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Transcript
EROSION Ryan Flynn APES 1/13/17 Soil Erosion: Degradation and Conservation ■ The ideal soil for agriculture is a loamy mixture with a pH close to neutral that is also workable and capable of holding nutrients. ■ Soil is naturally far from this ideal, especially with increased soil degradation due to human impact. ■ Common problems are: – Desertification – Salinization – Waterlogging – Pollution – Nutrient Depletion – Structural Break Down Soil Eroding Mechanisms ■ Removing plant cover – The roots keep the soil compacted ■ Wind erosion ■ Water Erosion – Rill Erosion – Splash Erosion – Sheet Erosion – Gully Erosion Global Problem ■ Humans are the primary cause of erosion. – Human activities move over 10x more soil than all other natural processes combined. ■ 47 Billion acres of the worlds croplands suffer from erosion or other forms of soil degradation. ■ Erosion happens all over the world Dust Bowl ■ In the early 1930s, a drought exacerbated the ongoing human impacts of soil erosion and degradation. – The leading cause of this was farmers removing native grasses ■ Strong winds eroded millions of tons of top soil, causing for a blackening rain, snow and dust. ■ Nearly 10 cm of topsoil was lost in some areas. Soil Conservation Service ■ As a result of the Dust Bowl, the U.S. Government increased research of soil conservation. ■ Assess the lands resources, problems, and opportunities for conservation. ■ Draw of science to prepare an integrated plan for each property. ■ Work closely with land users to ensure that conservation plans to harmonize with the users’ objectives. ■ Implement conservation measures on individual properties to contribute to the overall quality of life in the watershed region. Irrigation ■ Irrigation - The artificial provision of water to support the agriculture. ■ This is very helpful when trying to yield the largest amounts of crops possible. ■ Waterlogging – This occurs when over irrigation happens and more water is given to a crop land than it can hold. ■ Salinization – This occurs when there is a buildup of salts in the surface soil layers. Soil Conservation Solutions ■ Crop Rotation – Rotating crops that grow in a given area from year t year can help replenish nutrients in the soil. ■ Contour Farming – Plowing perpendicular to the slope of the hillside to prevent rills and gullies. ■ Terracing – Transforms slopes into a series of steps like a staircase. This helps plant on a hillside without loosing larges amounts of soil from water erosion. ■ Intercropping – Spatially mixed arrangements of crops. ■ Shelterbelts – Taller plants such as trees planted around the cropland to shield from wind. ■ Reduced Tillage – When the crop land is not tilled which leaves remains of plants from prior years present while planting new crops. Works Cited Brennan, Scott R., and Jay Withgott. Environment: The Science behind the Stories. San Francisco: Pearson/Benjamin Cummings, 2005. Print.