essay on soil in english

Essay on Soil Conservation

Introduction to Soil Conservation

A world where the ground beneath our feet vanishes like sand through fingers, fertile fields turn into barren wastelands, and once-thriving ecosystems wither away into dust. This isn’t a scene from a dystopian novel; it’s a stark reality faced by regions grappling with soil erosion and degradation. Soil conservation emerges as an unsung hero, diligently working behind the scenes to preserve the very foundation of life .

Like a silent guardian, soil quietly nurtures crops, supports biodiversity, and sustains livelihoods. Yet, its significance often goes unnoticed until threatened by erosion, degradation, or misuse. Standing at the precipice of environmental challenges, it’s time to spotlight this humble hero. Join us as we unravel the importance, challenges, and innovative soil conservation strategies and discover how this often-overlooked champion holds the key to our planet’s resilience and sustainability.

After understanding each section, learn some interesting facts as well.

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Soil Erosion: The Silent Threat to Our Planet’s Lifeline

Soil erosion is a natural process wherein soil particles are detached, transported, and deposited by various agents such as water, wind, ice, or gravity. While erosion is natural, human activities often exacerbate its intensity, leading to significant environmental and agricultural consequences.

Causes of Soil Erosion:

• Water Erosion: This occurs primarily due to rainfall or surface water flow, which dislodges soil particles and carries them away. Factors such as slope steepness, soil type, land use practices, and rainfall intensity influence the rate of water erosion.
• Wind Erosion: In arid and semi-arid areas, where dry, loose soil particles are easily lifted and carried by wind, wind erosion is common. Deforestation , overgrazing, and poor land management exacerbate wind erosion.
• Tillage Erosion: Intensive tillage practices, commonly employed in agriculture, can disrupt soil structure and expose it to erosion by water and wind.

Impacts of Soil Erosion:

• On Agriculture: Soil erosion reduces soil fertility, diminishes crop yields, and leads to the loss of valuable topsoil, adversely affecting food security and agricultural sustainability.
• On Ecosystems: Erosion disrupts ecosystem functioning by altering nutrient cycling, reducing habitat quality, contaminating water bodies, and harming aquatic life.
• On Infrastructure: Sedimentation resulting from erosion can clog waterways, reservoirs, and drainage systems, leading to increased flooding risks and damage to infrastructure.

Types of Erosion:

• Sheet Erosion: Erosion occurs when a uniform thin layer of soil is removed from the land’s surface, leaving behind a “sheet” of eroded soil.
• Rill Erosion: Forms small channels or grooves in the soil surface due to concentrated water flow, often seen on moderately sloping terrain.
• Gully Erosion: Deep, narrow channels carved into the landscape by fast-flowing water, resulting in severe soil loss.

Preventing and Mitigating Soil Erosion:

• Conservation Tillage: Reduced tillage and no-till farming techniques help to minimize soil disturbance, maintain soil structure, and lower erosion.
• Cover Cropping: During fallow seasons, planting cover crops contributes to better soil health, erosion control, and surface protection.
• Terracing and Contour Farming: Constructing terraces and following the contour of the land helps slow water runoff and reduce soil erosion on sloping terrain.
• Vegetative Measures: Planting trees, shrubs, or grasses as windbreaks or buffer strips helps stabilize soil, reduce wind erosion, and enhance biodiversity .

Did you know:

Over 4 billion microorganisms can represent thousands of species in just one gram of soil. These microscopic organisms are crucial in nutrient cycling, decomposition, and soil fertility.

Strategies for Soil Conservation: Preserving Earth’s Lifeline

Soil conservation encompasses various techniques to prevent erosion, maintain soil health, and promote sustainable land management practices. Implementing these strategies, from agricultural fields to natural landscapes, is crucial for preserving Earth’s precious soil resources. Let’s delve into some key conservation strategies, along with real-world case scenarios demonstrating their effectiveness:

Conservation Tillage Techniques:

• No-Till Farming: In this method, farmers refrain from plowing their fields and instead plant seeds directly into undisturbed soil. No-till farming reduces soil erosion, improves water retention, and enhances soil structure by leaving crop residues on the surface.
• Case Scenario: No-till farming in the Midwest region of the United States has significantly reduced soil erosion rates while maintaining or even increasing crop yields. For example, in Iowa, widespread adoption of no-till practices has helped conserve millions of tons of soil annually.

Cover Cropping and Crop Rotation:

• Cover Cropping: During fallow seasons, farmers can plant cover crops like legumes and grasses to reduce soil erosion, control weed growth, and enhance soil fertility.
• Crop Rotation: Alternating different crops in a sequence on the same field helps break pest and disease cycles, improve soil structure, and replenish soil nutrients.
• Case Scenario: In Brazil, farmers in the Cerrado region have successfully adopted cover cropping and crop rotation practices to mitigate soil erosion and enhance soil fertility. Incorporating leguminous cover crops like soybeans into their cropping systems has improved soil health and reduced the need for chemical fertilizers.

Contour Farming and Terracing:

• Contour Farming: In sloping terrain, slowing down water drainage by plow work and crop planting following the land’s contour lines helps prevent soil erosion.
• Terracing: Building terraces or embankments across steep slopes creates level platforms for cultivation, effectively reducing soil erosion by intercepting runoff.
• Case Scenario: China’s Loess Plateau farmers have implemented extensive terracing and contour farming to combat severe soil erosion. The “Grain for Green” program, initiated in the late 1990s, involved converting steep cropland into terraced fields and restoring vegetation cover, significantly reducing soil erosion rates and improving water retention.

Reforestation and Agroforestry:

• Reforestation: Planting trees on degraded or deforested lands helps stabilize soil, prevent erosion, and restore ecosystem functions.
• Agroforestry: Additional advantages of integrating trees with livestock or agriculture systems include higher biodiversity, better soil fertility, and greater resistance to climate change.
• Case Scenario: In Kenya’s Tana River Basin, the “Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration” approach encourages farmers to protect and manage naturally regenerating trees on their farmlands. This initiative has increased tree cover, reduced soil erosion, and improved agricultural productivity for local communities.

