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INDEX - Indicators and thresholds for desertification, soil quality, and remediation
Project
Project code: 505450
Contract period: 01.01.2004
- 31.12.2006
Budget: 1,400,000 Euro
Purpose of research: Basic research
Land degradation (including desertification) is a paramount international problem, and indicators have been developed to follow it. Many are based on
(1) plant communities, or
(2) soil loss, or
(3) salinity. They tend to monitor the status quo over large time periods and are more suitable for crisis assessment than for risk prevention. They are also poorly suited for the sensitive monitoring of the success of remediation efforts. Last year the UN Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and other organisations have emphasised the continuing need for indicators. The mechanisms of land degradation are well known and have been the object of many EU studies. The prime goal of INDEX is to apply this knowledge to develop modern, rapid, sensitive, universal, multivariate indicators with which the dynamic state of land degradation as well as its remediation can be assessed.
Section overview
Subjects
- Agroecology
- Soil science
- Resource management
