Soil erosion is also serious type of environmental. Land degradation indicators and management options in. Soil degradation the main problems for soils in the eu are irreversible losses due to increasing soil sealing and soil erosion, and continuing deterioration due to local contamination and diffuse contamination acidification and heavy metals. Chapter 2 types of land degradation food and agriculture. Soil erosion soil erosion is the detachment and movement of soil material. Soil degradation includes erosion, salinization due to freshwater removal, soil loss following erosion after deforestation or overgrazing, compaction and crusting of soils, which can be caused by cattle trampling, and waterlogging with impaired water movement oldeman et al. Land degradation is, however, difficult to grasp in its totality. Land degradation processes are ongoing over large part of the earth land surface figure 3. It is defined as any change or disturbance to the environment perceived to be deleterious or undesirable. Retrogression is primarily due to soil erosion and corresponds to a phenomenon where succession reverts the land to its natural physical state. Soil retrogression and degradation are two regressive evolution processes associated with the loss of equilibrium of a stable soil. The degradation or deterioration of soil may be caused by the following factors. Soil degradation environment in eu at the turn of the century chapter 3. The selection was based mainly on areas subjected to wind erosion, salinization, waterlogging, and other degradation types.
These residues derive almost entirely from long term accumulation after repeated use of pesticides, etc. Due to uprooting of trees the shortage of timber and fuel wood results. The applicable regulation is 29 cfr part 1926, subpart p excavations. Soil erosion is the global soil degradation problem that causes significant environmental and socioeconomic problems eswaran et al. Erosion occurs when the topsoil that many plants need to grow gets blown or washed away. Soil degradation a process that results in the partial loss by soil of previously accumulated organic matter, exchangeable alkalineearth cations, and the clayey fraction. Apart from these, soils are also classified based on their colour red soil, black soil, and brown soil.
It is the fairly uniform removal of soil in thin layers from the land surface, often. Evaluation of the impacts of these techniques how effective or not are they. Degradation leads to reduction in crop yield in the affected lands and a possible decline in cropping intensity. This agricultural problem could detrimentally impact our food and water supplies as well as the general sustenance of life. Autoplay when autoplay is enabled, a suggested video will automatically play next. Soil degradation causes include agricultural, industrial, and commercial pollution. How to survive alone in the wilderness for 1 week eastern woodlands duration. The process may be natural or accelerated by human activity. Whilst soil degradation is recognised as a major aspect of land degradation, other processes which affect the productive capacity of cropland, rangeland and forests, such as lowering of the water table and deforestation, are captured by the concept of land degradation. What is a soil and what are different types of soil. Soil erosion wind erosion, water erosion, mechanical erosion and so on a partial or complete loss of the top fertile layer of soil the soil layer with minerals and organic matter in it.
Plants get their nutrients from soil while human beings may use a given type of soil for. These types of soil have different characteristics meaning they are used for varied reasons. Describe the role of water in chemical weathering 5. Soil health, along with water supply, is the most valuable resource for humans, as human life depends on the soils generosity. Arable land in particular has fertile soil used to. In extreme cases, soil becomes unfit for cultivation. Soil mapping and process modeling for sustainable land use management, 2017. Apr 20, 2016 soil degradation environment in eu at the turn of the century chapter 3. Usually seen as sheet erosion a more or less uniform removal of a thin layer of topsoil, rill erosion small channels in the. Several types of soil degradation exist and are a threat to natural forests and planted crops. Soil samples were collected at sites to quantify the extent of degradation via analysis of selected characteristics, such as. Soil degradation is the loss of lands production capacity in terms of loss of soil fertility, soil biodiversity, and degradation. Explain the characteristics of the twelve types of soil.
The recognition of desertification appears in the mediterranean region as, together with the hot, dry climate of the region, many soil types already exhibit many aspects of degradation,i. There are several serious effects of soil erosion which are as follows. 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. Earth material that is excavated must be properly sloped or supported for construction and safety purposes. Soil degradation is a nebulous term suggesting that the capacity of a soil to perform selected specified services, such as growing crops, has been diminished. Usually land degrad ation is described in terms of the loss. Unfortunately, the importance of preserving soil health appears to be overlooked by policy makers. Soil degradation ann verdoodt academic year 20112012 compilation of course notes by prof. The degradation rate of many organic compounds is limited by their bioavailability, which is the rate at which a substance is absorbed into a system or made available at the site of physiological activity, as compounds must be released into solution before organisms can degrade them. Soil degradation is any type of problem that removes soil in an area or makes highquality soil become poor. Causes of soil degradation and methods for soil conservation. Potential environmental consequences span from famine and water pollution to reductions in biodiversity and ecosystem efficiency.
