Sustaining Soil Productivity in Response to Global Climate Change

The critical role of the soil system in influencing ecosystem processes at the local, national and global scale is increasingly appreciated by policy makers and earth scientists, as growing demands for food and biofuel production put intense pressure on soil resources. Global climate change has the potential to sharply accelerate soil degradation, making maintaining and enhancing soil productivity a high priority for developing food security policies. These strategies must be crafted holistically to ensure that short-term supplies can be met without sacrificing long-term degradation of soil resources due to erosion, pollution, and physical and chemical deterioration. Sustaining Soil Productivity in Response to Global Climate Change: Science, Policy, and Ethics is a multi-disciplinary volume exploring the ethical, political and social issues surrounding the stewardship of our vital soil resources. Based on topics presented by an international group of experts at a conference convened through support of the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, chapters include scientific studies on carbon sequestration, ecosystem services, maintaining soil fertility, and the effects of greenhouse gas emissions, as well as ethical issues ranging from allocation of land use to policies needed for climate change adaptation and mitigation. Bringing together the latest research in soil science and climatology, Sustaining Soil Productivity in Response to Global Climate Change is a valuable resource for soil and plant scientists, agronomists and environmental scientists, as well as agricultural and natural resources engineers and economists, environmental policy makers and conservationists. Key Features: Written by an international group of authors representing a cross-section of scientists, thought leaders, and policy-makers Includes chapters on the potential effects of climate change on forest soil carbon, microbial function, and the role of soils and biogeochemistry in the climate and earth system Explores historical development of land use ethics and stewardship