Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Physical Deterioration of Soil

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Soil Degradation, Conservation and Remediation

Abstract

Physical deterioration of soil involves the destruction of soil structure, dispersion of soil particles, sealing of pores, compression and increasing density, consolidation, compaction and reduced root penetration, low infiltration, waterlogging and runoff, and accelerated erosion. Along with denudation, these processes lead to desertification in the arid and semiarid regions. The ultimate result is the loss of the capacity to support ecosystems. There are about 68.3 M ha compacted soil globally which accounts for 4 % of human-induced soil degradation. Soil compaction is a global problem associated with mechanized agriculture. It has caused yield reductions of 25–50 % in some regions of Europe and North America and between 40 and 90 % in West African countries. Planned and integrated management involving reduced, conservation and timely tillage, generous addition of organic matter, mulching, crop rotation, subsoiling, and controlled trafficking are recommended for sustainable use of compacted soils. Desertification is a process of land degradation occurring mainly in the arid and semiarid regions due to human actions on ecosystems combined with adverse climatic conditions. The United Nations estimates that desertification affects 70 % of arid lands, amounting to about 30 % of the world cultivable land.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Agassi MI, Shainberg I, Morin J (1981) Effect of electrolyte concentration and soil sodicity on the infiltration and crust formation. Soil Sci Soc Am J 45:848–851

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ahuja LR (1983) Modeling infiltration into surface-sealed soils by the Green-Ampt approach. Soil Sci Soc Am J 47:412–418

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alakukku L (1999) Subsoil compaction due to wheel traffic. Agric Food Sci Finl 8:333–351

    Google Scholar 

  • Alakukku L (2000) Response of annual crops to subsoil compaction in a field experiment on clay soil lasting 17 years. Adv Geoecol 32:205–208

    Google Scholar 

  • Alakukku L, Weisskopf P, Chamen WCT, Tijink FGJ, Van Der Linden JP, Pires S, Sommer C, Spoor G (2003) Prevention strategies for field traffic-induced subsoil compaction: a review, part 1. Machine/soil interactions. Soil Tillage Res 73:145–160

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Andriesse JP (1988) Nature and management of tropical peat soils, vol 59, FAO soils bulletin. FAO, Rome

    Google Scholar 

  • Arvidsson J (1998) Influence of soil texture and organic matter content on bulk density, air content, compression index and crop yield in field and laboratory compression experiments. Soil Tillage Res 49:159–170

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Assouline S (2006) Modeling the relationship between soil bulk density and the hydraulic conductivity function. Vadose Zone J 5:697–705

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ball BC, Scott A, Parker JP (1999) Field N2O, CO2, and CH4 fluxes in compaction and soil quality in Scotland. Soil Tillage Res 53:29–39

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Betzalel I, Morin J, Benyamini Y, Agassi M, Shainberg I (1995) Water drop energy and soil seal properties. Soil Sci 159(5):13–22

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bied-Charreton M (2008) Integrating the combat against desertification and land degradation into negotiations on climate change: a winning strategy. French Scientific Committee on Desertification, Montpellier

    Google Scholar 

  • Bissonnris YL, Fox D, Bresson L-M (1998) Incorporating crusting processes in erosion models. In: Boardman J, Favis-Mortlock D (eds) Modelling soil erosion by water, vol 155, NATO ASI series. Springer, Berlin, pp 237–246

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Blackwell PS, Graham JP, Armstrong JV, Ward MA, Howse KR, Dawson CJ, Butler AR (1986) Compaction of a silt loam soil by wheeled agricultural vehicles. I. Effect upon soil conditions. Soil Tillage Res 7:97–116

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cai QG, Wang GP, Chen YZ (1998) Process and simulation of small watershed soil erosion in Loess Plateau. Science Press, Beijing (in Chinese)

    Google Scholar 

  • Charreau C (1972) Problemes Poses Par L’utilization Agricole Des Sols Tropicaux Par Des Cultures Annuelles. Agronomie Tropicale 27:905–929

    Google Scholar 

  • Chartres CJ, Kirby JM, Raupach M (1989) Poorly ordered silica and aluminosilicates as temporary cementing agents in hard-setting soils. Soil Sci Soc Am J 54(4):1060–1067

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Collis-George N, Greene RSB (1979) The effect of aggregate size on the infiltration behavior of a slaking soil and its relevance to ponded irrigation. Aust J Soil Res 17:65–73

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Commission of the European Communities (2006) Proposal for a Directive of the European Parliament and of the Council establishing a framework for the protection of soil and amending Directive 2004/35/EC. COM (2006) 232 final http://ec.europa.eu/environment/soil/pdf/com_2006_0232_en.pdf

  • Culet P (2002) Desertification. In: Encyclopedia of life support systems. EOLSS Publishers Co. Ltd., Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Deverel SJ, Rojstaczer S (1996) Subsidence of agricultural lands in the Sacramento – San Joaquin Delta, California: role of aqueous and gaseous carbon fluxes. Water Resour Res 32:2359–2367

