Land Degradation Neutrality: Achieving SDG 15 by Forest Management

Description

This edited book covers all aspects of forest deforestation and degradation in detail and their link to land degradation. Poor natural resource management is often a contributory factor in the depletion of resources particularly like degradation of land which hinders the goals to achieve land degradation neutrality (LDN). Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target 15.3 states: “By 2030, combat desertification, restore degraded land and soil, including land affected by desertification, drought, and floods, and strive to achieve a land degradation-neutral world.” To achieve the set goals a comprehensive multidirectional approach is required involving policymakers, field functionaries, researchers, and above all educators. The book compiles the field experiences and wisdom of some of the best researchers and authors working in the field of land degradations for quite a long time. The objective of the book is to disseminate the status of land degradation, the importance of achieving land degradation and share success stories of reclaiming Land degradation, and suggests means and ways of achieving land degradation neutrality. This book act as a repository of knowledge on Land degradation neutrality for students, researchers and practitioners, and policy planners.  Preface Contents Editors and Contributors 1: Forest Resources of the World: Present Status and Future Prospects 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Global Forest Resources: Current Status and Trends of World´s Forests 1.3 Global Forest Goals and Targets (GFGT): Perspective Future Scenarios for Forest Management 1.4 Conservation and Sustainable Use of Forests and Forest Resources 1.5 Major Threats to the Global Forest Resources 1.6 Forest Governance and Conservation Strategies 1.7 Recommendations for Sustainability in Forest Resource 1.8 Conclusion References Untitled 2: Effect of Deforestation and Forest Fragmentation on Ecosystem Services 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Forest: A Global Context 2.3 Forest Ecosystem Services 2.4 Forest Fragmentation in the Tropics 2.5 Deforestation: Global Overviews 2.6 Deforestation Impacts on Ecosystem Services 2.7 Managing Forest to Intensify Ecosystem Services 2.8 Policies and Future Roadmap 2.9 Conclusion References 3: Impact of Deforestation on Faunal Diversity and Its Management Strategies 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Deforestation: A World Scenario 3.3 Faunal Diversity in Tropical Forest 3.4 Environmental Services Through Faunal Diversity 3.5 Forest and Fauna: An Intrinsic Relationship 3.6 Deforestation Impacts on Faunal Biodiversity 3.7 Forest Management for Faunal Ecological Services 3.8 Policies and Future Thrust 3.9 Conclusion References 4: Drivers of Deforestation, Forest Degradation, and Management Responses in Ghana 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Methodology 4.3 Results and Discussion 4.3.1 Parochial Interests with Little or No Consideration of Ecosystem Value 4.3.2 Limited Participatory Avenues in the Economy 4.3.3 Trade and Dependency Syndrome with ``Market Failure´´ 4.3.4 Dearth of Knowledge (Data and Information) 4.3.5 Culture 4.4 Drivers of Sustainable Land Management Responses 4.4.1 International Initiatives with Voluntary Compliance 4.4.2 Public Opinion 4.4.3 Culture 4.4.4 Direct Government Participation 4.5 Conclusion References 