Nature-based solutions for managing soil erosion and improving soil stability

Soil loss is a critical global challenge, degrading ecosystems and impacting the sustainability of human society. Human activities such as deforestation, construction and agriculture can drastically alter landscapes, increasing soil instability, such as erosion and shallow landslides, which can accelerate soil degradation. Climate change further exacerbates this trend by increasing the extent and frequency of rainfall erosion, which disrupts soil structure and stability.

Nature-based solutions (NBS) using vegetation provide effective approaches for mitigating soil instability caused by wind and water, as well as preventing shallow ground movements. Various plant elements play a crucial role in soil protection: for example, tree cover and leaf litter intercept raindrops, significantly reducing their kinetic energy before they reach the soil surface. Shrubs and herbaceous plants increase water infiltration by reducing the amount and rate of surface runoff, acting as natural barriers to control flow. In addition, roots increase soil cohesion by binding soil particles.

NBS are commonly applied in urban environments, but these principles can also be adapted to other environments, including agricultural and forestry environments. In agriculture and rural contexts, practices such as wild planting, shrub borders, and cover crops prevent erosion by slowing runoff, increasing infiltration, and binding soil particles. In the urban environment, green roofs and rain gardens mitigate the impact of stormwater by anchoring the soil, reducing runoff, and retaining soil along slopes and around infrastructure.

This research topic will present multidisciplinary research on the use of NBS to prevent soil erosion, improve soil stability and reduce the risks of shallow landslides. By cataloging diverse strategies, from laboratory experiments to field practices, the goal is to bridge the gap between experimental research and real-world application. We welcome original research, reviews and short research on the following topics.

NBS for soil stability and erosion control
• Practical applications of NBS in soil erosion reduction and soil stabilization in agricultural, forested and urban areas.
• Comparative studies of vegetation types (eg grasses, shrubs, trees) for their effectiveness in soil consolidation in different landscapes.
• Soil bioengineering techniques that use vegetation to improve soil cohesion and hydromechanical stability of the shallower soil layer.

Plant-soil interaction studies
• Investigations into root system characteristics (eg density, tensile strength, spatial distribution) and their influence on soil stability.
• Studies of root-soil interactions at scales from individual plants to ecosystem-level communities.

Multiscale approaches to vegetation-based soil stabilization
• Multi-scale studies evaluating the impact of vegetation on soil stability, from seedlings to watershed-level applications.
• Case studies of vegetation-based stabilization in varied environments such as hillsides, farmland and urban environments.

Methods of measuring and monitoring the effectiveness of the NBS
• Quantitative techniques for assessing the impact of NBS on soil stabilization, including remote sensing, GIS and hydromechanical assessments.
• Field monitoring using erosion pins, sediment traps and runoff plots to directly measure soil erosion rates and sediment displacement.
• Laboratory simulations and soil tests to assess the influence of vegetation on soil properties under controlled conditions.

Key words: Deforestation, soil erosion, landslide hazards, nature-based solutions, vegetation, shrubs, soil structure, soil stability, root structure, surface runoff

Important note: All contributions to this research topic must fall within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to refer an out-of-scope manuscript to a more appropriate section or journal at any stage of peer review.

Soil loss is a critical global challenge, degrading ecosystems and impacting the sustainability of human society. Human activities such as deforestation, construction and agriculture can drastically alter landscapes, increasing soil instability, such as erosion and shallow landslides, which can accelerate soil degradation. Climate change further exacerbates this trend by increasing the extent and frequency of rainfall erosion, which disrupts soil structure and stability.

Nature-based solutions (NBS) using vegetation provide effective approaches for mitigating soil instability caused by wind and water, as well as preventing shallow ground movements. Various plant elements play a crucial role in soil protection: for example, tree cover and leaf litter intercept raindrops, significantly reducing their kinetic energy before they reach the soil surface. Shrubs and herbaceous plants increase water infiltration by reducing the amount and rate of surface runoff, acting as natural barriers to control flow. In addition, roots increase soil cohesion by binding soil particles.

NBS are commonly applied in urban environments, but these principles can also be adapted to other environments, including agricultural and forestry environments. In agriculture and rural contexts, practices such as wild planting, shrub borders, and cover crops prevent erosion by slowing runoff, increasing infiltration, and binding soil particles. In the urban environment, green roofs and rain gardens mitigate the impact of stormwater by anchoring the soil, reducing runoff, and retaining soil along slopes and around infrastructure.

This research topic will present multidisciplinary research on the use of NBS to prevent soil erosion, improve soil stability and reduce the risks of shallow landslides. By cataloging diverse strategies, from laboratory experiments to field practices, the goal is to bridge the gap between experimental research and real-world application. We welcome original research, reviews and short research on the following topics.

NBS for soil stability and erosion control
• Practical applications of NBS in soil erosion reduction and soil stabilization in agricultural, forested and urban areas.
• Comparative studies of vegetation types (eg grasses, shrubs, trees) for their effectiveness in soil consolidation in different landscapes.
• Soil bioengineering techniques that use vegetation to improve soil cohesion and hydromechanical stability of the shallower soil layer.

Plant-soil interaction studies
• Investigations into root system characteristics (eg density, tensile strength, spatial distribution) and their influence on soil stability.
• Studies of root-soil interactions at scales from individual plants to ecosystem-level communities.

Multiscale approaches to vegetation-based soil stabilization
• Multi-scale studies evaluating the impact of vegetation on soil stability, from seedlings to watershed-level applications.
• Case studies of vegetation-based stabilization in varied environments such as hillsides, farmland and urban environments.

Methods of measuring and monitoring the effectiveness of the NBS
• Quantitative techniques for assessing the impact of NBS on soil stabilization, including remote sensing, GIS and hydromechanical assessments.
• Field monitoring using erosion pins, sediment traps and runoff plots to directly measure soil erosion rates and sediment displacement.
• Laboratory simulations and soil tests to assess the influence of vegetation on soil properties under controlled conditions.

Key words: Deforestation, soil erosion, landslide hazards, nature-based solutions, vegetation, shrubs, soil structure, soil stability, root structure, surface runoff

Important note: All contributions to this research topic must fall within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to refer an out-of-scope manuscript to a more appropriate section or journal at any stage of peer review.