Question

what are the causes of Land? Degradation what measures should be taken to stop it?

Answer 1

Land degradation is a process in which the value of the biophysical environment is affected by a combination of human-induced processes acting upon the land.


Land degradation caused by mining as it cause landslides Land degradation is a global problem largely related to agricultural use. Causes include:

Land clearance, such as clearcutting and deforestation

Agricultural depletion of soil nutrientsthrough poor farming practices

Livestock including overgrazing and overdrafting

Inappropriate irrigation[7] and overdrafting

Urban sprawl and commercial development

Vehicle off-roading

Quarrying of stone, sand, ore and minerals

Increase in field size due to economies of scale, reducing shelter for wildlife, as hedgerows and copses disappear

Exposure of naked soil after harvesting by heavy equipment

Monoculture, destabilizing the local ecosystem

Dumping of non-biodegradable trash, such as plastics

Invasive Species

Soil degradation, e.g.

Soil contamination

Soil erosion

Soil acidification

Loss of soil carbon

Answer 2

Causes of land degradation:

Mining sites are abandoned after the excavation work is done, Reaving deep scars of overburdening. In states like Odisha, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, deforestation due to mining has caused severe land degradation.

Overgrazing in states like Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra is one of the main reasons behind land degradation.

Overirrigation and waterlogging lead to increase in salinity and alkalinity in the states of Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, thereby leading to land degradation.

Mineral processing like grinding of limestone for cement industry and calcite and soapstone for ceremic industry generate huge quantities of dust in the atmosphere. It stops the infiltration of water in the soil.

Industrial effluents as wastes have become a major source of land and water pollution in many parts of the country.

Ways to check land degradation:

Afforestation and proper management of grazing can help to check land degradation.

Planting of shelter belts help in checking the sand causing land degradation near the deserts.

Overgrazing can be checked and avoided.

Stabilisation of sand dunes by growing thorny bushes can also check land degradation.

Proper management of waste land can be taken up.

Control on mining activities, so that mining does not affect the land and by refilling the scars.

Proper discharge and disposal of industrial effluents and wastes after treatment can reduce land and water degradation in industrial areas