Mapping socio-environmental pressures to assess Portuguese soil vulnerability

• DOI: 10.1016/j.apgeog.2023.103103
• Publication Date: 2023-10-13T10:59:57Z
• Authors: Concha Cano-Díaz; Romy Zeiss; Claudia Carvalho-...; Rui P. Carvalho; Sofia R. Costa; A. Carolina Duarte; Paulo Fernandes; Carlos A. Guerra
• Keywords: Desertification; Soil functions; Sustainable land management; Soil Quality; Dryland salinity; Vulnerability

Soil degradation has concerning impacts on ecosystem functions and biodiversity, decreasing essential processes such as food production or sustaining water quality. We studied eight soil threats to assess processes: hydrogeological risks, sealing, salinization, desertification, contamination, compaction, erosion decline in organic matter. A knowledge-based methodology was used measure the importance of 15 anthropogenic environmental variables, with top weights availability (0.11), rate land use change (0.09) agricultural practices (0.09). Variables were combined into one additive model per threat its distribution Portugal. Merged vulnerability maps provided a spatial representation aggregated vulnerability, find 58% moderate vulnerable soils where multiple coexist are key for future management changes, 32% low reduced levels threats, temperature precipitation main drivers 10% highly soils, which encompasses populated urban areas rural civil parishes, contamination high rates turnover drivers. Our can be make informed decisions establish strategic policies sustainable land.