5: Forest Degradation in Nigeria: Case Study of Rugu Forest Reserve, Katsina State 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Study Area 5.3 Materials and Methods 5.4 Results and Discussion 5.4.1 Demographic Characteristics of the Respondents 5.5 Nature and Composition of the Rugu Forest 5.6 Forest Degradation of the Rugu Forest Reserve 5.6.1 Fuelwood Collection 5.6.2 Encroachment for Farming Activities 5.6.3 Insecurity Facing the LGA 5.6.4 Inadequate Protection and Conservation 5.6.5 Declaring the Forest Reserve as a Grazing Reserve 5.7 Measures Adopted to Improve the Forest Reserve 5.8 Recommendations 5.9 Conclusion References 6: Deforestation and Degradation in the Mangrove Ecosystem: Implication on Environment and Livelihoods 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Deforestation and Degradation in the Mangrove Ecosystem 6.2.1 Mangrove Deforestation Through Human Influence 6.2.1.1 Aquaculture 6.2.1.2 Urban Development and Expansion 6.2.1.3 Agriculture 6.2.1.4 Wood Products and Building Material 6.2.1.5 Other Drivers of Mangrove Deforestation and Degradation 6.2.2 Mangrove Degradation Due to Climate Change 6.2.3 Mangrove Degradation Through Natural Disasters 6.3 Implication on Environment and Livelihoods/Treats and Environmental Impacts 6.4 Conclusion References Untitled 7: Assessing Land Degradation Using SDG 15.3.1 Indicators: Case Study from Climate-Vulnerable Assam State of India 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Study Site 7.3 Materials and Methods 7.3.1 About Data 7.3.2 Methodology 7.3.2.1 Workflow 7.4 Results and Discussion 7.5 Conclusion References 8: Benefit and Risk Analysis of a Novel Nomadic Practice in Northeast China 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Study Site Description, Data Acquisition, and Interviewing Methods 8.2.1 Study Site Description 8.2.2 Questionnaire Survey and In-Depth Interview Data 8.2.3 Estimation of Economic, Social, and Ecological-Environmental Benefits 8.2.4 Advantage of Novel Nomadism Compared With Other Straw Utilization Methods 8.2.5 Data Analysis 8.3 Results 8.3.1 Characteristics of Novel Nomadism 8.3.2 Nomadic Data Statistics from Interviews 8.3.3 Temporal Changes of Nomadic Practices and Associations With Climates and Pasture Productivity 8.3.4 Novel Nomadic Benefits: Economic, Social, and Environmental-Ecological Distribution 8.3.5 RDA Ordination: Factors Responsible for Interfamily Variations 8.3.6 Risk and Difficulties for Herdsmen Nomadism 8.4 Discussion 8.4.1 Novel Nomadism: A More Efficient, Down-to-Top Volunteered Way for Straw Waste Utilization 8.4.2 Driven by Drought Climates With More Than Sixfold Higher Total Benefits Than Herdsmen´s Incomes 8.4.3 Risk Control Suggestions 8.4.4 Implications 8.5 Conclusion References 9: Soil Degradation: Causes, Consequences, and Analytical Tools 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Soil as a Resource: Conceptualization Under the Circular Economy Principles 9.3 Soil in the Context of Circular Economy 9.3.1 Factors of Degradation: Conceptualization under the Circular Economy Principles 9.3.1.1 Soil Chemical Pollution and Impacts on Soil Organisms 9.3.1.2 Impacts of Microplastics 9.3.1.3 Impacts of Mining Operations 9.3.2 Understanding Dynamics of Land Degradation Due to Chemicals 9.3.3 Analytical Tools for Land Degradation Assessment 9.4 Cost-Benefit Analysis 9.5 Multicriteria Analysis 9.6 Land Degradation and Environmental Economic Accounting 9.7 