REVERSING LAND DEGRADATION THROUGH GRASSES: A SYSTEMATIC META- ANALYSIS IN THE INDIAN TROPICS

Abstract

ALTHOUGH INTENSIVE AGRICULTURE IS NECESSARY TO SUSTAIN WORLD'S GROWING POPULATION , ACCELERATED SOIL EROSION CONTRIBUTES TO A DECREASE IN THE ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH OF ECOSYSTEMS AT LOCAL , REGIONAL AND GLOBAL SCALE . REVERSING THE PROCESS OF LAND DEGRADATION USING VEGETATIVE MEASURES IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE IN THESE ECOSYSTEMS . THE PRESENT STUDY CRITICALLY ANALYSES THE EFFECT OF GRASSES IN REVERSING THE PROCESS OR LAND DEGRADATION USING A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW. THE COLLECTED INFORMATION WAS SEGREGATED UNDER THREE DIFFERENT LAND USE AND LAND MANAGEMENT SITUATION . META- ANALYSIS WAS APPLIED TO TEST THE HYPOTHESIS THAT THE USE OF GRASSES REDUCES RUNOFF AND SOIL EROSION. THE EFFECT OF GRASSES WAS DEDUCED FRO GRASS STRIPO AND IN COMBINATION WITH PHYSICAL STRUCTURES SIMILARLY, THE EFFECTS OF GRASSES WERE ANALYSED IN DEGRADED PASTURE LANDS. THE OVERALL RESULT OF THE META- ANALYSIS SHOWED THAT INFILTRATION CAPACITY INCREASED APPROXIMATELY 2- FOLD AFTER PLANTING GRASSES ACROSS THE SLOPES OF AGRICULTURAL FIELDS.