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Soil Degradation

by Pragati Dubey | 25-10-2021 22:33 recommendations 0

Soil Degradation

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. Soils are a fundamental natural resource, and are the basis for all terrestrial life. Avoiding soil degradation is crucial to our well-being.

Examples of soil degradation

Soil degradation is the physical, chemical and biological decline in soil quality. It can be the loss of organic matter, decline in soil fertility, and structural condition, erosion, adverse changes in salinity, acidity or alkalinity, and the effects of toxic chemicals, pollutants or excessive flooding. Soil degradation can involve:

  • water erosion (includes sheet, rill and gully erosion)
  • wind erosion
  • salinity (includes dryland, irrigation and urban salinity)
  • loss of organic matter
  • fertility decline
  • soil acidity or alkalinity
  • structure decline (includes soil compaction and surface sealing)
  • mass movement
  • soil contamination (including effects of toxic chemicals and pollutants).

Soil condition in NSW

Department of Planning, Industry and Environment (former Office of Environment and Heritage) is leading the implementation of a program for land and soil condition called Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting (MER).  This program began in 2008 and has established a baseline for soil condition and land capability at 850 paired sites across NSW.  This represents the largest data set of its kind in Australia.

To measure progress towards achieving these targets a Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting (MER) program was developed in 2008.  This program established a baseline for soil condition and land capability at 850 paired sites across NSW. This represents the largest data set of its kind in Australia. Department of Planning, Industry and Environment is leading the implementation of this program.

reference:https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/land-and-soil/soil-degradation

 
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2 Comments

  • Hannah Mentor says :
    Hello Pragati, this is your mentor Hannah!
    Sorry for the late comment.
    Yes, soil degradation is a serious environmental problem, and in many places people burn up the soil to make it nutrious. This also provokes air pollution.
    Thank you for the great ambassador report and please keep up with your great work ;)

    Yours, Hannah

    Posted 13-11-2021 21:41

  • Joon Mentor says :
    Hello Pragati, this is your mentor Joon.

    Soil degradation occurs of various reasons due to excessive use by agriculture, industrial, urban, and so on. It is also not limited to such issues. Natural conditions such as severe drought could
    make it worse. Though it is hard for soil to degraded, due to homeostasis of nature, once it gets to the certain point, it is hard to return. As for that, we should carefully approach and manage our soil before it get degraded.

    Well read your report, and hope you are doing well.

    Best,

    Joon
    Posted 28-10-2021 11:55

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