Land and Biodiversity

Soil Structure and Erosion

Victoria has a wide variety of soil types and healthy soils underpin all of Victoria’s terrestrial ecosystems. Soil is essentially a non-renewable resource, as it is formed extremely slowly. Soil and nutrients lost through erosion are not readily replaced so it is important to look after the soils that we have.

Soil structure relates to the three-dimensional arrangement of soil particles and is critical for the soil’s ability to provide water and oxygen to plant roots. It is known that soil structure can be damaged by cultivation and compaction, but soil structure is not routinely measured in Victoria, so it is difficult to assess the extent of this potential threat. Erosion refers to the movement of soil particles by the actions of wind and water and the risk of erosion varies with soil type, topography and land management practice. Some Victorian soils are highly prone to erosion, but changes in land management have reduced the risks. Nevertheless, erosion is not monitored across Victoria and the impacts vary widely throughout the state.

This section provides data relating to the inherent susceptibility of Victorian soils to decline in structure and erosion, along with information about the occurrence of erosion. A case study featuring a regional erosion-monitoring survey in the Mallee is presented. The environmental implications of soil structure decline and erosion are discussed and Victoria’s policy and land management responses to concerns about soil health are evaluated. Recommendations for developing a community engagement framework for soil health are presented.

Part 4.2.5 - Soil Structure and Erosion (PDF - 617 KB)