Land quality indicators: research plan

Abstract

Indicators of land quality (LQIs) are being developed as a means to better coordinate actions on land related issues, such as land degradation. Economic and social indicators are already in regular use to support decision making at global, national and sub-national levels and in some cases for air and water quality, but few such indicators are available to assess, monitor and evaluate changes in the quality of land resources. Land refers not just to soil but to the combined resources of terrain, water, soil and biotic resources that provide the basis for land use. Land quality refers to the condition of land relative to the requirements of land use, including agricultural production, forestry, conservation, and environmental management. The LQI program addresses the dual objectives of environmental monitoring as well as sector performance monitoring for managed ecosystems (agriculture, forestry, conservation and environmental management). The primary research issue in the LQI program is the development of indicators that identify and characterize the impact(s) of human interventions on the landscape for the major agroecological zones of tropical, sub-tropical and temperate environments. Core LQIs identified for immediate development are: nutrient balance, yield gap, land use intensity and diversity, and land cover; LQIs requiring longer term research include: soil quality, land degradation, and agro-biodiversity; LQIs being developed by other authoritative groups include: water quality, forestland quality, rangeland quality, and land contamination/pollution.