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Assessing Changes in Soil Erosion Rates: A Markov Chain Analysis

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 April 2015

Rhonda Skaggs  and
Soumen Ghosh
Rhonda Skaggs
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural Economics and Agricultural Business
Soumen Ghosh
Affiliation:
Department of Economics and International Business, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, New Mexico
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Abstract

Markov chain analysis (one-step and long-run) is applied to the National Resources Inventory (NRI) database to evaluate changes in wind-based soil erosion rates over time. The research compares changes in soil erosion rates between NRI sample sites with and without applied conservation practices for a random sample of Great Plains counties. No significant differences between sites are found for half of the counties evaluated. The effectiveness and efficiency of conservation policies are thus questioned in light of these research results.

Keywords

conservationMarkovNational Resources Inventorypolicysoil erosion
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics , Volume 31 , Issue 3 , December 1999 , pp. 611 - 622
Copyright
Copyright © Southern Agricultural Economics Association 1999

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