Question

What is meant by soil degradation? What are its major causes? Write two harmful effects of soil degradation.

Answer 1

Explanation:

Soil degradation is the decline in soil condition caused by its improper use or poor management, usually for agricultural, industrial or urban purposes. It is a serious environmental problem. ... Avoiding soil degradation is crucial to our well-being.

Some factors as deforestation, extensive cultivation on marginal land, improper cultivation practices like mono-cropping, poor manuring, misuse of fertilizers or excess use of fertilizers, excessive irrigation, over-grazing, fragility of soil, adverse weather and mining may accelerate the process of soil .

Harmful effects of soil degradation are ➡

• These impacts include compaction, loss of soil structure, nutrient degradation, and soil salinity. These are very real and at times severe issues. ...
• And degraded lands are also often less able to hold onto water, which can worsen flooding.