Valuable information on a critical environmental problem
View(s):“Soil Erosion and Conservation: With Special Reference to Sri Lankan Dry Zone” written by Dr. P.B. Dharmasena and published by Cambridge Publishers provides valuable information on the most critical environmental problem related to land. Soil erosion is a serious global issue, affecting billions of people and undermining food security, livelihoods and the climate, with up to 40% of the world’s land already degraded.
The purpose of the book is to describe the severity of soil erosion and its influencing factors, and strategies to minimize soil erosion. Arresting soil erosion needs the advancement of knowledge and practical implications to provide location-specific recommendations. Such recommendations with specific reference to Sri Lanka make this book important for Sri Lankan readers. Conservation of soil resources is crucial for food security, environmental health, and sustainable land management, as soil erosion can lead to decreased crop yields, increase water pollution, and habitat losses. Conservation practices help maintain soil health and productivity. This book covers both theoretical and practical aspects of soil erosion and conservation.
The author, Dr. P.B. Dharmasena worked in the Department of Agriculture for around 30 years as a researcher on soil and water management, and carried out studies on erosion of Dry Zone soils and measures of addressing this problem. He extended his service over the last 20 years through various national and international organizations obtaining additional knowledge on this subject. He has published in many national and international publications, and served as a visiting lecturer at many local universities.
The book contains 11 chapters. The first provides a brief introduction to the Dry Zone including climate, soil and farming systems. Chapter Two is a review of soil erosion and conservation with special reference to the Dry Zone. The research studies conducted by the author and methodology is in Chapter Three, theoretical advancements made by the author in Chapter Four, analysis done on erosivity and erodibility in Chapter Five and impacts of soil erosion in Chapter Six.
Additionally, the book describes adaptable conservation strategies in Chapter Seven on the basis of various field experiments conducted by the author. Chapters Eight and Nine are devoted to conservation models developed based on the author’s field research data. Chapter Ten discusses the socio-economic aspects of soil conservation. Finally, Chapter Eleven summarises the content of the book with conclusions and recommendations.
This book will attract geographers, ecologists, hydrologists and soil conservationists due to the new information it contains. The book should be made available in all university and school libraries, especially in Asian countries.
More information and a summary of the book including the table of contents and first chapter could be downloaded by https://www.cambridgescholars.com/product/978-1-0364-1032-2 and by contacting the author: dharmasenapb@gmail.com
(The reviewer is Emeritus Professor, University of Peradeniya)
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