Soil Erosion Under Forests

Abstract

A forestland is a non-agricultural land with at least 10% of tree cover (FAO, 2000). In this context, the global forest area is estimated at 4 billion ha or about 30% of the total terrestrial surface (FAO, 2005). Forests are not evenly distributed across all regions and are rather concentrated in specific climatic zones. Depending on the climate, forests are classified as temperate, boreal, and tropical forests. Depending on the growth characteristics, forests are classified as evergreen, semi-evergreen, deciduous, lower and upper montane, mixed, and mangrove forests. Extensive forestlands in the world include rain forests in the Amazon, Congo Basin and Sumatra, dry woodlands in Southern Africa, coastal mangroves in Southeast Asia; and alpine forests in the Andean region of South America.