Soil degradation in Peninsula Valdes : causes, factors, processes, and assessment methods

In semiarid rangelands where the anthropogenic impact is currently increasing, as occurs in the rangelands of the Peninsula Valdes, the detrimental impacts of soil degradation on land resources became really dramatic. This chapter presents a review on the current knowledge of soil degradation in the Peninsula Valdes rangelands. Section 1 introduces the chapter, Sect. 2 focuses on soil degradation main processes, factors and causes, and Sect. 3 presents a review of soil degradation assessment methods and several soil degradation studies carried out since 1990 in the Peninsula Valdes region. Water and wind erosion are the degradation processes that are most strongly evidenced. Major causes of soil degradation are attributed to a combination of climatic and anthropic factors, with overgrazing being perceived to be a major factor. Four key causes associated with overgrazing in the Peninsula Valdes region rangelands are described: (1) Poor range management with respect to flock distribution and overstocking, (2) Limited access to information, (3) Top-down and largely ineffective government policy, and (4) Overdependence on grazing systems for sustained livelihoods. Assessment methods for assessing soil degradation include: expert judgment, remote sensing, productivity changes, field monitoring, pilot studies at farm level based on field criteria and expert opinion, and modeling.