Effects Of Soil Pollution On The Earth

“Erosion occurs when the soil lacks protective vegetative cover”. (Pimentel, Kounang, 1998) “Soil erosion reduces the productivity of the land by loss of water, soil, organic matter, nutrients, biota, and depth of soil.” (Pimentel, Kounang, 1998) With no conservation methods in place in certain places like: no contour farming, no cover crop, no terraces, no water ways, and tillage on steep hills is asking for a loss of productivity from the land. The effects on the land that non-conservation methods have is horrible. “Its effects are pervasive, and its damages are long lasting. (Pimentel and others 1995a)” (Pimentel, Kounang, 1998) Soil loss is a bigger factor then most people think. For an example an comparison of how much soil is actually lost in certain environments: “On sloping agricultural land under tropical rainfall, as much as 400t/ha/yr of soil is lost (Pimentel unpublished report,1990).”(Pimentel, Kounang, 1998) “Under arid conditions with relatively strong winds, as much as 5600t/ha/yr of soil has been reported lost (Gupta and Raina 1996).” (Pimentel, Kounang, 1998) Soil loss is a huge factor when conservation practices are not put into place. “According to some investigators, approximately 75 billion tons a fertile soil are lost annually from the world’s agricultural systems (Myers 1993).” (Pimentel, Kounang, 1998) Soil loss is a huge factor and many different things can be done to help slow it,

Erosion is a global problem, as we have already seen (umich.edu). Globally, topsoil is eroding faster than it can be replaced over 1/3 of the world's croplands (umich.edu). In the U.S, the loss of topsoil has been estimated to cost $125B per year (umich.edu). As you might imagine, this is a very difficult calculation to perform, since topsoil production rates are so slow, the lost topsoil is essentially irreplaceable (american.edu). This has been increasing within the past for years and corporations are trying to lessen the amount of erosion but it does not seem to be working

Franklin D Roosevelt once said, “the history of every Nation is eventually written in the way in which it cares for its soil.” The United States began seeing sustainable management practices in farms, and healthier soil through this act. In 1982 through 2007, the United States soil erosion had declined by 43%” (Montanarella, 2015). Every year the United States loses about $400 billion dollars due to crop soil that is eroded. Soil is a limited resource and the largest resource for growing food, accommodating diverse ecosystems, and providing food resources. Therefore laws, acts, and provisions are necessary to protect this natural resource.

Soil pollution also referred to as soil contamination occurs when degradation or destruction of the earth’s surface and soil occurs directly or indirectly as a result of human activities. As Americans we tend to abuse the use of things such as cars for driving, books, paper, and computers without the knowledge of where it will end up. According to the food and Agriculture Organization approximately 40 percent of food in the U.S. goes to waste. After the garbage man has taken the materials, it ends up in a huge or small landfill waiting to be emerged into the soil. The average person generates

Agricultural runoff is another big factor in water pollution and it is similar to the storm water process but only with more dangerous pollutants. Agricultural waste runoff from the barnyards finds its way into the drainage emerging with the water bodies. The runoff from the barnyard being polluted by the multiple fertilizers used in the crops, pesticides, and livestock waste. Then the polluted water from the runoff makes contact with the water bodies such as lakes and rivers polluting them. There are two essential chemicals for the growth of crops and livestock: nitrogen and phosphorus. However, nitrogen and phosphorous are very dangerous chemicals when they make contact with water or soil. High concentrations of nitrogen and phosphorus in

Environmental Issues: Increased population has led to the clearing of land for farming and the farming of marginal soils in rural areas, as well as to uncontrolled development in the fringes of urban areas. All of these factors contribute to deforestation and consequently to soil erosion.

Many of these groups have made it their responsibility to the Earth to preserve it’s natural resources, and many of the organizations that we found focused on the preservation of soil. One of these in particular that we chose is the Recare Project. The link is to the website for additional information, as well as a description of what they do to preserve soil. Now, Recare works to prevent and remediate the degradation and overuse of soil in and all across Europe. Recare recognizes the fact that soil is an essential factor in the survival of humans as a race, and works to make sure that this resource is taken care of. They’re starting in Europe, but hopefully, after spreading the awareness that they are working to spread, they can soon expand their horizons to much more of the

The last point I want to address is how we can prevent soil erosion. 3 procedures we can do to help prevent erosion are: use land according to its capability, protect the soil surface with a type of cover, or control the runoff before it becomes an erosive force. Another source says we can also prevent erosion by planting vegetation, matting for residential properties, using mulch/fertilizer, and retaining walls/edging. Each of these can reduce soil erosion and can also be healthy for the environment.

We are running out of land, today we are using 40 percent of Earth's land surface for crops and pastures. In the future we are going increase our usage and this is also going to deplete our water resources. Agriculture uses 70 percent of our water.

Erosion is extremely costly for developing countries. Besides the damage to infrastructure, fisheries, and property, erosion of precious topsoils costs tens of billions of dollars worldwide each year. For example, in the late 1980s the Indonesian island of Java was losing 770 million metric tons of topsoil every year at an estimated cost of 1.5 million tons of rice, enough to fulfill the needs of 11.5-15 million people.

Soil, which is one of the most important natural resources, is often less heeded. The importance of soil conservation is relatively less talked about as compared to the conservation of water and other natural resources. The almost-omnipresent soil is mostly taken for granted. Its omnipresence is ironically the reason behind us, human beings, taking it for a ride. We rarely even think of it as a natural resource that needs to be conserved, a part of the natural wealth that needs to be preserved.

It takes up to three hundred years for one inch of agricultural topsoil to form so soil that is lost is essentially irreplaceable. The consequences for long-term crop yields have not been sufficiently measured. The amount of erosion varies from one field to another. This depends on the type of soil, the slope of the field, the drainage patterns and the crop management practices. The effects of the erosion vary also. The areas that are better able to sustain erosion without loss of productivity are areas with deep organic loams. This is more sustainable than the areas where topsoil’s are shallower.

Soil pollution is defined as the contamination of soil through man-made agents, inserted directly or indirectly into the soil itself. This pollution is bound to cause harm to any organisms living in the soil or who utilize the soil, as well as causing moderate to extreme damage to the soil itself. Contaminants can include agricultural run-off, harmful chemicals, organic or inorganic materials, as well as any other pollution caused by human activities on or around soil. As healthy soil is important for agricultural supply, it is

Now that is a huge concern for all of us, since our operational land per capita is already on the decline in both developed and developing countries. Since climate change is happening,

Soil erosion is a natural process, occurring over geological time, and indeed it is a process that is essential for soil formation in the first place. With respect to soil degradation, most concerns about erosion are related to accelerated erosion, where the natural rate has been significantly increased mostly by human activity. Soil erosion by water is a widespread problem throughout Europe.