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. Potential environmental consequences span from famine and water pollution to reductions in biodiversity and ecosystem efficiency. The paper estimates the effect of soil degradation on crop yields for dominant cereals in ethiopia at a nationwide level and analyses its relation with population density and fertiliser use. The soil finds its way into beds of streams and rivers, thus reducing their capacity to contain water which causes floods. Decline in crops yields and agronomic production exacerbate foodinsecurity that currently affects 854 million people globally, and low concentration of protein and micronutrients e. Air pollution, water pollution, garbage, and pollution of the natural environment are all. 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. About 40% of the worlds agricultural land is lost on the account of soil quality depreciation. Soil degradation causes include agricultural, industrial, and commercial pollution. Effects of soil degradation on crop productivity in east. Soil pollution is not only the problem in india but it is a global problem. A soil degradation index is derived from an ordered qualitative classification on the degree of.
Ecological degradation can have serious effects for many animals, plants and also for humanity. The most common human activities that increase soil erosion are described below. Cause and effects of land degradation environmental. 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. Soil degradation is any type of problem that removes soil in an area or makes highquality soil become poor.
Causes, effects and solutions of soil degradation paperblog. Soil productivity is the capacity of a soil, in its normal environ ment, to produce a particular plant or. The destruction of environments and the eradication of wildlife. Specifically, it will simulate the impact of land degradation on soil water holding capacities, and the subsequent impacts on evapotranspiration rates, moisture. Productivity losses on tropical soils are estimated to be in the range of 0. We will consider the effects of land degradation one by one, surface runoff and floods. Such degradation m anifests in form of soil disturbance, changes in physical and chemical properties of the soil, loss of forest cover and biodiversity, nutrient cycling and energy balances. These impacts include compaction, loss of soil structure, nutrient degradation, and soil salinity. Soil degradation article about soil degradation by the.
The erodible material is almost devoid of organic matter and lacks in mineral plant nutrients. Pdf the effect of soil degradation on agricultural productivity in. Several types of soil degradation exist and are a threat to natural forests and planted crops. Estimated impacts of soil degradation on the african. This term previously designated the podzolization of chernozems under the influence of forest vegetation. The effects of longterm landuse changes and cultivation on soil degradation were quantified for two landuse systems including an undisturbed forest and a completely deforested area which were planted with tea after deforestation.
It literally refers to the impairment of natural quality of soil component of any ecosystem. Soil degradation affects human nutrition and health through its adverse impacts on quantity and quality of food production. Water, the wind, and gravity move in an out of the soil particles. Measuring degradation and its effects it can be difficult to assess the actual extent and impact ofland degradation. In addition to erosion, soil quality is affected by other aspects of agriculture. Soil erosion is a natural process that removes soil from the land. This erosion is the dominant form of soil degradation troeh et al. Usually land degrad ation is described in terms of the loss. Causes and impacts of land degradation and desertification.
Contamination of soil will decrease the agricultural output of a land. Environmental degradation is the disintegration of the earth or. Depleted soils increase the risks of malnutrition for farmers. Soil degradation food and agriculture organization of the united. Frequently, the salinization processes creates apractically irreversible chemicalorphysical internal soil degradation. This study therefore set out to determine the effects of land use types on land degradation as reflected by soil properties soil bulk density, soil organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus along the mara river. Land degradation, soil erosion and soil conservation pmf ias. The literal translation of arable land is able to be ploughed. 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. Soil erosion effects on soil productivity southwest watershed. Effects of soil degradation on crop productivity in east africa. Soil degradation is a narrower term, and one form of land degradation, for declining soil quality, encompassing the deterioration in physical, chemical and biological attributes of the soil 11. Pdf the paper estimates the effect of soil degradation on crop yields for dominant cereals in ethiopia at a nationwide level and analyses its. Land degradation soil degradation is the decline in soil quality caused by its improper use, usually for agricultural, pastoral, industrial or urban purposes.
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. First, land degradation has its major impact on soils of lower fertility, where population levels are low. This agricultural problem could detrimentally impact our food and water supplies as well as the general sustenance of life. Thus, in order to prevent these adverse consequences, we should take several measures in our daily life. Land degradation is a concept in which the value of the biophysical environment is affected by one or more combination of human induced processes acting upon the land. With the objective of understanding the distinct nature of soil quality decline, here are the causes, effects, and solutions of soil degradation. Effects of soil degradation by modeling the decomposition of soil organic matter dynamics, crop systems models can simulate the effects of soil nutrient depletion under lowinput extractive field management practices, as well as soil carbon sequestration under regenerative management practices. It encompasses physical soil erosion, chemical salinity and alkalinity, pollution and biological deterioration pollution and.
The salt accumulation may lead to apartial or completeloss ofthe soil capacity to providethe required amountsofwaterto plants, changingfertile lands to deserts. In the following, the types, causes, effects and solutions for environmental degradation are examined. These factors degrade the land and create feedback effects that result in the loss of biodiversity as well as other negative outcomes. But even though the soil changes occur, but the composition of soil layers remain almost the same in a human lifetime. It causes harmful effect on the soil and the environment at large. Degradation of bioplastics in soil and their degradation. While soil degradation may occur naturally, it has been highly exuberated by anthropogenic activities. The effects of soil erosion go beyond the loss of fertile land. Soil degradation is the inability of soil to support the growth of crops. Careless agricultural practices, pollution and deforestation cause lots of soil degradation in the world. Effects of soil erosion on farmland in shottisham near woodbridge. Because soil degradation contributes to land degradation, it also means that it creates a significant loss of arable land. A soil degradation index is derived from an ordered qualitative classification on the degree of soil degradation and the area extension.
Besides, climate change combined with human activities continues to worsen soil degradation. Soil degradation needs to be recognised, alongside climate change, as one of. Soil degradation a process that results in the partial loss by soil of previously accumulated organic matter, exchangeable alkalineearth cations, and the clayey fraction. Solutions need to be developed and introduced which address both issues simultaneously. Soil fauna diversity function, soil degradation, biological indices, soil restoration 63 that prevent survival outside of the soil environment due to their lacking protection from desiccation and temperature fluctuations, as well as the sensory organs necessary to survive above ground by finding food and avoiding predators.
The land degradation processes include soil erosion, nutrient depletion, salinization, desertification and soil acidification or alkalinisation. Thus the term podzolized chernozems is now used in soil classifications. Effects of agricultural practices on environment 2. As a result, soil quality and agricultural productivity is greatly affected. Most of the soil is lost through the surface runoff. Land degradation is, however, difficult to grasp in its totality.
130 212 1122 186 946 237 1356 511 252 123 901 1000 501 1450 938 874 781 642 174 45 974 965 226 1306 338 23 256 1296 647 514 1012 286 867 1413 920 1359 57 1124 1170 1117