Aspects of Historical Soil Erosion in Western Europe

Abstract

Organizing common work with convergent aims by both naturalists and scientists, on the one side, and archivists and historians on the other, is a fruitful long-term undertaking. Of course, studies of historical soil erosion are typically interdisciplinary; knowledge in geology, foremost on surficial formations, often neglected by geological maps, and pedology, familiarity with economic and social history and an ability to trace sources hidden in records offices of all denominations are needed. This chapter is illustrated with examples, mostly from France, with an emphasis on Champagne (which is still waiting for a specific paper written by me, unlike Burgundy, Lorraine, the Palatinate etc.). An overall view of the authors’ research on Western and also Central Europe, with a bibliography, is given by Blaikie and Brookfield (1987). For both methodology and specific features of Paris Basin see Vogt (1986a).