Soil Erosion in Britain: Updating the Record
Concern about soil erosion on arable land in Britain dates back at least 40 years. Monitoring schemes and case studies have subsequently identified the areas at risk, the rates and frequencies and the major factors responsible for erosion. Initial concern focused on impacts on the farm and therefore...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2013-08-01
|
| Series: | Agriculture |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/3/3/418 |
| _version_ | 1818434927812673536 |
|---|---|
| author | John Boardman |
| author_facet | John Boardman |
| author_sort | John Boardman |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Concern about soil erosion on arable land in Britain dates back at least 40 years. Monitoring schemes and case studies have subsequently identified the areas at risk, the rates and frequencies and the major factors responsible for erosion. Initial concern focused on impacts on the farm and therefore on food production. Latterly the emphasis has shifted to off-farm impacts particularly reservoir sedimentation, muddy flooding of properties and the ecological damage to watercourses due to nutrient enrichment, pesticides and damage to fish spawning grounds from fine-sediment inputs. The shift has therefore been to concerns about a healthy and sustainable environment which includes soils. Government agencies, the water companies and the farming industry have lagged behind scientific studies in recognising and addressing erosion problems. Attempts at mitigation are now largely driven by the need to comply with the EU Water Framework Directive whereby watercourses must reach “good status” by 2015. Future changes in land use and climate will offer further challenges in terms of effective monitoring and compliance. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T16:44:46Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-69fe7d9edcb94935bb7ab56cf548c95a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0472 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T16:44:46Z |
| publishDate | 2013-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Agriculture |
| spelling | doaj.art-69fe7d9edcb94935bb7ab56cf548c95a2022-12-21T22:54:13ZengMDPI AGAgriculture2077-04722013-08-013341844210.3390/agriculture3030418Soil Erosion in Britain: Updating the RecordJohn BoardmanConcern about soil erosion on arable land in Britain dates back at least 40 years. Monitoring schemes and case studies have subsequently identified the areas at risk, the rates and frequencies and the major factors responsible for erosion. Initial concern focused on impacts on the farm and therefore on food production. Latterly the emphasis has shifted to off-farm impacts particularly reservoir sedimentation, muddy flooding of properties and the ecological damage to watercourses due to nutrient enrichment, pesticides and damage to fish spawning grounds from fine-sediment inputs. The shift has therefore been to concerns about a healthy and sustainable environment which includes soils. Government agencies, the water companies and the farming industry have lagged behind scientific studies in recognising and addressing erosion problems. Attempts at mitigation are now largely driven by the need to comply with the EU Water Framework Directive whereby watercourses must reach “good status” by 2015. Future changes in land use and climate will offer further challenges in terms of effective monitoring and compliance.http://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/3/3/418soil erosionBritainon-site impactsoff-site impactswatercoursespollution |
| spellingShingle | John Boardman Soil Erosion in Britain: Updating the Record Agriculture soil erosion Britain on-site impacts off-site impacts watercourses pollution |
| title | Soil Erosion in Britain: Updating the Record |
| title_full | Soil Erosion in Britain: Updating the Record |
| title_fullStr | Soil Erosion in Britain: Updating the Record |
| title_full_unstemmed | Soil Erosion in Britain: Updating the Record |
| title_short | Soil Erosion in Britain: Updating the Record |
| title_sort | soil erosion in britain updating the record |
| topic | soil erosion Britain on-site impacts off-site impacts watercourses pollution |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/3/3/418 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT johnboardman soilerosioninbritainupdatingtherecord |