Soil Bioengineering Techniques:

• Vegetative Measures: Using live plants, such as grasses, shrubs, or trees, for erosion control and slope stabilization.
• Structural Measures: Incorporating natural or biodegradable materials, such as brushwood, logs, or geotextiles, into soil stabilization structures.
• Case Scenario: In Nepal’s mountainous regions, communities facing severe soil erosion and landslides have implemented soil bioengineering techniques such as vegetative barriers and retaining walls. By harnessing local plant species and traditional knowledge, these communities have successfully stabilized slopes, reduced erosion, and safeguarded their livelihoods.

There are over 20,000 different types of soil worldwide, each with unique characteristics and properties. These soil types range from fertile agricultural soils to extreme environments such as desert sands and permafrost.

Importance of Soil Health

We cannot overstate the importance of soil health, as it serves as the foundation for agriculture , ecosystems, and human well-being. Here are key points highlighting the significance of soil health:

• Nutrient Cycling: Soil is a reservoir of essential nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, vital for plant growth and development. Plants can obtain the necessary nutrients for optimum growth because healthy soil preserves the processes that cycle nutrients.
• Crop Productivity: Soil health directly impacts crop yields and agricultural output. Fertile soil with a well-balanced nutrient profile and good structure facilitates easy water and nutrient absorption by plant roots, resulting in higher harvests and healthier plants.
• Water Retention and Drainage: Healthy soil has good water retention capacity, allowing it to absorb and store water during rainfall and release it gradually to plants. Additionally, well-structured soil facilitates proper drainage, reducing the risk of waterlogging and soil erosion.
• Biodiversity Support: Soil hosts many microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and earthworms, which play crucial roles in nutrient cycling, decomposition, and soil formation. Healthy soil provides habitat and sustenance for these organisms, contributing to ecosystem biodiversity.
• Carbon Sequestration: Soil has a large organic carbon store, which serves as a carbon sink and slows down global warming. Healthy soils with high quantities of organic matter sequester more carbon from the environment, which lowers greenhouse gas concentrations and promotes climate stability.
• Erosion Prevention: Maintaining healthy soil is crucial to halting erosion, which can cause deforestation and the loss of rich topsoil. Good soil structure and abundant organic matter make the soil more resilient to erosion, preserving soil fertility and ecological stability.
• Water Quality Protection: Healthy soil is critical in protecting water quality by filtering pollutants before they reach groundwater and surface water sources. Soil acts as a natural buffer, removing excess nutrients, sediment, and pollutants from runoff and safeguarding aquatic ecosystems and human health.
• Resilience to Climate Change: Soil health enhances ecosystems’ and agricultural systems’ resilience to climate change impacts such as extreme weather events, droughts, and temperature fluctuations. Healthy soils can better withstand environmental stressors and support sustainable food production in changing climatic conditions.

Soil forms at an average rate of about 1 cm every 100 to 400 years. This slow process involves the weathering of rocks, organic matter decomposition, and biological activity, highlighting the importance of preserving soil for future generations.

Sustainable Agriculture Practices

Sustainable agriculture practices promote long-term agricultural productivity while minimizing environmental impact, conserving natural resources, and supporting farmers’ livelihoods.

Here are some real-life examples of worldwide implementation of sustainable agriculture practices:

• Agroforestry: Agroforestry incorporates trees and shrubs into agricultural landscapes to offer several advantages, including enhanced resistance to climate change, soil conservation, and biodiversity preservation. For instance, in sub-Saharan Africa, farmers practice agroforestry by planting nitrogen-fixing trees like Acacia and Faidherbia albida alongside food crops. These trees improve soil fertility and provide shade, fodder, and additional sources of income for farmers.
• Conservation Agriculture: Conservation agriculture involves minimizing soil disturbance, maintaining permanent soil cover, and practicing crop rotation to enhance soil health and productivity. In the Cerrado region of Brazil, farmers have implemented conservation agriculture techniques like cover crops and no-till farming to reduce soil erosion, enhance water retention, and boost crop yields. These practices have contributed to sustainable intensification of agriculture while preserving natural resources.
• Precision Agriculture: Precision agriculture utilizes technology, data, and tailored management practices to optimize resource use and minimize environmental impact. Farmers in the United States employ precision agriculture technologies such as GPS-guided machinery, variable rate fertilization, and remote sensing to manage inputs like water, fertilizers, and pesticides precisely. Farmers can improve crop efficiency, reduce waste, and minimize environmental pollution by applying inputs only where and when needed.
• Organic farming emphasizes ecological balance and avoids synthetic inputs like chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and genetically modified organisms (GMOs). In countries like India, smallholder farmers practice organic farming, cultivating crops using traditional methods and natural inputs such as compost, green manure, and biopesticides. Organic farming promotes soil health, biodiversity conservation, and the production of chemical-free, nutritious food.
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM): To manage pests while lowering threats to the environment and public health, integrated pest management (IPM) integrates biological, cultural, and chemical control strategies. In South Africa’s vineyards, farmers practice IPM by employing biological control agents like predatory insects and implementing cultural practices such as pruning and canopy management to reduce pest pressure. By integrating multiple pest management strategies, farmers can effectively control pests while reducing reliance on synthetic pesticides.
• Rotational Grazing: Rotational grazing involves moving livestock through a series of paddocks to mimic natural grazing patterns, promote pasture health, and improve soil fertility. In New Zealand, dairy farmers practice rotational grazing by dividing pastures into smaller paddocks and rotating cattle frequently to prevent overgrazing and soil compaction. This management approach improves pasture productivity, reduces nutrient runoff, and enhances biodiversity on grazing lands.

Healthy soil can hold a significant amount of water, with each gram of soil capable of holding between 10 and 20 grams of water.

Government Policies and Initiatives

Several governments worldwide have implemented policies and initiatives to promote sustainable agriculture, conserve natural resources, and support rural development. Here are some famous examples:

• Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) – European Union: The Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) is a major agricultural policy of the European Union (EU) aimed at ensuring a stable supply of food, promoting agricultural productivity, and supporting rural communities. In addition to implementing sustainability and environmental policies and regulating agricultural markets to maintain fair competition and consumer protection, CAP offers farmers financial support and subsidies.
• Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) – United States: The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) runs the voluntary Conservation Reserve Program (CRP), which compensates farmers for converting ecologically sensitive agricultural property into conservation zones. Under the CRP program, farmers receive cost-share assistance and rental payments in exchange for establishing grasses or trees in marginal regions. This reduces soil erosion, improves water quality, and improves wildlife habitat.
• Payment for Environmental Services (PES) Programs – Costa Rica: Costa Rica’s Payment for Environmental Services (PES) programs are government initiatives that compensate landowners for conserving natural resources and providing ecosystem services. Through PES programs, landowners receive reforestation, forest conservation, watershed protection, and biodiversity conservation payments, contributing to carbon sequestration, water quality improvement, and biodiversity conservation.
• Greening Measures—Switzerland: Switzerland’s agricultural policy includes various “greening” measures aimed at promoting environmentally friendly farming practices and biodiversity conservation. Among these strategies are agri-environmental programs that encourage farmers to use sustainable land management techniques, such as buffer strips, crop diversification, organic farming, and habitat restoration. The Swiss government provides financial support and subsidies to farmers participating in these programs.
• Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) – India: Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) is a farming practice promoted by the government of India, particularly in the state of Andhra Pradesh. ZBNF emphasizes chemical-free agriculture, minimal external inputs, and reliance on natural resources and indigenous knowledge. Without spending extra money, farmers who practice zero-bottom farming (ZBNF) increase soil fertility, manage pests and illnesses, and increase crop yields using readily available local resources, including cow dung, urine, and plant extracts.
• New Zealand Agricultural Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS): New Zealand’s Agricultural Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) is a policy initiative addressing greenhouse gas emissions from the agricultural sector, significantly contributing to the country’s total emissions. Under the ETS, farmers must measure and report their emissions, and they can offset their emissions by purchasing carbon credits or implementing emission reduction measures. The scheme incentivizes farmers to adopt practices that reduce emissions and improve agricultural sustainability.

High rainfall and weathering of acidic minerals create acidic soils (pH below 7) in regions, while alkaline soils (pH above 7) form in arid regions with limited leaching.

Educating and Engaging Stakeholders

Increasing awareness, promoting sustainable land management practices, and incorporating stakeholders in soil conservation projects are critical to the long-term health of our ecosystems.

Public Awareness Campaigns:

• Media Outreach: Utilize television, radio, social media , and print publications to disseminate information about soil conservation, erosion prevention, and sustainable land management practices to the general public.
• Community Events: Organize workshops, seminars, and public forums in local communities to raise awareness about soil health and engage residents in discussions about conservation strategies.

Educational Programs:

• School Curricula: Integrate soil conservation topics into educational curricula at schools and universities to educate students about the significance of soil, erosion dynamics, and conservation practices.
• Training Initiatives: Develop training programs and workshops for farmers, agricultural professionals, and landowners to teach them about soil conservation techniques, sustainable farming methods, and land stewardship principles.

Demonstration Sites and Field Days:

• On-Site Learning: Establish demonstration sites and field days where stakeholders can observe soil conservation practices in action, interact with experts, and learn practical techniques for soil management.
• Information Sharing: Showcase successful soil conservation projects and best practices in local communities to inspire stakeholders and encourage them to implement similar approaches on their lands.

Partnerships and Collaborations:

• Cross-Sector Partnerships: Partner with government agencies, non-profit organizations, academic institutions, and community groups to coordinate soil conservation efforts, share resources, and leverage expertise.
• Local Engagement: Collaborate with agricultural extension services, conservation districts, and grassroots organizations to provide technical assistance, training, and outreach support to farmers and landowners.

Incentive Programs and Funding Opportunities:

• Financial Support: Offer financial incentives, grants, and cost-share programs to encourage stakeholders to embrace soil conservation methods, such as cover crops, no-till farming, and riparian buffers.
• Tax Incentives: Offer tax incentives, subsidies, and rebates for implementing sustainable land management practices that enhance soil health, mitigate erosion, and protect water quality.

Community Engagement and Participation:

• Empowering Communities: Engage local communities, indigenous peoples, and stakeholders in participatory decision-making to identify soil conservation priorities, develop action plans, and implement projects that address community needs.
• Building Networks: Establish community-based conservation initiatives, such as watershed stewardship groups and farmer-led networks, to facilitate peer-to-peer learning, knowledge sharing, and collaborative problem-solving.

Citizen Science and Volunteer Programs:

• Hands-On Involvement: Citizens should be engaged in soil monitoring, data collection, and research activities through citizen science projects and volunteer monitoring programs to contribute valuable information about soil health and erosion dynamics.
• Volunteer Opportunities: Mobilize volunteers for hands-on conservation projects, such as tree planting, erosion control, and habitat restoration efforts, to foster a sense of stewardship and ownership of natural resources.

Policy Advocacy and Legislative Action:

• Advocacy Efforts: Advocate for supportive policies, regulations, and incentives at the local, national, and international levels to promote soil conservation, enhance land use planning, and prioritize sustainable agriculture and land management practices.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Mobilize stakeholders to participate in policy debates, public hearings, and advocacy campaigns to advance soil conservation goals, protect critical habitats, and address environmental justice issues.

Under optimal conditions, it can take up to 500 years to form just one centimeter of topsoil, illustrating the slow rate of soil formation and the importance of preserving this valuable resource.

Case Studies and Success Stories in Soil Conservation

Examining case studies and success stories in soil conservation provides valuable insights into practical strategies, innovative approaches, and tangible outcomes achieved in various contexts. Here are several compelling examples showcasing successful soil conservation initiatives from around the world:

The Loess Plateau Watershed Rehabilitation Project (China):

• Background: The Loess Plateau in China suffered from severe soil erosion and degradation due to unsustainable land use practices, leading to ecological degradation and poverty among local communities.
• Initiative: The Chinese government implemented the “Grain for Green” program in the late 1990s. This program involved converting steep cropland into terraced fields, restoring vegetation cover, and implementing soil conservation measures.
• Outcomes: The project resulted in a significant reduction in soil erosion rates, improved water retention, increased vegetation cover, and enhanced ecosystem services. It also contributed to poverty alleviation and improved livelihoods for local communities.

The Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy (United States):

• Background: Iowa, a major agricultural state in the United States, faces challenges related to nutrient pollution, soil erosion, and water quality degradation due to intensive farming practices.
• Initiative: The Iowa Nutrient Reduction Strategy, launched in 2013, aims to reduce nutrient runoff into waterways by promoting conservation practices such as cover cropping, no-till farming, and buffer strips.
• Outcomes: The strategy has led to increased adoption of conservation practices among farmers, resulting in reduced nutrient losses, improved soil health, and enhanced water quality in Iowa’s rivers and streams.

Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (Niger):

• Background: Niger, a country in West Africa, faced widespread land degradation and desertification, threatening agricultural productivity and food security for rural communities.
• Initiative: The Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) approach, pioneered by World Vision and other NGOs, encourages farmers to protect and manage naturally regenerating trees on their farmlands.
• Outcomes: FMNR has led to increased tree cover, improved soil fertility, enhanced water retention, and increased crop yields for thousands of farmers in Niger. It has also restored degraded landscapes and improved resilience to climate change.

Sustainable Agriculture Practices in Kerala (India):

• Background: Kerala, a state in southern India, faces challenges related to soil erosion, declining soil fertility, and agricultural sustainability due to population pressure and intensive farming practices.
• Initiative: Governmental and non-governmental groups have supported agroforestry, organic farming, soil conservation, and other sustainable agricultural methods.
• Outcomes: Adopting sustainable agriculture practices has improved soil health, increased crop yields, reduced chemical inputs, and enhanced biodiversity in Kerala. It has also empowered smallholder farmers and promoted environmental sustainability.

The Sustainable Intensification of Maize-Legume Cropping Systems (Sub-Saharan Africa):

• Background: Sub-Saharan Africa faces challenges related to soil degradation, low agricultural productivity, and food insecurity, particularly among smallholder farmers.
• Initiative: The International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) is leading the Sustainable Intensification of Maize-Legume Cropping Systems (SIMLESA) initiative, which promotes sustainable agricultural methods such as crop rotation, conservation agriculture, and agroforestry.
• Outcomes: The lives of smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa, crop yields, soil health, and food security. It has also contributed to climate resilience and environmental sustainability in the region.

Despite covering only about 10% of the Earth’s land surface, soils store an estimated 1,500 billion tons of organic carbon globally, more than three times the amount stored in vegetation and twice the amount in the atmosphere.

Challenges and Future Directions

Here are key challenges and potential pathways for advancing soil conservation:

Soil conservation is imperative for preserving Earth’s ecosystems, sustaining agricultural productivity, and safeguarding human well-being. We must balance the importance of prioritizing soil health as we confront challenges such as climate change, land degradation, and food insecurity. By embracing innovative practices, fostering collaboration, and empowering stakeholders, we can overcome these challenges and ensure the long-term resilience of our planet. Let us commit to collective action, promoting sustainable land management practices and nurturing the life-sustaining soil that underpins our existence. Working together can pave the way for future generations to enjoy greater prosperity and sustainability.

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Soil horizons

Pedons and polypedons.

• Grain size and porosity
• Water runoff
• Mineral content
• Organic content
• Biological phenomena
• Parent material
• U.S. Soil Taxonomy
• FAO soil groups
• Erosive processes
• Rates of soil erosion
• Resistance to erosion
• Carbon and nitrogen cycles
• Soils and global warming
• Xenobiotic chemicals
• Pathways of detoxification

What is soil?

What are the grain sizes in soil, what are the layers of soil.

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• Geology.com - Expansive Soil and Expansive Clay
• The University of Hawaiʻi Pressbooks - The Soil
• Tulane University - Weathering and Soils
• The Spruce - What Is Soil? Get the Dirt on Dirt
• CORE - Soils and weathering
• Nature - Scitable - What are Soils?
• Agriculture Victoria - What is soil?
• Royal Horticultural Society - Soil types
• Biology LibreTexts - Soil
• Soil Science Society of America - Soil Basics
• Energy.gov - Soil
• soil - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)
• soil - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)
• Table Of Contents

Soil is the biologically active and porous medium that has developed in the uppermost layer of Earth’s crust. It serves as the reservoir of water and nutrients and a medium for the filtration and breakdown of injurious wastes. It also helps in the cycling of carbon and other elements through the global ecosystem.

The grain size of soil particles are categorized into three groups: clay, silt, and sand. Clay measures less than 0.002 mm (0.0008 inch) in diameter, silt is between 0.002 mm (0.0008 inch) and 0.05 mm (0.002 inch), and sand is between 0.05 mm (0.002 inch) and 2 mm (0.08 inch).

What are the five factors of soil formation?

The evolution of soils and their properties is called soil formation, and according to pedologists, five fundamental soil formation processes influence soil properties. These five “state factors” are parent material, topography, climate, organisms, and time.

Soils have a unique structural characteristic that distinguishes them from mere earth materials: a vertical sequence of layers produced by the combined actions of percolating waters and living organisms. These layers are called horizons and are designated A horizon, B horizon, C horizon, E horizon, O horizon, and R horizon.

soil , the biologically active, porous medium that has developed in the uppermost layer of Earth’s crust. Soil is one of the principal substrata of life on Earth, serving as a reservoir of water and nutrients, as a medium for the filtration and breakdown of injurious wastes, and as a participant in the cycling of carbon and other elements through the global ecosystem . It has evolved through weathering processes driven by biological, climatic, geologic, and topographic influences.

Since the rise of agriculture and forestry in the 8th millennium bce , there has also arisen by necessity a practical awareness of soils and their management. In the 18th and 19th centuries the Industrial Revolution brought increasing pressure on soil to produce raw materials demanded by commerce, while the development of quantitative science offered new opportunities for improved soil management. The study of soil as a separate scientific discipline began about the same time with systematic investigations of substances that enhance plant growth. This initial inquiry has expanded to an understanding of soils as complex, dynamic , biogeochemical systems that are vital to the life cycles of terrestrial vegetation and soil-inhabiting organisms—and by extension to the human race as well.

This article covers the structure, composition , and classification of soils and how these factors affect soil’s role in the global ecosystem. In addition, the two most important phenomena that degrade soils, erosion and pollution, are discussed. For a cartographic guide to the distribution of the world’s major soils, featuring links to short descriptive entries on each soil type, see the interactive world map .

The soil profile

Soils differ widely in their properties because of geologic and climatic variation over distance and time. Even a simple property, such as the soil thickness, can range from a few centimetres to many metres, depending on the intensity and duration of weathering , episodes of soil deposition and erosion , and the patterns of landscape evolution. Nevertheless, in spite of this variability, soils have a unique structural characteristic that distinguishes them from mere earth materials and serves as a basis for their classification: a vertical sequence of layers produced by the combined actions of percolating waters and living organisms.

These layers are called horizons , and the full vertical sequence of horizons constitutes the soil profile (see the figure ). Soil horizons are defined by features that reflect soil-forming processes. For instance, the uppermost soil layer (not including surface litter) is termed the A horizon . This is a weathered layer that contains an accumulation of humus (decomposed, dark-coloured, carbon-rich matter) and microbial biomass that is mixed with small-grained minerals to form aggregate structures.

Below A lies the B horizon . In mature soils this layer is characterized by an accumulation of clay (small particles less than 0.002 mm [0.00008 inch] in diameter) that has either been deposited out of percolating waters or precipitated by chemical processes involving dissolved products of weathering. Clay endows B horizons with an array of diverse structural features (blocks, columns, and prisms) formed from small clay particles that can be linked together in various configurations as the horizon evolves.

Below the A and B horizons is the C horizon , a zone of little or no humus accumulation or soil structure development. The C horizon often is composed of unconsolidated parent material from which the A and B horizons have formed. It lacks the characteristic features of the A and B horizons and may be either relatively unweathered or deeply weathered. At some depth below the A, B, and C horizons lies consolidated rock , which makes up the R horizon.

These simple letter designations are supplemented in two ways (see the table of soil horizon letter designations). First, two additional horizons are defined. Litter and decomposed organic matter (for example, plant and animal remains) that typically lie exposed on the land surface above the A horizon are given the designation O horizon , whereas the layer immediately below an A horizon that has been extensively leached (that is, slowly washed of certain contents by the action of percolating water) is given the separate designation E horizon , or zone of eluviation (from Latin ex , “out,” and lavere , “to wash”). The development of E horizons is favoured by high rainfall and sandy parent material, two factors that help to ensure extensive water percolation. The solid particles lost through leaching are deposited in the B horizon, which then can be regarded as a zone of illuviation (from Latin il , “in,” and lavere ).

The combined A, E, B horizon sequence is called the solum (Latin: “floor”). The solum is the true seat of soil-forming processes and is the principal habitat for soil organisms. (Transitional layers, having intermediate properties, are designated with the two letters of the adjacent horizons.)

The second enhancement to soil horizon nomenclature (also shown in the table) is the use of lowercase suffixes to designate special features that are important to soil development. The most common of these suffixes are applied to B horizons: g to denote mottling caused by waterlogging, h to denote the illuvial accumulation of humus, k to denote carbonate mineral precipitates, o to denote residual metal oxides, s to denote the illuvial accumulation of metal oxides and humus, and t to denote the accumulation of clay.

Soils are natural elements of weathered landscapes whose properties may vary spatially. For scientific study, however, it is useful to think of soils as unions of modules known as pedons. A pedon is the smallest element of landscape that can be called soil. Its depth limit is the somewhat arbitrary boundary between soil and “not soil” (e.g., bedrock). Its lateral dimensions must be large enough to permit a study of any horizons present—in general, an area from 1 to 10 square metres (10 to 100 square feet), taking into account that a horizon may be variable in thickness or even discontinuous. Wherever horizons are cyclic and recur at intervals of 2 to 7 metres (7 to 23 feet), the pedon includes one-half the cycle. Thus, each pedon includes the range of horizon variability that occurs within small areas. Wherever the cycle is less than 2 metres, or wherever all horizons are continuous and of uniform thickness, the pedon has an area of 1 square metre.

Soils are encountered on the landscape as groups of similar pedons, called polypedons, that contain sufficient area to qualify as a taxonomic unit. Polypedons are bounded from below by “not soil” and laterally by pedons of dissimilar characteristics.

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Soil Pollution Essay | Essay on Soil Pollution for Students and Children in English

February 13, 2024 by Prasanna

Soil Pollution Essay: Soil is an essential component of our nature. There are many reasons as to why and how soil gets polluted. And this soil pollution has become one of the major crises for the ecosystem and humankind because it causes an imbalance in nature. Soil pollution both directly and indirectly concerns and affects us. Therefore we must understand the causes and effects of soil pollution to reduce it.

To help students write an essay on ‘Soil Pollution,’ we will provide them with long and short essay samples. Along with this, we will also give ten pointers about the topic that will work as guidance for framing the essay.

You can read more  Essay Writing  about articles, events, people, sports, technology many more.

Long and Short Essays on Soil Pollution for Students and Kids in English

We are providing a long essay of 400-500 words and a short essay of 100-200 words on the topic of Soil Pollution.

Long Essay on Soil Pollution 500 words in English

Soil Pollution essay will be helpful as a reference for students of class 7, 8, 9, and 10.

Soil is the uppermost dry layer of the Earth made up of organic and inorganic materials. The importance of soil is to sustain terrestrial life on this planet, and it is also the component where the sources of life like water and sunlight air come together. Soil pollution can be declared to be the presence of toxic chemicals that pollute the soil, to high concentrations, to risk the ecosystem and human health. Several factors cause soil pollution and many adverse effects that are resulted in it.

There are two types of soil pollution, one nature’s doing or other human-made (anthropogenic soil pollution). The causes of soil pollution include: Chemicals and heavy metal solvents are some toxic elements that cause soil pollution.

When saline water gets mixed with the soil, sometimes it destroys the good qualities of the land during Tsunami and other natural calamities. Acid rain is one of the primary causes of soil pollution and one of the biggest concerns in environmental issues. Excess use of fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides, etc. in agriculture has resulted in a lot of soil pollution.

With time and because of corrosion, accidents like seepage through a landfill, rupture of underground storage tanks, or mixing of contaminated water into the soil can result in polluting the soil. Industrial wastes, nuclear wastes (radioactive wastes), etc. are also some primary reasons for soil pollution.

Due to deforestation, soil erosion takes place, which turns the area into a wasteland. Industrial accidents like the oil spill, acid or chemical spills, etc. are also hazardous and can cause soil pollution. Effects of soil pollution are the ones that negatively impact our environment and change the excellent natural qualities of the soil and cause harm to the life cycle of every living being on the planet.

Some effects of soil pollution to name are: The toxicities of the soil can reduce the productivity quality of it, and this affects the healthy growth of crops and plants. If plants are not grown in the amount or condition they should, it also affects the food cycle for humans and other animals.

If the productivity of the soil decreases due to soil pollution, then the economy is also affected by it. Soil pollution can also cause water pollution by contaminating the drinkable water. Hence, soil pollution also concerns human health. If soil erosion increases, then accidents like landslides and floods can happen. The soil is responsible for the health and development of humankind; hence it is our responsibility to keep it safe and pure and avoid conditions that can cause soil pollution.

Short Essay on Soil Pollution 150 words in English

Soil Pollution essay will be beneficial for students of classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6. It will help them understand the structure of writing a short essay on ‘Soil Pollution.’

Soil is a vital element of this planet, and it is directly connected to our survival. The pollution of this precious element has now turned into a global problem and not the only country’s concern. Soil pollution can be defined as the increase of persistent toxic elements in the soil like the presence of chemicals, salts, disease-causing agents, radioactive wastes, or anything that changes the soil’s quality and causes an adverse effect in the growth of the plant and on human health.

Soil pollution can be reduced by proper regulated waste dumping and by avoiding littering, reduced use and throwing of toxic material, recycling of waste materials, decreasing the use of toxic fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides, and instead opting for organic products, stop deforestation by growing more plants (reforestation). It is our role as students to understand the importance of preserving the purity in soil and saving it from contamination by educating others on the matter through the spreading of awareness. we will soonly update Soil Pollution essay in Hindi, Kannada, Punjabi and Telugu.

10 Lines on Soil Pollution Essay in English

• Soil is the outermost layer of the Earth’s surface, which is the foundation of essential environmental functions.
• Drinkable underground water is also possible because the soil layer acts as a filter and a source of essential nutrients to that water.
• Soil also plays a significant role in regulating the Earth’s temperature to make it livable.
• A soil pollutant is an agent that degenerates the quality, composition, mineral quantity of the soil.
• There are two ways by which soil can get polluted: Natural and Anthropogenic.
• Soil contamination or soil pollution should concern us because when the toxic elements of the soil enter the human body because of food-chain, it can cause harm to the inner body-system.
• Corrupt agricultural practices ruin the excellent qualities of the soil in that particular area.
• Contaminants that cause soil pollution are metals, inorganic ions, and salts, including sulfates, phosphates, nitrates, carbonates, etc. Organic compounds like lipid, fatty acids, alcohols, proteins, hydrocarbons, etc.
• Anthropogenic or man-caused soil pollution can be controlled with enough effort by making changes in our industrial processes and some daily activities.
• Soil pollution is an environmental issue that concerns every aspect of life.

FAQ’s on Soil Pollution Essay

Question 1. How does soil pollution cause harm to human health?

Answer: Soils are essential and connected to human health in many ways, such as being the base for growing plants. The land is also a significant source of nutrients, and they act as a natural filter to remove contamination from the drinkable water. Similarly, soil pollution also can leave an adverse effect on human health as contaminated soil contains heavy metals, toxic chemicals, pathogens, etc. that negatively impact human health by entering the body through food directly or indirectly. Soil pollution can cause neuromuscular blockade, nausea, depression, headaches, eye irritation, fatigue, and skin rash.

Question 2. What are the significant causes of soil pollution?

Answer: With the ever-evolving and developing science, industrialization also advances. However, the blessings of manufacturing come with the boon of pollution like industrial or by-product wastes.

Question 3. How does soil pollution affect us other than causing adverse effects on health?

Answer: Other than our health, soil pollution causes harm to the nutrients in the soil by decreasing its fertility. This results in the damage of crop production and eventually affects our economy.

Question 4. How can the necessary household activities cause soil pollution?

Answer: Littering is one of the most fundamental reasons for soil to get polluted. Other than this, excessive urbanization and cutting of trees cause soil erosion. The sewage channel or underground storage, if not done right then it can cause soil pollution. Similarly, if detergent used soap water is dumped on a particular soil, it can harm the soil quality.

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Soil Pollution Essay

Soil is an important part of the resources that Mother Nature provides. The stability of life is unimaginable without the presence of soil; from infrastructure to agriculture, we are totally dependent on soil. But because of some of our actions, the soil we depend on is getting polluted. Here are some essays on the topic ‘soil pollution’.

100 Words Essay On Soil Pollution

One of the vital natural resources that form the cornerstone of human existence on this planet is soil. It provides us with almost everything: the house we live in, the metals we use, minerals, and even those scenic beauties that everybody loves.

But today, this important resource of ours is getting polluted due to some of our actions. Soil pollution is the leading cause of harm to our environment. Overuse of pesticides and herbicides and the release of chemical waste by industries should be immediately banned to prevent soil pollution. Every person, on an individual level, must take responsibility for protecting this important resource.

200 Words Essay On Soil Pollution

The soil is one of the most significant natural resources. It serves as the foundation for food production and provides a variety of habitats for both plants and animals. The relationship between people and the soil goes beyond just their need for food. However, for personal gain, we have allowed improper actions to lead to contamination. Today, soil pollution is the leading cause of disturbance in our lifestyle and our environment.

We have polluted it with chemicals and other unnatural substances, such as the use of urea and other chemicals in agriculture and industries such as tanning and dyeing, which release chemical residue into open water sources and later settle down and pollute the soil. As a result, the quality of the food and water we consume has suffered.

The government should impose strict regulations on various industries. It is important to educate people about the dangers of soil pollution. Biofertilizers should be used by farmers in place of chemical fertilisers. Plastic and other non-biodegradable materials should be banned. In order to reduce soil erosion and stop soil pollution, more trees should be planted.

It's better to take action to make the world a safer place than to wish for it. As a result, we must do our part to reduce soil pollution and make the planet a better and safer place to live.

500 Words Essay On Soil Pollution

It is a well-known fact that the soil is important for us in every way; we depend on it for food, and it provides grazing fields for animals. It is the substratum of every monument that humanity has ever built. Although, because of some of our actions, this important resource of ours is getting polluted, which is harmful not only for us but will also affect other lifeforms.

Soil is a thin layer made up of organic as well as inorganic materials. Earth's rocky surfaces are covered in these substances. There is also the organic component, which comes from the decomposed remains of plants and animals whereas rock fragments make up the inorganic component. Over the course of a thousand years, bedrock underwent chemical and physical weathering, resulting in the formation of this section. In order to provide the world with the necessary food, productive soils are important for agriculture.

Soil is essential for healthy plant growth, human nutrition, and water filtration. A landscape supported by healthy soil is more resistant to the effects of drought, flood, or fire. Soil stores more carbon than all of the world's forests combined, and soil helps to regulate global climate. We cannot survive without healthy soils.

Soil Pollution And Why Is It A Problem

Soil pollution is the process by which toxic chemicals and other pollutants contaminate the soil in high concentrations, affecting the ecosystem. The soil's top layer is disturbed by metals, ions, salts, and organic compounds created by microbial activity and organism decomposition. This slowly seeps into groundwater and then into bodies of water. Pesticides and insecticides used on crops, as well as large-scale radioactive production by humans, pollute the soil.

Humans and other living things are extremely vulnerable to the health effects of soil pollution. When we consume food that was grown in contaminated soil, the crop absorbs the chemicals, which are then ingested by us and can have a serious negative impact on our health. Because of soil pollution, crops can no longer be grown on the soil because it is no longer useful. The plants and animals that inhabit natural water bodies suffer significant harm when soil-derived water seeps through the surface and enters them. It can also be responsible for causing soil erosion. Dirty soil contributes to the worsening of acid rain.

The most crucial action we can take is to stop using pesticides and herbicides in favour of compost and organic fertilisers, refrain from throwing trash or hazardous materials in parks, and use fewer chemical fertilisers. Plastic products should be banned, and anyone found in violation must pay a hefty fine. Before disseminating chemicals into the environment, industries must refine their releases. In order to improve soil quality and stop soil erosion, reforestation is a useful strategy. In order to accomplish that, we must plant as many trees as we can.

Being a country with a sizable amount of agricultural land, we can take action to organise programmes that inform farmers and other locals about the benefits of using natural manure and the harm caused by the use of chemicals.

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Home — Essay Samples — Environment — Water Conservation — Soil and Water Conservation: Importance, Techniques, and Challenges

Soil and Water Conservation: Importance, Techniques, and Challenges

• Categories: Water Conservation Water Scarcity

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Words: 813 |

Published: Sep 5, 2023

Words: 813 | Pages: 2 | 5 min read

Table of contents

Introduction, techniques for soil and water conservation, challenges to soil and water conservation.

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Essay on Soil Pollution for Children and Students

Table of Contents

Soil pollution is caused by a number of factors; however, most of them are human induced. In simple words soil pollution refers to the contamination of the soil when some unwanted external compound gets mixed with it. This compound could be in the form of soluble chemicals or non bio degradable compounds like plastic. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides used in farming are some of the causes of soil pollution. Harmful chemicals get mixed with the soil and make it infertile. Also, waste from the urban areas, if not disposed of properly, reaches the soil and pollutes it. There are several other factors causing soil pollution such as acid rain, industrial accidents, road debris, nuclear waste etc.

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Long and Short Essay on Soil Pollution in English

We have provided below short and long essay on soil pollution in English for your knowledge and information.

The essays have been written in simple yet effective English to let you know about the causes, effects and meaning of soil pollution.

After reading the essays you will know what soil pollution is, what causes soil pollution, what could be done to prevent soil pollution etc.

These soil pollution essay will be extremely helpful to you in your school and college assignment and speech giving and debate, essay writing competitions.

Essay on Soil Pollution 100 Words

Soil is the natural resource on the earth which directly supports the life of plants and indirectly of animals since the origin of life on the earth. It is very important complex substance available everywhere on the earth. Productive soil is a soil useful to grow crops. As a human being, we need to keep our land safe and secure and away from all the impurities. However, it is not possible because of the technological advancement.

Soil is getting polluted through the toxic substances released by the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides, industrial wastes, etc which are badly affecting the fertility of land. Soil pollution depletes the soil nutrients because of the availability of heavy concentration of undesirable foreign elements into soil through chemicalization.

