Soils

Abstract

Describes the major soil processes affected by human action and the incidence of the globally significant effects - erosion and physical and chemical degradation. Emphasizes the depletion of soil nutrients as a key impact through its consequences for the vegetation cover, and though fertilizer inputs for avoiding such depletion exist, they may not be applied because of socio-economic constraints on the soil user. Outlines the rough global distribution of major impacts on soils. -after Author