Soil and Water Conservation for Sustainable Food Production (Chemistry of Foods)

This book addresses the impact of soil and water quality on food production, and explores soil and water conservation measures to be applied at farm level for agricultural sustainability. Divided into 8 chapters, the book covers topics such as soil properties responsible for soil loss, the impact of climate change, water and biological factors on soil chemistry, the effect of soil on the quality of water including sustaining aquaculture productivity and environment of wetlands, soil and water qualities necessary for irrigation, management of soil organic carbon, and the importance of soil moisture conservation including agroforestry for food production. Particular attention is given to the management of soil organic carbon in sustainable crop cultivation as well as reducing soil erosion and nutrient loss from soil from cultivated lands. The book concludes with a chapter that integrates soil and water conservation with sustainable food production and food safety. Series Editor’s Foreword Acknowledgements Contents About the Author 1 Introductory Remarks: Soil and Water Conservation for Soil Health 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Summary References 2 Soil Properties Responsible for Soil Loss 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Erodibility of Soil and Its Three-Phase System 2.2.1 Erodibility of Soil and Soil Texture 2.2.2 Erodibility of Soil and Soil Structure 2.3 Soil Properties Responsible for Water Erosion 2.3.1 Soil Properties and Estimation of Water Erosion 2.4 Soil Properties Responsible for Both Water and Wind Erosions 2.4.1 Forces of Wind/Water Acting on Soil Grains at Threshold of Soil Movement 2.5 Soil Properties Influencing Crop Growth 2.6 Soil Loss Causing Vulnerability to Soil Ecosystem—A Major Dialectics of Nature 2.7 Concluding Remarks References 3 Impact of Climate, Water and Biological Factors on Soil Health 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Formulation of Soil Quality Indexing Including Water Quality in the Context of Climate Change 3.3 Effect of Water on Soil Health in the Context of Climate Change 3.4 Soil Microbial Biomass—A Tool for Assessment of Soil Health in the Context of Climate Change 3.5 Genetic and Functional Biodiversity of Soils, Soil Health and Climate Change 3.6 Soil Health Key Indicators for in Situ Soil Health Assessment Under Climate Change 3.7 Concluding Remarks References 4 Effect of Soil on Water Quality 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Effect of Geology on Water Quality 4.3 Effect of Topography on Water Quality 4.4 Effect of Soil Erosion and Water Quality as Influenced by Climate 4.5 Effect of Soil Properties on Water Quality 4.6 Effect of Soil Erosion on Water Quality as Influenced by Vegetation Cover 4.7 Effect of Watershed on Water Quality 4.7.1 Effect of Soil Erosion on Water Quality of Aquatic Ecosystem and Watershed Hydrology 4.8 Effect of Land Use Land Cover on Water Quality 4.9 Concluding Remarks References 5 Soil and Water Qualities Necessary for Irrigation 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Land Characterisation Necessary for Irrigation 5.3 Soil and Water Compatibility Necessary for Irrigation 5.3.1 Interaction Between Soil and Water 5.3.2 Physiological Drought Soil Condition 5.3.3 Diagnosis of Soil Properties for Irrigation Management 5.3.4 Irrigation Water Quality 5.4 Irrigation Management in Salt Affected Soils 5.5 Diagnosis of Salt Affected Soils 5.6 Soil and Water Management for Sustainable Crop Production 5.7 Concluding Remarks References 6 Soil Moisture Conservation Influencing Food Production 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Soil Moisture Storage as Affected by Rooting Depth, Soil Bulk Density, Rainfall and Evapotranspiration 6.3 Soil Moisture Conservation Techniques and Implementation 6.3.1 Implementation Considerations for Soil Moisture Conservation Technologies 6.4 Beneficial Roles of Soil Moisture Conservation 6.5 Prospects and Problems of Soil Moisture Conservation Techniques 6.5.1 Prospects of Soil Moisture Conservation Techniques 6.5.2 Problems of Soil Moisture Conservation Techniques 6.6 Concluding Remarks References 7 Management of Soil Organic Carbon 7.1 Introduction 7.2 SOM, Carbon, Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Sulphur and Humus Interrelations 7.3 Role of Soil Organic Matter on Soil Aggregate Stability 7.4 Concluding Remarks References 8 Concluding Remarks: Soil and Water for Food Security 8.1 Concluding Remarks References