Sustainability of Natural Resources: What Happens if They Are “Missing”?

Németh, Tamás – Várallyay, György

Keywords: natural resource, multifunctional soil, soil degradation processes, extreme hydrological events, sustainable soil management

Soil is a conditionally renewable, multifunctional natural resource. It has a unique property, resilience: if the conditions of its renewal are assured then soil can satisfy – to a certain extent – its functions for a long period. In such situations soil does not disappear and does not lose irreversibly its multifunctionality, including fertility. Consequently, soil does not represent an unavoidable limit for sustainability (sustainable development). The most important conditions of this renewal and the tasks of sustainable agricultural development are as follows:
• Rational land use: coordination of the land-site characteristics and the ecological requirements of plants (adequate land use, cropping pattern and agrotechnics).
• Control (prevention, reduction and moderation) of various soil degradation processes.
• Recycling of non-polluting production wastes.
• Helping infiltration and useful (available to pla ts) storage of water into and within the soil, decreasing water losses (surface run-off, evaporation and deep filtration) and simultaneously reducing the risk of extreme hydrological events (fl ood, waterlogging and over-moistening vs. drought).
• Rational plant nutrient management (according to the natural conditions and nutrient requirement of crops).
• Prevention and control of soil pollution; remediation of polluted sites.
The fundamental objective of these activities is the proper (effective and efficient) control of the energy and substance regimes of the “geological strata – water – soil – plant – near surface atmosphere” continuum. This is the main goal of sustainable land/ soil management.
In cases of missing, neglecting, under-estimated or not properly executed control measures, soil may “disappear” or be irreversibly damaged, or it can lose, totally or partly, its multifunctionality, fertility or productivity. In such cases we can see: “What happens if they are missing?”! To avoid such painful experiences, all efforts have to be taken to use soil resilience (this unique renewal ability) and ensure the conditions of agricultural sustainability (land use and soil management) at each decision-making level. It must be the priority of the whole of society!

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