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An underlying concern of this book is the impact of land use change on soil properties, largely focussing on the biological characteristics of soil microbial communities, soil organic matter and contamination in tropical and savannah ecosystems from Africa, Asia, and South America. One matter that is more implied, than explicitly addressed, is what can be done to make land managers more aware of the impacts of changing land use and the benefits of soil-building practices? The editors, from the out-set, draw attention to the fact that poor management can quickly degrade the soil that has taken many thousands of years to develop. The book itself does finally address this concern, in the closing chapter, with research areas that require further investment and enquiry, while the central chapters provide good evidence for the impact of land use change on areas that previously have lacked intensive study. Each chapter concludes with the significance of the work and an assertion that without such work the management of these environments will not be sustainable. |
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