Causes and effects of natural and man-made soil degradation in Bashkortostan - basic investigations for sustainable agricultural management strategies in semiarid regions

In the Republic of Bashkortostan (Southern Russia) land use in general and land use practices in particular have changed due to the transformation process after the breakup of the former Soviet Union. These developments are causing land degradation and soil erosion, subsequently leading to a dramatic loss of arable land and a reduction of land productivity. The project will investigate the natural and anthropogenic causes for land degradation and soil erosion. Further more, ecological, socio-economic and political factors influencing sustainable agriculture in the region will be examined. For this study existing Russian archives, results from field work as well as the analyses of remote sensing data will be used. Finally, guidelines and recommendations for soil conservation strategies will be developed. In addition, the existing data basis will be re-examined and adapted to international standards. The integration of data as well as their transfer to the public will be achieved by using GIS techniques.

In the Republic of Bashkortostan (Southern Russia) land use in general and land use practices in particular have changed due to the transformation process after the breakup of the former Soviet Union. These developments are causing land degradation and soil erosion, subsequently leading to a dramatic loss of arable land and a reduction of land productivity. The project will investigate the natural and anthropogenic causes for land degradation and soil erosion. Further more, ecological, socio-economic and political factors influencing sustainable agriculture in the region will be examined. For this study existing Russian archives, results from field work as well as the analyses of remote sensing data will be used. Finally, guidelines and recommendations for soil conservation strategies will be developed. In addition, the existing data basis will be re-examined and adapted to international standards. The integration of data as well as their transfer to the public will be achieved by using GIS technique.