SOILS, LAND-USE AND SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE - A REVIEW

Viewing soils in the full context of landscape ecology is imperative. Both land and its component soil resources are finite. The biological capability of the earth's ecosystems is limited, even though agricultu re productivity has been manipulated by genetic selection of plants, a djusting nutrient flows, managing water, and controlling pests. Howeve r, these interventions also have serious economic and environmental re percussions. Increasing populations require more space, more food, mor e fuels and more of other resources. For soil scientists, the challeng e is to (a) understand soil processes, (b) characterize and map soil r esources,and (c) predict soil behavior under a variety of potential us es in the interest of providing society and its governing institutions with options and trade-offs in land use decisions. Global and regiona l economic and agricultural productivity will depend solely on our abi lity to increase productivity by (a) making economic-agricultural deve lopment congruent with ecological and social-political realities, (b) proper use and conservation of indigenous genetic resources, and (c) r ehabilitating disturbed and degraded ecosystems. In this review, we as sess these considerations and suggest needed strategies.