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Erosion and soil productivity in Australia and New Zealand
Author(s) -
Dregne H. E.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
land degradation and development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.403
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1099-145X
pISSN - 1085-3278
DOI - 10.1002/ldr.3400060202
Subject(s) - erosion , aeolian processes , productivity , land degradation , environmental science , mass movement , natural (archaeology) , hydrology (agriculture) , soil conservation , dryland salinity , soil retrogression and degradation , geography , land use , geology , soil science , soil biodiversity , soil fertility , soil water , ecology , agriculture , geomorphology , landslide , geotechnical engineering , archaeology , biology , economics , macroeconomics
Soil erosion assumes a different form in Australia and New Zealand. Sheet, rill and gully erosion are common in eastern Australia and wind erosion in the dry cropland areas. In New Zealand, mass movement dominates the erosion landscape but other kinds, including wind erosion, do occur. It is unclear how much of the mass movement is a natural phenomenon and how much is human‐induced. In either case, it causes long‐term reductions in soil productivity. A landmark analysis of the soil productivity loss due to land degradation was conducted by the Australian state of New South Wales. Water erosion was a greater problem than wind erosion, but soil structure deterioration was more costly than either kind of erosion.