Environmental Valuation and Land Degradation 9.8 Environment Management Tools and Other Models for Land Degradation Analysis 9.9 Other Approaches to Reduce Land Degradation: Operating Within Biophysical Realities 9.9.1 Indigenous Approaches 9.9.2 Land Use Planning Within Biophysical Constraints 9.10 Global Frameworks and Applications 9.11 Conclusions References 10: Accountability of Woody Plants for Restoring Degraded Forest Landscapes and Provision for Ecosystem Services: An Overview 10.1 Introduction 10.2 Global Forest Cover and Ecosystem Services Provided by Woody Plants from Forest Landscapes 10.2.1 Status and Recent Trends in Forest Area 10.2.2 Status and Current Trends of Forest Degradation 10.3 Valuation of Forest Ecosystem Services: A Paradigm for Restoring Degraded Forest Landscape 10.3.1 Methods for the Quantification of Forest Ecosystem Goods and Services 10.4 Accounting Forest Ecosystem Services in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 10.5 Multifunctionality of Forest Ecosystems for Conservation and Management of Ecosystem Services 10.6 Conclusion References 11: Ecological Restoration of Degraded Forests for Achieving Land Degradation Neutrality 11.1 Introduction: Ecosystem and Land Degradation Causes and Consequences 11.2 Land Degradation Neutrality and Forests 11.3 Forest Restoration for Achieving LDN 11.4 Approaches to Restoring Degraded Forests 11.4.1 Natural Regeneration 11.4.2 Reforestation and Afforestation 11.4.3 Enrichment Planting 11.4.4 Agroforestry 11.4.5 Conservation and Protected Areas 11.4.6 Protection of Wildlife Corridors 11.4.7 Invasive Species Management 11.4.8 Forest Management 11.4.9 Landscape Considerations for Effective Forest Restoration 11.5 UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration 2021-2030 and Funding to Support Restoration References 12: Tree Plantation: A Silver Bullet to Achieve Carbon Neutrality? 12.1 Introduction 12.2 Plantations: An Overview 12.3 Tree Plantations and Carbon Sequestration 12.4 Effects of Management Practices on Carbon Sequestration 12.4.1 Species Planted 12.4.2 Spacing 12.4.3 Site Preparation 12.4.4 Age 12.4.5 Rotation Length 12.4.6 Thinning Intensity 12.4.7 Fate of the Products 12.5 Caveats in Tree Planting 12.5.1 Inappropriate Land Selection 12.5.2 Loss of Diversity 12.5.3 Potential Invasion 12.5.4 Species Incompatibility 12.5.5 Disruption of the Hydrological Balance 12.5.6 Soil Nutrient Depletion 12.5.7 Lack of Maintenance and Monitoring 12.5.8 Sociocultural Conflicts 12.5.9 Ecological Uncertainties 12.6 Future Directions 12.6.1 Setting Realistic Targets as per Land Availability 12.6.2 Appropriate Species Choice 12.6.3 Risk Assessments 12.6.4 Ecological Monitoring 12.6.5 Encouraging Community Participation 12.6.6 Integrative Approach from Collaborative Research 12.7 Conclusion References 13: Role of Protected Area in Conservation and Sustainable Management of Biodiversity: An Indian Perspective 13.1 Introduction 13.1.1 Category Ia (Strict Nature Reserve, SNR) 13.1.2 Category Ib (Wilderness Area) 13.1.3 Category II (National Park) 13.1.4 Category III (Natural Monument) 13.1.5 Category IV (Habitat/Species Management) 13.1.6 Category V (Protected Landscape/Seascape) 13.1.7 Category VI (PA with Sustainable Use of Natural Resources) 13.2 Protected Area Network (PAN) of India and Its Present Status 13.3 Roles of PAS in the Conservation of Biodiversity 13.4 Problems in Protected Area Network (PAN) of India 13.5 Protected