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dregne HE (1977) Desertification of arid lands. Econ Geogr 53:329

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ehlers W (1982) Die Bedeutung des Bodengefüges für das Pflanzenwachstum bei moderner Landbewirtschaftung. Mitteilungen Deutsche Bodenkundliche Gesellschaft 34:115–128

    Google Scholar 

  • Eriksson J (1982) Markpackning och rotmiljo. Summary: soil compaction and plant roots. Reports Division of Agricultural Hydrotechnics 126. Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden, pp 1–138

    Google Scholar 

  • Eriksson J, Hakansson I, Danfors B (1974) The effect of soil compaction on soil structure and crop yields, Bulletin 354. Swedish Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Uppsala

    Google Scholar 

  • Eswaran H, Reich PF (1998) Desertification: a global assessment and risks to sustainability. In: Proceedings of the 16th international congress of soil science, Montpellier

    Google Scholar 

  • Eswaran H, Reich P, Beinroth F (2001) Global desertification tension zones. In: Stott DE, Mohtar RH, Steinhardt GC (eds) Sustaining the global farm. Selected papers from the 10th international soil conservation meeting. Purdue University and the USDA-ARS National Soil Erosion Research Laboratory, Washington, DC

    Google Scholar 

  • Eynard A, Schumacher TE, Lindstrom MJ, Malo DD (2004) Porosity and pore-size distribution in cultivated Ustolls and Usterts. Soil Sci Soc Am J 68:1927–1934

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fabiola N, Giarola B, da Silva AP, Imhoff S, Dexter AR (2003) Contribution of natural soil compaction on hardsetting behavior. Geoderma 113(1–2):95–108

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fageria NK, Balingar VC, Clark RB (2006) Physiology of crop production. The Haworth Press Inc., New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Fullen MA (1985) Compaction, hydrological processes and soil erosion on loamy sands in east Shropshire, England. Soil Tillage Res 6:17–29

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gill WR (1971) Economic assessment of soil compaction. In: Barnes KK et al (eds) Compaction of agricultural soils. ASAE, St. Joseph

    Google Scholar 

  • Graetz RD (1996) Empirical and practical approaches to land surface characterization and change detection. In: Hill J, Peter D (eds) Remote sensing for land degradation and desertification monitoring in the Mediterranean basin, state of the art and future research, EUR 16732bEN. Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, Luxemburg

    Google Scholar 

  • Greene SBR (2005) Hardsetting soils. In: Lal R (ed) Encyclopedia of soil science, 2nd edn. CRC Press, Boca Raton

    Google Scholar 

  • Grzesiak S, Grzesiak MT, Filek W, Hura T, Stabryła J (2002) The impact of different soil moisture and soil compaction on the growth of triticale root system. Acta Physiol Plant 24:331–342

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hanssen S (1996) Effects of manure treatment and soil compaction on plant production of a dairy farm system converting to organic farming practice. Agric Ecosyst Environ 56:173–186

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heil JW, Juo ASR, McInnes KJ (1997) Soil properties influencing surface sealing of some sandy soils in the sahel. Soil Sci 162(7):459–469

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hill J, Peter D (1996) The use of remote sensing for land degradation and desertification monitoring in the Mediterranean basin. European Commission, Brussels

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang C, Bradford JM (1993) Analyses of slope and runoff factors based on the WEPP erosion model. Soil Sci Soc Am J 57:1176–1183

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Iijima M, Kono Y, Yamauchi A, Pardales JR Jr (1991) Effects of soil compaction on the development of rice and maize root system. Environ Exp Bot 30:333–342

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ingebritsen SE, McVoy C, Glaz B, Park W (1999) Florida Everglades: subsidence threatens agriculture and complicates ecosystem restoration. In: Galloway D et al (eds) Land subsidence in the United States, US Geological Survey circular 1182. US Geological Survey, Reston, pp 95–106

    Google Scholar 

  • Kayombo B, Lal R (1994) Response of tropical crops to soil compaction. In: Sloane BD, van Ouwerkkerk C (eds) Soil compaction in crop production. Elsevier, Amsterdam

    Google Scholar 

  • Kemper WD, Rosenau RC, Dexter AR (1987) Cohesion development in disrupted soils as affected by clay and organic matter content and temperature. Soil Sci Soc Am J 51:860–867

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Levy GJ, Levin JL, Shainberg I (1994) Seal formation and interrill soil erosion. Soil Sci Soc Am J 58:203–209

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lipiec J, Stepniewski W (1995) Effects of soil compaction and tillage systems on uptake and losses of nutrients. Soil Tillage Res 35:37–52

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lynch JM, Bragg E (1985) Microorganisms and soil aggregate stability. Adv Soil Sci 2:133–171

