Human-Induced Land Degradation

Abstract

This chapter begins with generalities, including definitions and data availability. After a glance at environmental conditions, including physiography, climate, soils and water supply, this chapter continues with agricultural systems and their constituting features, followed then by an account of how the systems have been affecting soil quality . While a number of human-induced degradations, including erosion, salinization , compaction, flooding and ponding, and aridification, are discussed, the GLSOD maps (scales of 1:1000,000 and 1:5000,000) and the maps of landslide, erosion features and intensity (PSIAC-based) of Iran are presented, including a brief description of the mapping methodology. This chapter is concluded by short discussions about some of the strategies, such as land reform, dam construction, control on land use conversion, afforestation, and choosing suitable irrigation method, that were and still will have to be followed to mitigate the degradation. Iran, being an oil producing country, chose for a dualistic development policy including agricultural and industrial sectors. In order to mitigate degradation, equilibrium between the socio-economic and the physical environment is inevitably reachable through a thorough planning. Such a planning can never be copied from elsewhere, or planned based on dreams, but must be fully adapted to the local social systems.