Area Management and Maintenance in India 13.5.1 Forest Act 1927 13.5.2 Wildlife (Protection) Act 1972 (WLPA) and Wildlife (Protection) Amendment Act 2006 13.5.3 Forest (Conservation) Act 1980 13.5.4 Environment Protection Act 1986 13.5.5 National Forest Policy 1988 13.5.6 National Biodiversity Act 2002 13.5.7 Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act 2006 13.6 Community Conservation Efforts Outside the Protected Area Network (PAN) 13.7 Land Degradation Neutrality 13.8 Future Research Prospects 13.9 Conclusions References 14: Structure, Pattern, and Composition of Riparian Vegetation in North-western Himalayas, India 14.1 Introduction 14.2 Study Area 14.3 Topography and Climate 14.4 Geology and Soils 14.5 Sampling Strategy 14.6 Results 14.6.1 Floristic Composition and Analysis 14.6.2 Forest Types 14.6.2.1 Subtype 9/C1: Himalayan Subtropical Pine Forest 14.6.2.2 Subtype 10/C1a: Dalbergia-Melia Scrub Forest 14.6.2.3 Subtype 12/C1a: Ban Oak Forest 14.6.2.4 Subtype 12/C1b: Moru Oak Forest 14.6.2.5 Subtype 12/C1c: Moist Deodar Forest 14.6.2.6 Subtype 12/C2: Upper West Himalayan Temperate Forest 14.6.2.7 Subtype 12/1S1: Alder Forest 14.6.2.8 Subtype 12/1S2: Riverine Blue Pine Forest 14.6.2.9 Subtype 12/2S1: Low-Level Bblue Pine Forest 14.6.2.10 Type 13/C4: West Himalayan High-Level Dry Blue Pine Forest 14.6.3 Species Composition and Richness 14.6.4 Raunkiaer´s Frequency and Vegetation Distribution 14.6.5 Distribution of Vegetation 14.6.6 Community Structure and Ecological Dominance of Vegetation 14.6.7 Major Tree Associations and Extent of Similarity (Hierarchical Cluster Analysis) 14.6.8 The Upland Forests (Left Bank) 14.6.9 Riparian Forests 14.6.10 The Upland Forests (Right Bank) 14.7 Conclusion References Untitled 15: Land Degradation Neutrality in Coastal India: Case of Mobius´ Strip Linking Pedodiversity and Biodiversity 15.1 Land Degradation Neutrality (LDN) 15.2 Achieving LDN 15.3 Soil Diversity 15.3.1 Soil Diversity in Coastal India: Konkan, Maharashtra 15.3.2 Soil Diversity: Its Quantification 15.3.2.1 Taxon Richness 15.3.2.2 Shannon Diversity 15.4 Konkan Biodiversity 15.4.1 Habitat Diversity 15.4.1.1 Mangrove Forests 15.4.1.2 Beach Forests 15.4.1.3 Coastal Plantations 15.4.1.4 Agro-Biodiversity 15.4.1.5 Floral and Faunal Biodiversity 15.5 Linking Pedodiversity and Biodiversity: A Mobius´ Strip 15.5.1 Soil Diversity and Pedodiversity 15.5.2 Soil Diversity and Biodiversity 15.6 LDN and Maintenance of Biodiversity and Pedodiversity References 16: Role of REDD+ in Reducing Land Degradation and Achieving SDGs 16.1 Introduction 16.2 REDD+ 16.3 REDD+ and SDG 16.4 Challenges and Recommendations 16.5 Conclusion References 17: Carbon Sequestration Acts as a Moderator for Soil Restoration of Degraded Coal Mined Lands: An Overview 17.1 Introduction 17.1.1 Mining Activities in India 17.1.2 Reclamation of Mined Lands 17.1.3 Properties of Mine Soils 17.2 Soil Organic Carbon Sequestration 17.3 SOC Accumulation in Mine Soils 17.4 Stabilization of SOC in Reclaimed Mine Soil 17.4.1 Factors Affecting the Development of SOC in Coal Mine Spoils 17.4.1.1 Vegetation Type 17.4.1.2 Root Biomass 17.4.1.3 Microbial Biomass 17.4.1.4 Litter Carbon 17.5 Management Activities to Enhance SOC Sequestration 17.5.1 Sewage Sludge or Biosolids 17.5.2 Organic Manure and Mulching 17.5.3 Biochar 17.5.4 Industrial Combustion By-Products 17.6 Conclusion and Future Recommendations References 18: Nature Conservation Effects on Forest Carbon Sequestration, Biodiversity of Plants, and Macrofungi: A Case Study in Centra... 