DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION

REGION III
Schools Division of Cabanatuan City
Maharlika Highway, Cabanatuan City

Human Activities that Affect the

Quality and Quantity of Soil

EARTH SCIENCE

11
Writer/Illustrator: Menard F. Miguel (Teacher II, Cabanatuan City
Senior High School)

Project EL AR:
Enhance Learning
SHS
thru Adequate Resources
 GUIDE FOR THE LEARNER, PARENTS,
GUARDIANS AND LEARNING FACILITATOR

To You, Learner:

Welcome to Earth Science-Grade 11, Self-Learning Module (SLM) on different

Human Activities that Affect the Quality and Quantity of Soil! This module was made to give
you with fun and meaningful time for guided and independent learning at your
convenience. You will be able to process the contents of this Module while being an active
learner.

To You, Parent/s, Guardian/s and Learning Facilitator/s:

This module was collaboratively developed and reviewed by the teachers, school
heads and supervisors of DepED Division of Cabanatuan City to assist you in helping the
learners meet the standards set by the K to 12 Curriculum while overcoming their different
constraints in schooling. As a facilitator, you are expected to orient the learners on how
to use this module. You also need to keep track of the learners' progress while allowing
them to manage their own learning. Furthermore, you are expected to encourage and
assist the learners as they do the tasks included in the module.

This module is all about identifying different human activities that affect the soil. It
may be farming, construction of structures as well as the waste disposal. which may harm
the soil condition. This module will also give us an idea about the importance of caring the
soil as well as the proper use of land and its effect to soil which may lead to its
conservation.

This Self-Learning Module, consist of varied activities to assess how you were able to
understand the content and concepts about different human activities that affect the
condition of the soil. This will also allow you to have a reflection about the importance of
soil and its protection by answering the different enrichment activities that may lead you
to become more aware about the ways on how to maintain and develop the quality and
quantity of the soil.

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 OBJECTIVES

At the end of the lesson, the learners should be able to:

1. identify human activities, such as farming, construction of structures, and waste

disposal, that affect the quality and quantity of soil;
2. explain why soil is considered a necessary resource: and
3. appreciate the importance of knowing how to properly care the soil quality.

COMPETENCY

The learners shall be able to identify human activities, such as farming, construction
of structures, and waste disposal, that affect the quality and quantity of soil

S11ES-Ih-17

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 WHAT DO YOU ALREADY KNOW?

Pre-Test. Read the following statements carefully. Write T if you think the
statement is TRUE and F if it is false.

1. Soil is considered a necessary resource for sustaining life on Earth.

2. Antropecene is the term use to describe new geologic era characterized by anthropogenic
disturbances of the geologic record.
3. As stated in the module, there are five main land- use practices that can harm soil.
4. Overgrazing is considered one of the major problems in farming activity.
5. Potential risk posed to the soil is considered the main environmental problem associated
with the waste disposal.
6. Exposing rocks and minerals to the air and digging of land are forms of mining that speed
up the rate of chemical weathering.
7. Soil health can also be used to describe soil quality.
8. Soil health is an important focus for many agricultural groups interested in regenerative and
sustainable crop and livestock production.
9. Soil is considered a necessary resource because it is the foundation of productive farming
practices.
10. One of the reasons why we need to take care the soil quality is because of the environment.

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 WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Soil as a Necessary Resource

Soil helps sustain life on Earth—including your life. Soil supports the growth of plants,
which in turn supply food for animals. Therefore, soil provides all the food needed as well as
the other items that may possibly use, such as cotton clothing and medicines which are all
present because of plants. In order to attain that, health of the soil must be properly
considered.

Soil health is the foundation of productive farming practices. Fertile soil provides
essential nutrients to plants. Important physical characteristics of soil-like structures and
aggregation allow water and air to infiltrate, roots to explore, and biota to thrive.
Diverse and active biological communities help soil resist physical degradation and
cycle nutrients at rates to meet plant needs. Soil health and soil quality are terms used
interchangeably to describe soils that are not only fertile but also possess adequate
physical and biological properties to "sustain productivity, maintain environmental
quality and promote plant and animal health" (Doron 1994).

According to the (USDA) Natural Resource Conservation Service , "Soil quality is

how well soil does what we want it to do." In order to grow our crops, we want the soil
to hold water and nutrients like a sponge where they are readily available for plant
roots to take them up, suppress pests and weeds that may attack our plants, sequester
carbon from the atmosphere, and clean the water that flows through it into rivers, lakes,
and aquifers. But, evidences have been observed that people affected the soil in a
negative way.

As stated by Garbuio (2012), the impacts of human activities on soil contamination

are many and varied. The extent of human impact is now so pervasive and profound that
there is currently much discussion about the “Anthropocene” which is a new geologic era
characterized by anthropogenic disturbances of the geologic record. The effects of human
activities vary with land use, ranging from agricultural wastes such as farm animal sewerage
and fertilizer runoff, to commercial and industrial wastes of every conceivable type and
magnitude further to explore the effects of human activities on soil contamination. Topics to
be examined include the nature and extent of soil contamination, state of the art
methodologies for studying soil and related groundwater contamination, and innovative
techniques for remediation.

Human activities (settlements, industry, and agricultural developments) can disturb

the components of the natural cycle through land use diversions and the use, reuse and
discharge of wastes into the natural surface and groundwater pathways.

Figure 1. Human Activities that Affect the Soil

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 Land-Use Practices that can Harm Soil

Soil is especially vulnerable to erosion if it is bare or exposed. The way people use
land can affect the levels of nutrients and pollution in soil. Any activity that exposes soil to
wind and rain can lead to soil loss. Farming, construction and development, and mining
are among the main activities that impact soil resources. Plants therefore serve a
tremendous role in preventing soil erosion. If the soil is covered with plants, erosion is slowed
down. But when soil is bare, the rate of erosion speeds up tremendously. Here are some
human activities that leave the soil exposed and speed up erosion. We speed up erosion
through the following actions:

Farming

Farming is very important to society because almost all of the world’s food is grown
on farms. Over the 10,000 years humans have been farming, people have continually
improved their farming methods. However, farming has some harmful effects and can lead
to soil loss.

Farmers often add nutrients to soil in the form of organic or artificial fertilizers to make
their crops grow better. However, some fertilizers can make it difficult for microorganisms in
the soil to produce nutrients naturally. Fertilizers also add to water pollution when rainwater
draining from fields carries the excess nutrients to rivers, lakes, and oceans.

Over time, many farming practices lead to the loss of soil. All over the world, farmers
clear trees and other plants and plow up the soil to plant crops. Without its natural plant
cover, the soil is more exposed to rain and wind and is therefore more likely to get washed
or blown away. American farmers lose about five metric tons of soil for each metric ton of
grain they produce. In many other parts of the world, the losses are even higher.

Another problem is overgrazing. Overgrazing occurs when farm animals eat large
amounts of the land cover. Overgrazing destroys natural vegetation and causes the soil to
wash or blow away more easily. In many dry regions of the world, overgrazing and the
clearing of land for farming have led to desertification. Desertification is the expansion of
desert conditions in areas where the natural plant cover has been destroyed.

Figure 2. Farming

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Construction and Development
Urban and suburban development can also exacerbate erosion, especially if the
developers ignore the natural state of the land. Construction of a building often begins by
clearing the area of any plants or other natural defenses against soil erosion. In addition, some
landscapers replace natural ground cover with plant species unsuited to the climate, and these
plants may not be as effective at preventing erosion.
To make roads, houses, shopping malls, and other buildings, people need to dig up the
soil. Some of the soil at construction sites washes or blows away because its protective plant
cover has been removed. The soil that is washed or blown away ends up in nearby low lying
areas, in rivers and streams, or in downstream lakes or reservoirs. This soil can cause problems by
making rivers and lakes muddy and harming the organisms that live in them. The buildup of soil
on riverbeds raises the level of the rivers and may cause flooding. The soil can also fill up lakes
and reservoirs.

Figure 3. Construction Site

Waste Disposal

The main environmental problem associated with the disposal sites is the potential risk
posed to the soil. Since the waste was disposed directly onto surface of soil, a number of
contaminants including heavy metals readily penetrate and eventually they contaminate the
soil and affect vegetation abundance of the area.
Soils in the urban environment are distinctive in that they are modified through waste
amendments. Consideration has been given to how urban soil properties reflect current human
influence; however, recent studies highlight their potential as historical archives. The impact of
waste disposal on the nature, properties and formation of urban soils is significant, especially in
historic small towns where the extent and complexity of refuse management practices is only
just emerging. Physical, chemical and micromorphological analysis of topsoil deposits indicate
sustained addition of past waste materials to soils within and near to historic small towns. Soil
characteristics were heterogeneous, however, distinct patterns according to past functional
zones were identified. Soil modification was most pronounced within burgh cores resulting in the
formation of hortic horizons. Soils within burgh cores are characterized by neutral pH, increased
organic matter content, enhanced magnetic susceptibility and elevated elemental
concentrations. such as calcium, phosphorus and potassium. In comparison the nature and
extent of soil modification within burgh acres is more varied. At Lauder hortic soils were identified
in the burgh acres suggesting pronounced soil modification through cultivation. Deepened
topsoil in the burgh acres at Pittenweem provided evidence for application of mineral rich waste

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 materials in the past. Moreover, magnetic and elemental enhancement (barium,
phosphorus, lead, zinc) within the burgh acres south of Wigtown revealed historic soils
based anthropogenic signal. It is argued that changes in soil characteristics at Lauder,
Pittenweem and Wigtown can be explained through processes of waste management
and disposal in the past. Evidence from micromorphological analyses suggests that waste
in burgh cores typically comprised domestic waste, animal waste, building materials and
fuel residues. These materials were also identified within burgh acres, although it is noted
that their abundances were significantly lower. Variation in urban anthrosol characteristics
between burghs is attributed to differing industries and patterns of resource exploitation,
for example marine waste associated with fishing was only identified in coastal burghs. The
sustained addition of waste materials to soils within and near to historic small towns was an
effective waste management strategy. Waste disposal in burgh cores was likely to be a
combination of direct application and midden spreading in back gardens. This led to
enhanced soil fertility which was important in the development of urban horticulture;
particularly for poorer inhabitants who did not have access to arable farm land adjacent
to the burgh. Dunghills acted as temporary stores of waste in the main thoroughfares of
Lauder, Pittenweem and Wigtown. These dunghills were systematically transported to the
burgh acres for further use as a fertilizer; hence, an early form of urban composting.
Processes of waste disposal could not be deduced from soil characteristics alone;
however, likely methods include direct waste deposition, storage and redistribution of
midden waste, and storage and redistribution of dunghills. The limitations of soil
classification systems and mapping are highlighted, for example urban soils are either
omitted from soil maps or are misclassified. It is recommended that urban soils in historic
towns should be incorporated into future regional soil maps. Urban soils represent a
complex archive of past human behaviour not necessarily reflected in archaeological
excavation or documentary analysis. It is argued that soil and artefacts are equally
important, hence soil should be a consideration in urban heritage and conservation
strategies.

Figure 4. Waste Disposal

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 Mining

Some methods of mining cause soil loss. For example, the digging of strip mines and open-
pit mines involves the removal of plants and soil from the surface of the ground. By exposing rocks
and minerals to the air and to rainwater, these forms of mining speed up the rate of chemical
weathering. In mining operations that expose sulfide minerals, the increased chemical
weathering causes a type of pollution known as acid drainage. Abandoned mines can fill with
rainwater. Sulfide minerals react with the air and the water to produce sulfuric acid. Then the
acid water drains from the mines, polluting the soil in surrounding areas.

Figure 5. Mining Industry

Importance of Knowing How to Properly Care the Soil Quality

Soil health or soil quality is a concept that has increased in popularity over the past
several years, especially since the early 1990s. It continues to gain traction among farming and
ranching communities, soil managers, scientists, agricultural Extension specialists, and other
groups that work with soil. “Soil health” is an important focus for many agricultural groups
interested in regenerative and sustainable crop and livestock production as well as land
management and its proper utilization. While awareness of soil health is increasing, it is
important to have a good understanding of what soil health entails, how it is measured, and
how to manage it for optimal and sustainable delivery of the ecosystem services that soils
provide.

Soil is one of the natural resources that supports human civilization. Without a productive
and healthy soil, the prospect of producing enough food to feed an ever-increasing human
population is impossible. We have many degraded soils across the globe that are no longer
productive and can only be regenerated to a fruitful state by applying soil health principles.
The global trends show that 20% of cropland, 16% of forest land, 19% of grassland, and 27% of
rangeland are in persistent decline in productivity due to soil degradation (UNCCD, 2017). This
can have significant effects on global food security if not addressed.

9
 In New Mexico, a major effect of soil degradation is the high rate of soil erosion by
wind. Additionally, water erosion can become a problem during the monsoon period
(July–September) due to high-intensity, short-duration rainfall that is typical for our region.
These high-intensity rainfall events can lead to ephemeral (temporary) or permanent gully
formations in both range and farmlands. However, while tillage in cropland may correct
small ephemeral gullies, permanent gullies may form in rangelands if corrective action is
not implemented.

While soil can be lost quickly through erosion, soil formation is a very slow process.
It may take between 100 to 10,000 years for an inch of soil to form, depending on the soil-
forming processes that occur in a given region. This slow rate of formation makes soil a
finite resource if it is mismanaged since it is a slowly renewable natural resource. An
unhealthy soil will be prone to loses by wind and water erosion. Therefore, developing and
maintaining healthy soils is necessary to ensure long-term soil productivity and food
security.

Another reason we should care about soil health is the environmental, economic,
and public health consequences arising from degraded and unhealthy soils. For example,
when dust storms develop, suspended sediments have been proven to be hazardous for
road safety and constitute serious health issues for those with respiratory problems. Also,
sediments that are transported away by erosion often accumulate in places where they
are not wanted, requiring extra costs to remove the deposited sediments. Poorly
managed soils can also lead to the contamination of surface water and groundwater due
to agrichemicals attached to the dust and soil.

Figure 6. Improving the Soil Quality

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 WHAT HAVE YOU LEARNED?

Post-Test. Based on the pictures presented below, explain your ideas about
the ways on how to properly maintain the quality and quantity of the soil.

Farming

________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________.

Mining
________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________.

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 Waste Disposal

________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________.

Construction and Development

________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________________.

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 ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY 1

Complete the chart by identifying and describing other human activities

that may affect the quality and quantity of soil.

Other Human Activity

• Description

Other Human Activity • Description

• Description
Other Human Activity

• Description
Other Human Activity

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 ENRICHMENT ACTIVITY 2

Reflection. Explain the following questions briefly but

comprehensively.

1. Upon knowing the different human activities that may affect the condition of a soil, as a
student how can you help in conserving and protecting the soil health or soil quality?

________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________.

2. Why is it important to protect the health condition of a soil?

________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________.

3. What are the ways on how to conserve and protect the quality and even quantity of a
soil? Cite some examples.
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________.

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15
What Do You Already Know?
1. T
2. F
3. F
4. T What Have You Learned?
5. T
6. F 8. Answers may vary
7. T 9. Answers may vary
8. T 10. Answers may vary
9. T 11. Answers may vary
10. T 12.
Activity Number 1 Activity Number 2
1. Answers may vary 5. Answers may vary
2. Answers may vary 6. Answers may vary
3. Answers may vary 7. Answers may vary
4. Answers may vary
ANWER KEYS
 REFERENCES

Books

1. Ballon. M.T,M., Cantalejo. M.N., Science and Health (Quezon City: Phoenix Publishing
House, Inc, 2007), ,243 p.
2. Religioso, T.F., Vengco, L.G., , Integrated Science (Quezon City: Phoenix Publishing House,
Inc., 1995). 197 p.

Online Sources
1. Carlson, D.H., Carlson, Plummer, C.C., and Hammersley, L., 2011. Physical Geology: Earth
Revealed. McGraw-Hill. 645 p.
2. Corina, Fiore. “Sciencing”. West Chester University of Pennsylvania.2020.
https://sciencing.com/types-water-resources-5127497.html
3. Desonie, D., 2015. CK-12 Earth Science High School . http:// www.ck12.org/earth-science/
4. Junine, J.I., 2013. Earth Evolution of a Habitable World. Second Edition. Cambridge
University Press. 304 p.
5. Kirkland, K. 2010. Earth Science: notable research and discoveries. Facts on File, Inc., 212
p.
6. Licuanan, Patricia. “Teaching Guide for Earth Science.” Commission on Higher Education.
2016. https://btc.montana.edu/ceres/html/Habitat/habitablezone.htm
7. Lutgens, F.K., Tarbuck, E.J. and Tassa, D., 2013. Essentials of Geology. 11th Edition. Pearson
Prentice Hall, 554 p.
8. Tarbuck, E.J. and Lutgens, F.K., 2008. Earth – An Introduction to Physical Geology. 9th
Edition Pearson Prentice Hall, 703 p.
9. https://www.classzone.com/science_book/mls_grade7_FL/248_252.pdf
10. https://prezi.com/0jzytkrmousm/human-activities-that-affects-the-quality-and-quantity-of-
so/

16
 Human Activities that Affect the
Quality and Quantity of Soil
This module is all about identifying different human activities that affect the
soil. It may be farming, construction of structures as well as the waste disposal.
which may harm the soil condition. This module will also give us an idea about
the importance of caring the soil as well as the proper use of land and its effect
to soil which may lead to its conservation.
This topic is under S11/12ES-If-g-17 competency which is all about
identifying human activities, such as farming, construction of structures, and
waste disposal, that affect the quality and quantity of soil. It has several
objectives which are the identification of human activities that affect the quality
and quantity of soil, the reasons why soil is considered a necessary resource and
the appreciation of knowing the ways on how to properly take care of the soil.

Figure 1. Human Activities that Affect the Soil

DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Region 3
Division of Cabanatuan City
Curriculum Implementation Division (CID)
Learning Resource Management and Development System (LRMDS)
This self-learning module (SLM) is developed by the SDO Cabanatuan City CID-LRMDS Team under Project
EL AR: Enhanced Learning thru Adequate Resources.
Cover and page elements illustrations by Jan Carl B. Briones ● Project EL AR logo by Gemmarie G. Rivas