Drivers of Long-Term Land-Use Pressure in the Merguellil Wadi, Tunisia, Using DPSIR Approach and Remote Sensing

Increasing land use pressure is a primary force for degradation of agricultural areas. The drivers for these pressures are initiated by a series of interconnected processes. This study presents a novel methodology to analyze drivers of changing land use pressure and the effects on society and landscape. The focus was on characterizing these drivers and relate them to land use statistics obtained from geospatial data from the important semiarid Merguellil Wadi between 1976 and 2016. Cause-and-effect relationships between different drivers of land use change were analyzed using the DPSIR approach. Results show that during the 40-year period cultivated land increased and wetland areas decreased substantially. Drivers for change were pressure from economic development, cultivation practices, and hydro-agricultural techniques. This leads to stress on water and soil resulting in soil erosion, poverty increase, and rural exodus. We show that hydro-agricultural techniques adapted to the semiarid climate, allocation of land property rights, resource allocation, and improved marketing of agricultural products can help rural residents to diversify their economy, and thus better preserve the fragile semiarid landscape. Results of this study can be used to ensure sustainable management of water and soil resources in areas with similar climate and socio-economic conditions.

Optimization of Sustainable Land Use Management in Water Source Area Using Water Quality Dynamic Monitoring Model

Land use management is the primary source of resource planning, and the management part of the sustainable ecosystem of water and soil resources is an important evidence for the sustainable development of the economic and social system. This is guided by the concept of sustainable development, and on the basis of the accumulation of relevant research practices and outcomes at home and abroad, water and land based systems are a research object and study the status of water and soil resource utilization, the state of water and soil coupling, and the supply and demand status of water resources. A balance analysis was carried out, and the gray linear programming model was used to optimize the allocation of land resources using the water quality dynamic monitoring model, which achieved the best coupling of water and soil resources and the greatest benefit. In this paper, aiming at the two types of problems in comprehensive water quality evaluation, namely, aiming at indifference and spatiotemporal changes, this article explores a powerful calculation method based on variable identification models and compiles a GIS geostatistical model (it is a computer-based tool that can draw and analyze ground objects; event GIS technology integrates seamless visual effects between map and local analysis services and general data processing services) to perform spatial analysis and visual expression of the evaluation results, in-depth analysis of the connotation, and theory and optimal allocation model of land resources optimal allocation. On the basis of the conceptual framework of the best share of land sources, the theories that should follow in the best share of land sources are discussed, and the available models and their characteristics are analyzed and compared. Experimental results show that, in the data provided by the analysis of water supply and demand balance at the annual spring system site by constructing an energy monitoring model, the water supply conditions of different water sources are rough, but the data of this study shows that the water shortage rate has reached 25%. In addition, the article explains the setting variables for the optimal allocation of land resources in water sources and compares and analyzes the optimization and planning of land resources in water sources.

Application of Soil Washing and Thermal Desorption for Sustainable Remediation and Reuse of Remediated Soil

Global governance of soil resources as well as revitalizations and remediation of degraded areas seem to be necessary actions for sustainable development. A great deal of effort has gone into developing remediation technologies to remove or reduce the impact of these contaminants in the environment. However, contaminated soil remediations in stringent conditions deteriorate soil properties and functions and create the need for efficient soil revitalization measures. Soil washing (SW) and thermal desorption (TD) are commonly used to remediate contaminated soil and can significantly reduce the contaminant, sometimes to safe levels where reuse can be considered; however, the effects of treatment on soil quality must be understood in order to support redevelopment after remediation. In this review, we discussed the effects of SW and TD on soil properties, including subsequent soil quality and health. Furthermore, the importance of these techniques for remediation and reclamation strategies was discussed. Some restoration strategies were also proposed for the recovery of soil quality. In addition, remediated and revitalized soil can be reused for various purposes, which can be accepted as an implementation of sustainable remediation. This review concludes with an outlook of future research efforts that will further shift SW and TD toward sustainable remediation.

Water, Soil, and Plants Interactions in a Threatened Environment

The unprecedented pressure posed by a growing population on water resources generates a significant shortage between the available resources and water demand, which together with water scarcity, floods, and droughts, can affect the world population and various other consumers. On the other hand, soil resources, which represent an essential and complex environmental ecosystem, as a support for the biological cycle, source of nutrients, and water for cultivated and wild plants, forestry, etc., are a provider of raw materials, and are increasingly degrading due to unsustainable use. Since both soil and water are vital resources and support for growth and life of plants, their preservation and sustainable management have become an urgent issue for policy makers, governmental factors, academia, and stakeholders. An important question to be answered is what the disturbing factors of soil–plants–water cycles are and how their negative influence can be reduced, since they affect the quality of life and human health. This work proposes an overview on new research into the links between soil and water, and the interactions among soil, water, and plants in a changing and threatened environment, which can determine human welfare. The analysis addresses the global context of water and soil resources, factors that affect their equilibrium and dynamics, especially toxic pollutants such as heavy metals and others, and their mutual relationship with plant growth.

Potential of Biotechnology in Phytoremediation

The accumulation of toxic substances involving the inorganic and organic contaminants in the soil is a global problem. Status of the World's Soil Resources Report (SWSR) recognized soil pollution as one of the main reasons affecting global soils and the ecosystem services provided by them. However, transgenic approaches utilizing the biodegradation capabilities of microbes and mammals into plants pledge an efficient and eco-friendly approach to renewing the environment. An effective method of phytoremediation involves an enhanced rate of pollutant uptake by the plant, followed by the detoxification of the chemicals absorbed or translocated. It also involves the production of genetically modified herbicide-resistant plants for herbicide remediation and exploits the principles of biotechnology and molecular biology for the introduction and improvement of potentially superior genes into plants. This review discusses the various transgenic approaches involved in the phytoremediation of persistent organic pollutants, metals, metalloids, and explosives. Besides, it also focuses on the limitations of transgenics and provides an insight into the future potential of emerging biotechnological tools and techniques in this field.

Attitudes and Preferences towards Soil-Based Ecosystem Services: How Do They Vary across Space?

Soil ecosystem services (ES) provide multiple benefits to human well-being, but the failure to appreciate them has led to soil degradation issues across the globe. Despite an increasing interest in the threats to soil resources, economic valuation in this context is limited. Importantly, most of the existing valuation studies do not account for the spatial distribution of benefits that soil ES provide to the population. In this study, we present the results of a choice experiment (CE) aimed at investigating spatial heterogeneity of attitudes and preferences towards soil conservation and soil ES. We explored spatial heterogeneity of both attitudes and welfare measures via GIS techniques. We found that citizens of the Veneto Region (Northeast Italy) generally have positive attitudes towards soil conservation. We also find positive willingness-to-pay (WTP) values for soil ES in most of the study area and a considerable degree of heterogeneity in the spatial taste distribution. Finally, our results suggest that respondents with pro-environmental attitudes display a higher WTP based on the geographic pattern of the distribution of WTP values and attitudinal scores across the area.