Excess use of pesticide reduces microbial activity and biomass. Soil degradation is the loss of land’s production capacity in terms of loss of soil fertility, soil biodiversity, and degradation. Thus soil becomes deficient in essential minerals and this results in productivity loss. (And Are They Reusable), Are Light Bulbs Recyclable? are conditions cause water logging. These chemical factors normally bring forth the irreversible loss of soil nutrients and production capacities such as the hardening of iron and aluminum-rich clay soils into hardpans. Natural basins without outlet for water, low permeability of subsurface horizons, internal drainage, low intake rate of surface soils and obstructions to natural flow of rain water etc. Soil degradation has been defined as a process that leads to decline in the fertility or future productive capacity of soil as a result of human activity (United Nations Environment Programme, 1993). These factors reduce the yield. Expansion of canal irrigation is also directly concerned with widespread water-logging and salinity problems in arid and semiarid areas. With time, the sedimentation process can clog waterways, resulting in water scarcity. 2. What causes Soil Pollution? Human activities such as poor farming practices may also deplete soil nutrients thus diminishing soil fertility. Most of the crop production practices result in the topsoil loss and the damage of soil’s natural composition that makes agriculture possible. Soil degradation is the decline in soil condition caused by its improper use or poor management, usually for agricultural, industrial or urban purposes. The impact of mining on soil depends on the physical, chemical properties of the waste generated. Besides, climate change combined with human activities continues to worsen soil degradation. This quiz looks not only at the causes of soil erosion, but also the effects - such as how it damages ecosystems. (With Methods)| Industrial Microbiology, How is Cheese Made Step by Step: Principles, Production and Process, Enzyme Production and Purification: Extraction & Separation Methods | Industrial Microbiology, Fermentation of Olives: Process, Control, Problems, Abnormalities and Developments, The best answers are voted up and rise to the top. The fatal nematodes threaten potato cultivation in the Nilgiris and, if not controlled they may pose threat to potato cultivation in that area. Secondly, it covers the soil in an impermeable layer of concrete that amplifies the amount of surface runoff which results in more erosion of the topsoil. (And Simple Ways to Reuse Old Mirrors), Can You Compost Coffee Grounds? As much as it’s a concern associated with natural environments in arid and semi-arid areas, the UN recognizes the fact that drought and aridity are anthropogenic induced factors especially as an outcome of soil degradation. The reduction of soil nutrients because of alkalinity or acidity or waterlogging are all categorized under the chemical components of soil degradation. Natural events such as wildfires, hurricanes, landslides, tsunamis and earthquakes can totally lower the survival grade of local animal communities and plant life in a region. The rate of siltation in many water reservoirs are significantly high. ), Are Mirrors Recyclable? Chemical factors e.g. Although the yield can be maintained by using fertilizers that provide deficient minerals yet their use often results in deficiencies of other nutrients. What are the characters Mendel selected for his experiments on pea plant? 3. 12 billion to 27 billion annually. Effects of Wind Erosion 6. During last two decades the area under food crops decreased and that under non-food crops increased. Unless you strongly believe in Elon Musk‘s idea of making Mars as another habitable planet, do remember that there really is no 'Planet B' in this whole universe. The wasteland can be made useful by increasing productivity of land by using some useful methods as afforestation or by using bio-fertilizers. Soil degradation is a complex phenomenon derived by interaction between natural and socio economic factors. Michael McNeill shares his observations. Many people do conceive the idea of soil degradation but a good number lacks the knowledge of its precise definition. loss of fertile top soil due to water or wind erosion. The topography of the land may also be a cause of soil erosion. Share Your Word File While soil degradation may occur naturally, it has been highly exuberated by anthropogenic activities. It causes the extinction of species and accentuates climate change. Therefore, the misuse or excessive use of fertilizers increases the rate of soil degradation by destroying the soil’s biological activity and builds up of toxicities through incorrect fertilizer use. Soil degradation has several adverse impacts on the environment. Disposal of oil shales, heavy metal contamination of soil and spillage of crude oils adversely affect soil micro flora which ultimately affect soil productivity and cause soil degradation. In addition to these causes, intensive cultivation using high-yielding short-duration and fertilizer-responsive cultivars of crops has further accelerated the loss of plant nutrients which is much greater than what is supplemented through fertilizers. For this reason, the transformed land is unable to soak up water, making flooding more frequent. 