18.1 Introduction 18.2 Materials and Methods 18.2.1 Experimental Design, Field Investigation and Data Collection 18.2.2 Species Diversity 18.2.3 Structural Traits 18.2.4 Dominant Species Abundance 18.2.5 Macrofungal Survey for Taxonomic and Functional Group 18.2.6 Aboveground Carbon Storage and Its Stability 18.3 Plant Species 18.3.1 Species Abundance 18.3.2 Plant Structural Characteristics 18.3.3 Plant Diversity Traits 18.4 Macrofungi Species 18.5 Carbon Stock and Stability 18.5.1 Carbon Sink Function Differences 18.5.2 Association Decoupling 18.6 Conclusion References 19: Urban Forest Resources: A Strategy for Achieving Land Degradation Neutrality 19.1 Introduction 19.2 Urban Forest Resources 19.3 Multifunction of Urban Forestry 19.4 Ecosystem Service of Urban Forest 19.4.1 Water Conservation and Runoff Reduction 19.4.2 Air Quality in Urban Area 19.4.3 Carbon Reduction by Urban Trees 19.4.4 Trees and Energy Conservation 19.4.5 Maintaining and Enhancing Wildlife Habitats and Corridors 19.4.6 Urban Forest Cover and Climate Change 19.4.7 Tree and Sustainable Cities 19.5 Impact of Deforestation on Urban Forest Cover 19.5.1 Factors Affecting Urban Vegetation Development 19.6 Prospects of Urban Forestry and Development 19.7 Management Aspects 19.8 Research and Development of Urban Forest Resources 19.9 Policies and Legal Framework 19.10 Future Thrust 19.11 Conclusion References 20: Soil Nitrogen Dynamics and Management in Agroforestry Systems for Ecological Sustainability 20.1 Introduction 20.2 Nutrient Cycling in Tree-Based Ecosystems 20.2.1 Geochemical Nutrient Cycling 20.2.1.1 Inputs Under Geochemical Nutrient Cycle 20.2.1.2 Outputs (Losses) Under Geochemical Nutrient Cycle 20.2.2 Biological Nutrient Cycling 20.3 Nitrogen Cycling in Agroforestry 20.4 Nitrogen Management in Agroforestry 20.4.1 Nitrogen Management Under Non-N-Fixing Trees-Based Agroforestry 20.4.2 Management under N-Fixing Trees-Based Agroforestry Systems 20.4.3 Sustainable Practices for N Management in Agroforestry Under Problematic Soils 20.5 Conclusion References 21: Land Degradation Neutrality for Achieving Climate Resilience in Agriculture 21.1 Introduction 21.1.1 The Concepts and Framework for Land Degradation Neutrality 21.1.2 The Concepts and Framework for Climate Resilience 21.2 LDN for Climate Resilience 21.3 Soil Organic Carbon for LDN and Climate Resilience 21.4 Smart Agriculture for LDN and Climate Resilience 21.5 LDN Toward SDGs 21.6 SWOTs of LDN 21.6.1 Strength 21.6.2 Weakness 21.6.3 Opportunities 21.6.4 Threats 21.7 Conclusion References 22: NTFP and Homegarden vis-à-vis Land Degradation Neutrality: Sustainable Livelihood and Development 22.1 Introduction 22.2 Land Degradation Neutrality 22.2.1 Soil Loss and Land Degradation 22.3 LDN for Sustainable Future: Land Use and Improvement 22.3.1 Drivers of Land Degradation 22.4 Capacity Building and Empowering Through Participation 22.5 Carbon Stock in Homegardens 22.6 Conclusion References 23: Indian Forests: Sustainable Uses and its Role in Livelihood Security 23.1 Introduction 23.2 Indian Forests and Forest Cover Change 23.3 Climate Change Impacts on Forests and Its Role in Climate Change Mitigation 23.4 Impact of Forest Products on Livelihood and Their Sustainable Uses 23.5 Policy Interventions for Sustainable Forest Management 23.6 Future Research Prospects and Recommendations 23.7 Conclusions References