The role of soil surface crusting in desertification and strategies to reduce crusting

Soil crusting decreases infiltration, increases erosion, and impedes vegetation establishment, so reducing the impact of crusting is of major importance in combating desertification. Although surface crusting has been the subject of considerable research over the past 50 years or more, the practical...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental monitoring and assessment 2004-12, Vol.99 (1-3), p.149-159
Main Authors: FOX, D. M, BRYAN, R. B, PRICE, A. G
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Arid zones
Community action
Conservation of Natural Resources - methods
Desert Climate
Desertification
Earth sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics
Environmental monitoring
Exact sciences and technology
Marine and continental quaternary
Permeability
Plant Development
Pollution, environment geology
Porosity
Rain
Soil
Soil aggregates
Soil crusting
Soil management
Soil stability
Soil surfaces
Surficial geology
Vegetation establishment
Water - chemistry
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Summary:Soil crusting decreases infiltration, increases erosion, and impedes vegetation establishment, so reducing the impact of crusting is of major importance in combating desertification. Although surface crusting has been the subject of considerable research over the past 50 years or more, the practical management of soil crusts remains a challenge for many dryland communities. Crusting occurs in two steps, an initial aggregate breakdown period that occurs under rainfall and a subsequent hardening phase during drying. Several factors influence crust development, but the single most important one is soil aggregate stability. Strategies to reduce crusting can be based either on protecting the surface from raindrop impact or improving aggregate stability, or a combination of both. However, crust control is labor and/or capital intensive and must be thought out clearly in terms of the benefits to be achieved.
ISSN:0167-6369
1573-2959
DOI:10.1007/s10661-004-4015-5