Abstract
The extent and causes of chemical, physical and biological degradation of soil, and of soil loss, vary greatly in different countries in Western Europe. The objective of this review paper is to examine these issues and also strategies for soil protection and future perspectives for soil quality evaluation, in light of present legislation aimed at soil protection. Agriculture and forestry are the main causes of many of the above problems, especially physical degradation, erosion and organic matter loss. Land take and soil sealing have increased in recent decades, further enhancing the problems. In agricultural land, conservation farming, organic farming and other soil-friendly practices have been seen to have site-specific effects, depending on the soil characteristics and the particular types of land use and land users. No single soil management strategy is suitable for all regions, soil types and soil uses. Except for soil contamination, specific legislation for soil protection is lacking in Western Europe. The Thematic Strategy for Soil Protection in the European Union has produced valuable information and has encouraged the development of networks and databases. However, soil degradation is addressed only indirectly in environmental policies and through the Common Agricultural Policy of the European Union, which promotes farming practices that support soil conservation. Despite these efforts, there remains a need for soil monitoring networks and decision-support systems aimed at optimization of soil quality in the region. The pressure on European soils will continue in the future, and a clearly defined regulatory framework is needed.
Highlights
Western Europe (WE) is a loose term for the collection of countries lying in the most westerly part of Europe
Great efforts are being undertaken to recover this European Union (EU) initiative, at present soil protection in WE mainly relies on national-level policies and indirect policies such as the Nitrates Directive and the Water Framework Directive [118], and the agri-environmental measures included in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) regulations, as explained below
The review of soil degradation showed that different population trends, economic activities, local legislative conditions and historical land use have created different types of soil quality (SQ)-related problems
Summary
Western Europe (WE) is a loose term for the collection of countries lying in the most westerly part of Europe. The term WE is used to refer to countries in the Western half of the continent, including the Western, Northern and Southern regions [1]. The most common soils across WE are Cambisols, Podzols, Leptosols, Luvisols, Fluvisols Gleysols, Regosols and Calcisols. Podzols are mainly present in the boreal and temperate zones of Northern countries (Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Scotland, N Germany and some areas of France and the Alps). Leptosols (9% of the European land) are mainly present in mountainous regions of Spain, France, Switzerland, NE Italy, and Norway. Fluvisols, Histosols, Gleysols, Regosols and Calcisols each occupy 5%–6% of the land. They appear in regions with calcareous parent materials and distinct dry seasons, and in dry zones where carbonate-rich groundwater appears near the surface. Cambisol, Fluvisol, Gypsisol, Leptosol, Luvisol, Regosol, Umbrisol, Vertisol. Different risks and soil degradation processes occur within the various areas of WE because of significant differences in the intrinsic properties of these types of soils and local variations in each soil group
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