89 billion to 232 billion which represent a loss of 11 to 26 per cent yield (Table 27.6). Soil degradation examples include a decline in soil fertility, adverse changes in alkalinity, acidity or salinity, extreme flooding, use of toxic soil pollutants, erosion, and deterioration of the soil’s structural condition. Overgrazing and cultivation practices that are not adapted to local environments are the principal causes of soil degradation. In the past 150 years half the topsoil on the planet has been lost. The main reasons for unproductiveness or degradation of soils are as follows: Most of the Indian soils are deficient in nutrients and organic matter. This may include activities such as the addition of plant residues to degraded soils and improving range management. Also, preserving the integrity of guarded areas can significantly reduce demonstration. When the water dries up, the salts are left on the upper surface as a crust or layer. The nation that destroys its soil, destroys itself. Human activities are the primary cause of soil pollution and land degradation. Urbanization has major implications on the soil degradation process. Most of the soil eroded from the land together with the chemical fertilizers and pesticides utilized in agricultural fields are discharged into waterways and streams. According to National Commission on Agriculture (1976), about 6 million ha area is under water-logged condition. Organic farmers who add compost and manure to the soil replenish nutrients while reducing flooding risk and capturing carbon. Either way, soil erosion can lead to severe environmental degradation since large areas of land can become useless due to the erosion of soil. These factors reduce the yield. It is estimated that nearly 2 billion ha of soil resources in the world have been degraded, namely approximately 22% of the total cropland, pasture, forest, and woodland. Are Wood-burning Stoves Bad For The Environment? Why mitochondria is called as the power house of the cell? Replace goodness. This website includes study notes, research papers, essays, articles and other allied information submitted by visitors like YOU. The biological factors affect mainly lessens the microbial activity of the soil. When trees are removed by logging, infiltration rates become elevated and the soil remains bare and exposed to erosion and the buildup of toxicities. Our mission is to provide an online platform to help students to share notes in Biology. A study of the current trends in agronomic practices has suggested that the nutrients deficiency is further aggravated by continued use of high yielding crop varieties, intensive cropping pattern and relatively poor fertilizers. It is mainly caused by salt buildup and leaching of nutrients which corrupt the quality of soil by creating undesirable changes in the essential soil chemical ingredients. These protect the soil while returning nutrients and plant matter too. In highly productive areas, canal irrigation is responsible for a rapid rise in water table. Among the major causes of degradation, water erosion is considered to be the most severe one which covers almost 87% of the affected area. Pesticides as a cause of soil degradation - John Kempf Pesticides as a cause of soil degradation Many agronomists and farmers with three or four decades of experience describe how soil health deteriorated quickly when herbicide and pesticide use became mainstream. Thus, soil erosion is a continuous process and may occur either at a relatively unnoticed rate or an alarming rate contributing to copious loss of the topsoil. The slope of the land. (And Ways to Dispose of Used Condoms), Are Campfires Bad for The Environment? The costs of preventing salinization are incredibly cheaper than the reclamation projects in salinized areas. The decline in soil quality as a result of agricultural chemical fertilizers also further leads to water and land pollution thereby lowering the land’s worth on earth. Deterioration of the water quality: the increase in the turbidity of water and the contribution of nitrogen and of phosphorus can result in eutrophication. To restore the lost soil mineral matter and organic content, it would require what is known as land reclamation. It occurs whenever the natural balances in the landscape are changed by human activity through misuse or overuse of soil. loss of fertile top soil due to water or wind erosion. However, deforestation can be cut down and this can create an impressive way of reshaping and restoring forests and vegetation cover. The data published by National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning (Sehgal and Abrol, 1994) show that about 3.7 million ha land suffers from nutrient loss or depletion of organic matter. inhibit nitrification. Most agricultural practices involving the use of fertilizers and pesticides often entail misuse or excessive application, thereby contributing to the killing of soil’s beneficial bacteria and other micro-organisms that help in soil formation. Soils become water-logged when the water balance of an area is disturbed because of excess recharge. As a result, soil quality and agricultural productivity are greatly affected. Plants act as protective covers as they are helpful at making the soil stronger by stabilizing the land surface. It is estimated that the Thar Desert is advancing at an alarming rate of around 500 m every year. Answer Now and help others. It affects global climate through alterations in water cycle and energy balances and disruptions of carbon, nitrogen and sulphur cycles. LAND DEGRADATION : Soil quality decline is one of the main causes of land degradation and it considered to be responsible for 84% of the every diminishing acres (FAO, 2011). 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