Major degradation issues due to the use of natural resources
As a result of the prevailing land use systems, about two thirds of interior dryland soils are badly eroded (IREN, 1965), and soil organic matter and microbial biomass are very low in many places (Ovalle, et al., 1990). At macro regional level, the erosion has provoked environmental imbalances, like siltation of rivers and ports, and serious problems of floods as much as rural level as in the cities.
Water erosion is the main cause of degradation of the soils in Chile. Due to the topographic conformation of the country, with two large mountain ranges along the country, the Coastal mountain range close to the Pacific Ocean and the Andes mountain range, and the rain intensity and distribution, which is highly concentrated in winter, water erosion is the most important form of soil degradation. With a territorial area of 75.49 M ha, 46% (34.491 M ha) are affected by erosion of different degrees; 7% of soils presents a severe erosion, while 27% are highly eroded, 44% moderately degraded and 22% are in state of light erosion degree (IREN, 1979).
