Human Dimensions That Drive Soil Degradation - Principles of Sustainable Soil Management in Agroecosystems - page 167

7 Human Dimensions That

Drive Soil Degradation

Tomas M. Koontz, Vicki Garrett,
Respikius Martin, Caitlin Marquis,
Pranietha Mudliar, Tara Ritter, and Sarah Zwickle

CONTENTS
7.1 Human Dimensions ...................................................................................... 167
7.2 Systems Models of Human Dimensions That Drive Soil Degradation ........ 168
7.3 Forms of Soil Degradation and Land Management as Proximate Cause ..... 171
7.3.1 Lack of Investment in Conservation ................................................. 171
7.3.2 Intensification of Agricultural Management .................................... 172
7.3.3 Conversion of Land Cover ................................................................ 173
7.4 Factors Affecting Land Management Choices ............................................. 173
7.4.1 Population Growth and Urbanization ............................................... 173
7.4.2 Poverty and Access to Land and Credit............................................ 174
7.4.3 Globalization and Other Economic Forces....................................... 175
7.4.4 Government Policies ......................................................................... 177
7.4.5 Technology ........................................................................................ 178
7.4.6 Culture and Religion ......................................................................... 179
7.4.7 Psychological Factors in Land Manager Decision Making .............. 179
7.4.7.1 Social Risk Tolerances ....................................................... 180
7.4.7.2 Worldviews ......................................................................... 180
7.4.7.3 Rationality in Decision Making ......................................... 180
7.4.7.4 Heuristics in Decision Making .......................................... 181
7.4.7.5 Dual Processing ................................................................. 182
7.5 Conclusion .................................................................................................... 182
Abbreviations ......................................................................................................... 183
References .............................................................................................................. 184

7.1 HUMAN DIMENSIONS
The interconnection between human and natural systems is widely recognized. This
is no less true of agroecosystems and sustainable soil management. Soil is the founda-
tion for agricultural production and other ecological services that sustain human life,
so we can draw the causal arrow from soil conditions to human wellbeing (Stocking
2006). At the same time, human behaviors can greatly affect soil resources.

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