16 research outputs found
On the dynamics of salts in solonetzic soil complexes of the Pallas irrigation system in relation to fluctuations in the groundwater level and changes in the regime of irrigation
Basal respiration and composition of microbial biomass in virgin and agroforest-reclaimed semidesert soils of the Northern Caspian region
Soil adsorption complex of the meadow-chestnut soils at the Dzhanybek research station in the northern Caspian region
Contribution of separate solid-phase components to the formation of the cation exchange capacity in the main genetic horizons of meadow-chestnut soils
Earthworms (Lumbricidae, Annelida) as a Component of Artificial Forest Ecosystems in the Northern Caspian Semidesert
Macro- and micromorphological features of genetic horizons in a solonetzic soil complex at the Dzhanybek Research Station
An exploratory analysis of land abandonment drivers in areas prone to desertification
The abandonment of land is a global problem with environmental and socioeconomic implications. An approach to assess the relationship between land abandonment and a large set of indicators was illustrated in the present study by using data collected in the framework of the European Union DESIRE research project from 808 field sites located in 10 study sites in the Mediterranean region, Eastern Europe, Latin America, Africa and Asia. A total of 48 indicators provided information for biophysical conditions and socioeconomic characteristics measured at the plot level. The selected indicators refer to farm characteristics (family status, land tenure, present and previous types of land-use, soil depth, slope gradient, tillage operations) and to site-specific characteristics including annual rainfall, rainfall seasonality and water availability. Classes were designated for each indicator and a sensitivity score was assigned to each class based on existing research or empirically assessing the importance of each indicator to the land abandonment issue. Questionnaires for each process of land degradation were prepared and data were collected at field site level in collaboration with land users. Based on correlation statistics and multivariate analyses more than ten indicators out of 48 resulted as significant in affecting land abandonment in the studied field sites. Among them, the most important were rainfall seasonality, elderly index, land fragmentation, farm size, selected soil properties, and the level of policy implementation. Results contribute to the development of appropriate tools for assessing the effectiveness of land management practices for contrasting land abandonment