The three main types of soil known to man include sand soil, loam soil and clay soil. Soil degradation is the inability of soil to support the growth of crops. Natural erosion has sculptured landforms on the uplands and built landforms on the lowlands. Water and wind erosion, as the two main types of land degradation, are illustrated with two case studies, being 1 water erosion in belgium, resulting from intensified. Representative soil profiles were selected for soils from each land degradation type for this study. Types of soil sandy soil, clay soil, silt soil, and loamy soil. Fundamental concepts scoop on soil educational cd may 2006 nrcs helping people help the land it is the interaction of these soil forming factors in various combinations that gives us the great variety of soils we see today. Causes and impacts of land degradation and desertification. Pdf soil, definition, function, and utilization of soil. Thus, deforestation is a serious type of environmental degradation. Uncultivated soil rhizosphere soil total rhizosphere flagellates 570 14 000 1600 65 000 22 000 3 127 000 4000 8 231 000 41 6 8 1 5 1 95 8 1 21 6. It thus covers the various forms of soil degradation, adverse human impacts on water resources, deforestation, and lowering of the productive capacity of rangelands.
The concept seems rather simple, but quantifying degradation has been very challenging and creates uncertainty associated with quantifying land degradation efforts bai et al. Silting of drainage, canals, rivers and reservoirs results in increased floods and droughts. Although not as large a problem as some of the other types of soil degradation, the presence of chemical residues can be quite a problem on a local scale. The three degradation terms, environmental degradation, land degradation, and soil degradation, are defined as any change or disturbance to the environment, land, or soil perceived to be. Depending on the local landscape and weather conditions, erosion may be very slow or very rapid. Careless agricultural practices, pollution and deforestation cause lots of soil degradation in the world. Given the technological advances that have been made in recent years and the greater scientific understanding of the issues today, all types of soil degradation are potentially reversible, as long as there is sufficient public support, understanding and political will. Degradation of land refers to loss of its potential production capability as a result of degradation of.
Other types of soil based on the percentage of particles, resulting in more compound types of soil. No need to purchase any books for session 20192020 free pdf will be. Soil degradation article about soil degradation by the free. Soil erosion can be defined as the destruction of the top layer of the soil as a result of natural or human activities. Soil degradation is a consequence of intensive land use management, which is assumed to be caused by human impact, poverty, and a response to economic opportunities at the global level lambin et al. Soil is quite important as it helps in ensuring life can thrive on earth. The air and water in the soil existed in the pore space in the soil, thus an understanding of soil porosity is a further step in understanding good turf management. The soil covering the surface of the earth has taken millions of years to form and we must learn to respect it.
The size ofthe pores range from submicroscopic between. Soil porosity the first article inthis series describe the relationship between mineral and organic material, air and water. This means that soil is a nonrenewable resource and once destroyed it is gone forever. Assessment of degraded and wastelands of india it is estimated that out of 329 m ha total geographical area tga of india, the area under agriculture is 179. Soil degradation, therefore, poses a threat to food security, as it reduces yield, forces farmers to use more inputs, and may eventually lead to soil abandonment. This study takes the degradation of soil resources as its focus. The rate of biodegradation can be measured in a number of ways. Soil degradation refers to negative changes in the physical, chemical, and biological properties of the soil, whereas vegetation degradation is the reduction in the number of species and the vegetational composition. Research the twelve types of soil and determine what they are. Soil degradation a major threat to humanity summary soil degradation needs to be recognised, alongside climate change, as one of the most pressing problems facing humanity. Human activities are the primary cause of soil pollution and land degradation. Erosion preceded by the destruction of the crumb structure due to the impact of falling raindrop on the surface of soil is termed as splash erosion. Its increased concentration in atmosphere leads to global warming.
1440 393 592 252 1480 441 839 1450 1093 1517 123 429 521 1074 1374 120 393 896 720 207 731 469 262 903 429 1380 246 158 1281 538 1015