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Masle J (2002) High soil strength: mechanical forces at play on root morphogenesis and in root: shoot signaling. In: Waisel Y, Eshel A, Kafkafi U (eds) Plant roots the hidden half. Marcel Dekker Inc., New York

    Google Scholar 

  • McIntyre DS (1958) Permeability measurements of soil crusts formed by raindrop impact. Soil Sci 85:185–189

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Michael AM, Ojha TP (2006) Principles of agricultural engineering, vol II, 5th edn. M/S Jain Brothers, New Delhi

    Google Scholar 

  • Mullins CE, Young IM, Bengough AG, Ley GJ (1987) Hard-setting soils. Soil Use Manag 3:79–83

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Murty VVN (1985) Land and water management, 4th edn. Oxford Publishers, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Nieuwenhuis HS, Schokking F (1997) Land subsidence in drained peat areas of the Province of Friesland, The Netherlands. Q J Eng Geol 30:37–48

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Northcote KH (1960) A factual key for the recognition of Australian soils, Divisional report no. 4/60. CSIRO Division of Soils, Melbourne

    Google Scholar 

  • Oldeman LR, Hakkeling RTA, Sombroek WG (1991) World map of the status of human-induced soil degradation: an explanatory note. ISRIC, Wageningen

    Google Scholar 

  • Oster JD, Shainberg I, Wood JD (1980) Flocculation value and gel structure of sodium/calcium montmorillonite and illite suspensions. Soil Sci Soc Am J 44:955–959

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Perini L, Ceccarelli T, Zitti M, Salvati L (2009) Insight desertification process: bio-physical and socio-economic drivers in Italy. Ital J Agrometeorol 3:45–55

    Google Scholar 

  • Pietola L, Horn R, Yli-Halla M (2005) Effects of trampling by cattle on the hydraulic and mechanical properties of soil. Soil Tillage Res 82:99–108

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Radford BJ, Yule DF, McGarry D, Playford C (2001) Crop responses to applied soil compaction and to compaction repair treatments. Soil Tillage Res 61:157–166

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Remley PA, Bradford JM (1989) Relationship of soil crust morphology to inter-rill erosion parameters. Soil Sci Soc Am J 53:1215–1221

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rojstaczer S, Deverel SJ (1995) Land subsidence in drained histosols and highly organic mineral soils of California. Soil Sci Soc Am J 59:1162–1167

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt J (2010) Effects of soil slaking and sealing on infiltration – experiments and model approach. In: 19th world congress of soil science, soil solutions for a changing world, Brisbane, 1–6 Aug 2010

    Google Scholar 

  • Schothorst CJ (1982) Drainage and behaviour of peat soils. In: de Bakker H, van den Berg MW (eds) Proceedings of the symposium on peat lands below sea level. International Institute for Land Reclamation and Improvement, Wageningen, pp 130–163

    Google Scholar 

  • Segeren WA, Smits H (1980) Drainage of newly reclaimed marine clayey sediments, peat soils, and acid sulphate soils. In: Drainage principles and applications, vol IV, Design and management of drainage systems. ILRI publication 16. ILRI, Wageningen

    Google Scholar 

  • Simojoki A, Jaakkola A, Alakukku L (1991) Effect of compaction on soil air in a pot experiment and in the field. Soil Tillage Res 19:175–186

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Soane B, van Ouwerkerk C (1995) Implications of soil compaction in crop production for the quality of the environment. Soil Tillage Res 35:5–22

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Soane BD, Dickson JW, Campbell DJ (1982) Compaction by agricultural vehicles: a review. III. Incidence and control of compaction in crop production. Soil Tillage Res 2:2–36

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stephens JC, Allen JH Jr, Chen E (1984) Organic soil subsidence. Geol Soc Am Rev Eng Geol 6:107–122

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • UNCCD (United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification) (1994) United Nations convention to combat desertification in those countries experiencing serious drought and/or desertification particularly in Africa: text with annexes. UNEP, Nairobi

    Google Scholar 

  • Van den Akker JJH, Schjonning P (2004) Subsoil compaction and ways to prevent it. In: Schjønning P, Elmholt S, Christensen BT (eds) Managing soil quality: challenges in modern agriculture. CAB International, Wallingford, Oxon, UK

    Google Scholar 

  • Wosten JHM, Ismail AB, van Wijk ALM (1997) Peat subsidence and its practical implications: a case study in Malaysia. Geoderma 78:25–36

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zejun T, Tingwu L, Qingwen Z, Jun Z (2002) The sealing process and crust formation at soil surface under the impacts of raindrops and polyacrylamide. In: Proceedings of the 12th ISCO conference, Beijing

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Soil Science, University of Chittagong, Chittagong, Bangladesh

    Khan Towhid Osman

Authors
  1. Khan Towhid Osman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2014 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Osman, K.T. (2014). Physical Deterioration of Soil. In: Soil Degradation, Conservation and Remediation. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-7590-9_2

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation