Marinelle Palada

11-OLOG

How Human Activities Degrade Soil Quality

1. Intensive agriculture

-To cope with the growing population, agriculture became more machine-dependent,
which led to deforestation and the clearing of land for cultivation. It’s been increasing to
feed the world population efficiently. These activities led to the loss of organic matter,
soil compaction, and damage to physical properties. Heavy use of pesticides and
chemical fertilizers that contaminated the soil and water supplies led to the loss of soil
fauna and flora which are essential parts of healthy soil.
2. Population
-The increasing population has led to the
conversion of land to urban centers which are generally characterized by a
concrete structure, and e construction of roads, and pavements. The
concrete structures represent a loss of soil which is the soil is sealed with
concrete. Sealing hinders the soil’s interaction with the earth’s subsystems
which affects nutrient cycling and soil services. Urbanization reduced the
land area and quality of the soil.

3. Desertification
-It is the irreversible change of the land to such a state where it can no longer
be recovered for its original use. Climatic variations and human activities are
the cause of desertification. It is a major threat to the world’s soil because it
affects a quarter of the world’s land.

4. Soil erosion
-The loss of topsoil and nutrients in the soil. It is the most visible effect of soil
degradation. It is a natural process but is often made much worse by poor management
practices. It is the displacement of the upper layer of soil, one form of soil degradation. It
decreases soil fertility, which can negatively affect crop yields. It also sends soil-laden
water downstream, which can create heavy layers of sediment that prevent streams and
rivers from flowing smoothly and can eventually lead to flooding.

5. Soil compaction
-It reduces the amount of air, water, and space available to roots and soil organisms. It is
caused by repeated traffic or traveling on wet soil. It reduces the rate of water infiltration
and drainage that is components suitable for plant growth. It occurs when soil particles
are pressed together, reducing pore space between them. Soil compaction can lead to poor
root growth which reduces crop yield through poor water and nutrient uptake.