The problem is more severe in the cultivated areas of the subtropical belt. Resources Soil erosion is a naturally occurring process that affects all landforms. 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. These factors reduce the yield. Soil erosion can either be caused by natural forces like wind or water or can be caused by human behavior like deforestation or the building of dams. Soil erosion is the most serious precursor of soil degradation that comes with global implications. Why mitochondria is called as the power house of the cell? Most of the crop production practices result in the topsoil loss and the damage of soil’s natural composition that makes agriculture possible. 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. Deforestation causes soil degradation on the account of exposing soil minerals by removing trees and crop cover, which support the availability of humus and litter layers on the surface of the soil. Land degradation is a process in which the value of the biophysical environment is affected by a combination of human-induced processes acting upon the land. Soil fertility is reduced due to prolonged intensive cultivation. 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. Vegetation cover primarily promotes the binding of the soil together and soil formation, hence when it is removed it considerably affects the capabilities of the soil such as aeration, water holding capacity, and biological activity. Degraded soils which result in poor or no production are also called problem soils. Soil degradation is a global phenomenon. There are several physical factors contributing to soil degradation distinguished by the manners in which they change the natural composition and structure of the soil. Indirectly it lowers productivity through its adverse effects on the availability of nutrients. The soil quality decline is exuberated more and more as a result of the mechanization of agriculture that gives room for deep plowing, reduction of plant cover, and the formation of the hardpan. Avoiding soil degradation is crucial to our well-being. Degradation of Natural Resources | Environment, Biosciences, Engineering and Technology (With Diagram). While soil degradation may occur naturally, it has been highly exuberated by anthropogenic activities. 12 billion to 27 billion annually. The following are the impacts of soil degradation: 1. 70% of agricultural land suited for raising livestock or crops is already degraded in Africa (FAO, 2011). Our mission is to provide an online platform to help students to share notes in Biology. Soil degradation is a complex phenomenon derived by interaction between natural and socio economic factors. Silting of drainage, canals, rivers and reservoirs results in increased floods and droughts. The farmers maintain productivity of soil by applying chemical fertilizers but make less use of organic manures. Proper tillage mechanisms hold as one of the most sustainable ways of avoiding soil quality decline. Impacts of Soil Degradation The effect of soil degradation is not detected as serious global problem up to 2020. By the end of this topic, you will know how different forms of human activities are responsible for the majority of different types of soil pollution. Rainfall, surface runoff, floods, wind erosion, tillage, and mass movements result in the loss of fertile top spoil thereby declining soil quality. There are certain agricultural practices that are environmentally unsustainable and at the same time, they are the single biggest contributor to the worldwide increase in soil quality decline. The wasteland can be made useful by increasing productivity of land by using some useful methods as afforestation or by using bio-fertilizers. Trafficking (by animals as well as by vehicles) and cultivation are the primary causes of this form of soil degradation. Water Erosion 2. The estimated annual loss of different crops due to soil degradation rangs from Rs. Salinized soils can be restored by salt level correction reclamation projects and salinity control. Natural hazards are excluded as a cause; however human activities can indirectly affect phenomena such as floods and bush fires. 3. Some other factors as deforestation, extensive cultivation on marginal land, improper cultivation practices like mono-cropping, poor manuring, misuse of fertilizers or excess use of fertilizers, excessive irrigation, over-grazing, fragility of soil, adverse weather and mining may accelerate the process of soil degradation. Soil erosion decreases soil fertility, which can negatively affect crop yields. This poor condition of pasture lands is due to excessive grazing. It also sends soil-laden water downstream, which can create heavy layers of sediment that prevent streams and rivers from flowing smoothly and can eventually lead to flooding. 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. The fatal nematodes threaten potato cultivation in the Nilgiris and, if not controlled they may pose threat to potato cultivation in that area. What are the characters Mendel selected for his experiments on pea plant? Degradation leads to reduction in crop yield in the affected lands and a possible decline in cropping intensity. The complex forms of the fertilizer’s chemicals are also responsible for denaturing essential soil minerals, giving rise to nutrient losses from the soil. Soil erosion is a consequence of unsustainable land use and other disturbances, such as fire, mining, or intensive agricultural uses. Soil degradation has several adverse impacts on the environment. 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