Bücher von Rattan Lal

This book will collate, review and synthesize information on how Organic Agriculture (OA) practices affect and are affected by climate change, in comparison to the more widely used conventional agricultural practices. Pros and cons of OA practices will be discussed separately for croplands, pasture lands, mixed livestock cropping systems, vegetable fields, fruit and tree orchards, and vineyards. The book concludes with an overview on how conventional and OA practices can be prudently and discriminately combined to identify and adopt climate-resilient agro-ecosystems under site-specific conditions.

Sustainable management of soils is an important global issue of the 21st century. Feeding roughly 8 billion people with an environmentally sustainable production system is a major challenge, especially considering the fact that 10% of the world's population at risk of hunger and 25% at risk of malnutrition. Accordingly, the 68th United Nations (UN) general assembly declared 2016 the "e;International Year of Pulses"e; to raise awareness and to celebrate the role of pulses in human nutrition and welfare. Likewise, the assembly declared the year 2015 as the "e;International Year of Soils"e; to promote awareness of the role of "e;healthy soils for a healthy life"e; and the International Union of Soil Science (IUSS) has declared 2015-2024 as the International Decade of Soils. Including legumes in cropping systems is an important toward advancing soil sustainability, food and nutritional security without compromising soil quality or its production potential. Several textbooks and edited volumes are currently available on general soil fertility or on legumes but to date none have been dedicated to the study of "e;Legumes for Soil Health and Sustainable Management"e;. This is important aspect, as the soil, the epidermis of the Earth (geoderma) is the major component of the terrestrial biosphere. This book explores the impacts of legumes on soil health and sustainability, structure and functioning of agro-ecosystems, agronomic productivity and food security, BNF, microbial transformation of soil N and P, plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria, biofertilizers, etc. With the advent of fertilizers, legumes have been sidelined since World War II, which has produced serious consequences for soils and the environment alike. Therefore, legume-based rational cropping/soil management practices must support environmentally and economically sustain-able agroecosystems based on (sequential) rotation and intercropping considerations to restore soil health and sustainability. All chapters are amply illustrated with appropriately placed data, tables, figures, and photographs, and supported with extensive and cutting-edge references. The editors have provided a roadmap for the sustainable development of legumes for food and nutritional security and soil sustainability in agricultural systems, offering a unique resource for teachers, researchers, and policymakers, as well as undergraduate and graduate students of soil science, agronomy, ecology, and the environmental sciences.

Written by world-renowned experts, this book is a ready references and data source for soil scientists and professionals in related fields.

Principles of Soil Physics examines the impact of the physical, mechanical, and hydrological properties and processes of soil on agricultural production, the environment, and sustainable use of natural resources. The text incorporates valuable assessment methods, graphs, problem sets, and tables from recent studies performed around the globe and offers an abundance of tables, photographs, and easy-to-follow equations in every chapter.The book discusses the consequences of soil degradation, such as erosion, inhibited root development, and poor aeration. It begins by defining soil physics, soil mechanics, textural properties, and packing arrangements . The text continues to discuss the theoretical and practical aspects of soil structure and explain the significance and measurement of bulk density, porosity, and compaction. The authors proceed to clarify soil hydrology topics including hydrologic cycle, water movement, infiltration, modeling, soil evaporation, and solute transport processes. They address the impact of soil temperature on crop growth, soil aeration, and the processes that lead to the emission of greenhouse gases. The final chapters examine the physical properties of gravelly soils and water movement in frozen, saline, and water-repellant soils.Reader-friendly and up-to-date, Principles of Soil Physics provides unparalleled coverage of issues related to soil physics, structure, hydrology, aeration, temperature, and analysis and presents practical techniques for maintaining soil quality to ultimately preserve its sustainability.

A comprehensive book on basic processes of soil C dynamics and the underlying factors and causes which determine the technical and economic potential of soil C sequestration.

A comprehensive book on basic processes of soil C dynamics and the underlying factors and causes which determine the technical and economic potential of soil C sequestration.

Carbon Sequestration in Forest Ecosystems is a comprehensive book describing the basic processes of carbon dynamics in forest ecosystems, their contribution to carbon sequestration and implications for mitigating abrupt climate change.

This book provides an understanding of the role of human activities in accelerating change in global carbon cycling summarizes current knowledge of the contemporary carbon budget.

"Principles of Soil Management and Conservation" comprehensively reviews the state-of-knowledge on soil erosion and management.

This book offers a clear and concise analysis of the global budget of nitrous oxide and the factors controlling its emission. It also describes the anthropogenic sources of nitrous oxide with major emphasis on agricultural activities.

Studying the impact of the physical and hydrological properties and processes of soil on agricultural production, the environment, and sustainable use of natural resources, this book covers issues related to soil physics, structure, hydrology, aeration, temperature, and analysis.

Covers soil C pools in different ecoregions, the impact of natural and anthropogenic disturbances on soil C pool, the method of assessment of C, other properties of soils of the cold ecoregions, the fate of C in soils of the cold ecoregions, and research and development priorities.

Carbon Sequestration in Forest Ecosystems is a comprehensive book describing the basic processes of carbon dynamics in forest ecosystems, their contribution to carbon sequestration and implications for mitigating abrupt climate change.

Describes methods of assessment of soil degradation by different processes in relation to their impact on agronomic productivity and environmental quality; addresses the agronomic and economic impacts of soil degradation; and considers research and development priorities.

"Principles of Soil Management and Conservation" comprehensively reviews the state-of-knowledge on soil erosion and management.