This book focuses on drylands such as arid, semi-arid and dry sub-humid areas where they form the main part of ecosystems, e.g., in Iran, but also around the world. Mismanagement and improper exploitation of these areas lead to more degradation day by day. Besides an introduction to the role and importance of vegetation cover in conserving soil against wind and water erosion, this book gives a scope of appropriate techniques and methods for vegetation establishment and maintenance, indicators for suitable plants selection for soil conservation, and soil erosion prevention and combat. It provides methods of soil erosion prevention and combating through the application of plants, using bioengineering systems for soil erosion control and the role of agroforestry in soil erosion prevention. This book can be helpful to those with an interest in countries with similar climates to Iran. In particular, this includes Dubai, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, and Pakistan.

This book is an up-to-date review of research and practice on the use of vegetation for slope stabilization and control of surface erosion caused by water and wind. From a basic understanding of the principles and practices of vegetation growth and establishment, it describes how vegetation can be treated as an engineering material and used to solve erosion and slope stability problems.

Geosynthetics can, and have, played a pivotal role in providing the primary functions of filtration, drainage and erosion control. Within each category this book counterpoints the design, testing and performance of the various materials against one another. The facilitation of filtration by a number of different woven and non–woven geotextiles is discussed. Design is centred around a balance between open voids [for adequate permeability] and closed voids [for proper soil retention]. This balance is compromised by long term clogging or soil loss from either the upstream soil particles or by the nature of the permeating fluid. This is a major focal area of the book. One solution to excessive filter clogging is to open up the geotextile's voids and allow sediments and micro–organisms in the permeating fluid to pass through. The challenge then becomes the design and potential clogging of the drain. The drainage aspect of geosynthetics is the second focal area. Erosion control is closely related to both filtration and drainage. The tremendous design problems, and equally large repair problems on all types of facilities, are addressed. Highway slopes, earth dams, landfill covers and solid waste daily covers are a few common situations.

This book aims to assist in choosing ecotechnological solutions for slopes that are prone to a variety of mass movements e.g. shallow failure or erosion. The book reviews the types of problematic slopes that may occur and describes briefly the nature of mass movements and the causes of these movements. There is focus on the use of vegetation to stabilize soil on slopes prone to mass movements. The book also introduces new ecotechnological methods, and case studies are discussed.

Contains critical design tools for practical implementation of techniques to control and abate run-off and sediment from construction sites.