand the phenomena discussed in the first chapter.

What is to be detected and measured?

Land degradation is a change to land that makes it less useful for human beings. The concept of land is broad and, after J G Speight (nd), is the extensive system of physical and biological materials and processes associated with the interface of the solid earth, terrestrial water bodies and the air, and the works of human beings.

A change has occurred in studies of land degradation which places emphasis on the complex links between economic, social, physical and biological processes and effects, rather than identifying specific topics such as soil acidification or tree decline as the only matters of concern in studies of land degradation.

Type
Chapter
Information
Land Degradation
Problems and Policies
, pp. 49 - 76
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 1988

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure coreplatform@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×