Also Check: Air Pollution Essay

Essay on Soil Pollution 150 Words

Polluted soil is the low quality soil by various actions of man and natural processes which makes soil unfit for the crop production. Increasing human population and advancement of the human lives is causing soil pollution to a great extent. Main cause of the soil pollution are excessive soil erosion, forest fires, use of chemical fertilizers to improve crop production, pesticides (insecticides and herbicides), biocides (malathion, D.D.T., dieldrin, endrin, aldrin, lindane) to get control over insects, urban and industrial wastes, leaching, drought, untreated industrial water irrigation, water logging, over irrigation, deforestation, etc. It is increasing day by day at a faster rate in the rural and urban areas of the country.

According to the statistics, it is noted that consumption of chemical fertilizers by the farmers has been increased by 5.5 million tons from 1980-81 and by 18.07 million tons from 1999-2000 in order to increase crop production. Such toxic chemicals enter the human body through food chain and harm by causing physical deformities, neural tube defect in the new born babies.

Essay on Soil Pollution 200 Words

Soil pollution is the polluted soil because of the presence of toxic chemicals (also called pollutants or contaminants) in very high concentration to the soil of fertile land. Some of the contaminants occur naturally however most of them are due to the industrialization and human activities. Soil pollutants are generally of two types called as organic and inorganic whether released naturally and man-made. The main reasons of soil pollution are human activities including accidental leaks, spills, manufacturing processes, dumping, etc. Human released toxic chemicals are increasing the overall soil toxicity level.

Also Check: Soil Pollution Slogans

All the soil contaminants get mixed to the fertile land and causes variety of health disorders directly or indirectly such as respiratory illness, bronchitis, asthma, cancer, etc. Kids are more prone to the polluted soil than the adults as they play into it and gets attacked by many diseases especially respiratory disorders. Increasing human population need more grains thus in order to fulfill this requirement people use highly concentrated fertilizers to improve the crop production which ultimately affects health through the food chain. Soil pollution is the gradual process of soil poisoning of the toxic soil contaminants.

Essay on Soil Pollution 250 Words

Soil pollution is the contamination of the soil of fertile land which is gradually increasing day by day mainly because of the use of fertilizers and industrialization. Soil pollution has become a major challenge to the whole human fraternity in modern time. Soil is the most important natural resource highly required to maintain the healthy life here. It is the home for many small animals, it is the life of plants and used by the human beings to produce variety of crops to continue life cycle here. However, increasing human population increases the need of crops production and other technological resources to live life comfortably. There are many highly effective fertilizers available in the market proving their best to improve crop production however getting more toxic and polluting the whole fertile soil when sprinkled over crops.

Varieties of other pesticides (like insecticides, fungicides, etc) are also getting used by the farmers to save their crops from the insects and fungus. Such type of pesticides are also very toxic and spreading their side effects to the environment by polluting the land and air. Other ways of soil pollution are acidification, agrochemical pollution, salinization, and contamination by metalliferous wastes. Acidification is a common natural cause associated with long term leaching and microbial respiration which gradually decomposes the organic materials of soil (like humic and fulvic acids) which again stimulates leaching. Use of inorganic fertilizers on the fertile lands has increased the level of soil pollution by decreasing the soil fertility at a faster rate.

Also Check: Speech on Soil Pollution

Essay on Soil Pollution 300 Words

Soil pollution is the contamination of the fertile soil which reduces the productivity of soil because of various toxic pollutants. Toxic pollutants are very dangerous and adversely affect the physical, chemical and biological properties of the soil. Variety of pollutants such as pesticides, insecticides, fertilizers, chemicals, radioactive wastes, organic manure, discarded food, clothes, plastics, paper, leather goods, bottles, tins-cans, carcasses, etc gets mixed to the soil and cause soil pollution. Other released chemicals by various means like iron, mercury, lead, copper, cadmium, aluminium, zinc, industrial wastes, cyanides, acids, alkalies etc are the toxic chemicals causes soil pollution. Acid rain is a natural cause also affects soil fertility directly.

Earlier, the soil were very much fertile without the use of any fertilizers but now-a-days all the farmers have started using very strong fertilizers in order to increase crop production because of high demand of food by the increasing population. Improper, unnecessary and continuous use of variety of strong organic or inorganic insecticides (DDT, benzene hexa chloride, aldrin, etc), herbicides, fungicides, pesticides, etc in order to secure crops from insects, pests, fungus, etc are gradually toxifying the soil. All types of such chemicals have very dangerous effects directly on the plants growth (inhibits growth, reduces production and reduces size of fruit) and indirectly on the human health. Such chemicals slowly get absorbed by the soil and then plants which ultimately reaches to the animals and human beings body through the food chains.

Other radioactive wastes from the sources like mining and nuclear processes reach to the soil through water and affects the soil and ultimately to the plants, animals (through grazing) and human (through food, milk, meat etc). Eating such type of food causes growth retardation and abnormal growth of the animals and human. Increasing industrialization in the modern world creates huge heap of wastes on daily basis which directly or indirectly gets mixed to the soil and contaminate it.

Also Check: Noise Pollution Essay

Essay on Soil Pollution 400 Words

Soil pollution is the contamination of fresh and fertile soil which adversely affects the health of crops, plants, animals, human beings and other organisms living in it. Addition of variety of unwanted substances and toxic chemicals from many sources to the soil in the odd proportion causes whole land pollution. Once the pollutants gets mixed to the soil remains in direct contact with soil for long period of time. Increasing industrialization and increasing consumption of various effective fertilizers in the fertile land is continuously changing the soil composition and complexion of earth strata which is very dangerous indication to the future of life on the earth.

All the fertile land on the earth is getting heavily polluted gradually day by day through the mixing of toxic materials released by the industries and domestic circles. Major sources of the soil pollution are industrial wastes, urban wastes, chemical pollutants, metallic pollutants, biological agents, radioactive pollutants, wrong agricultural practices, etc. Industrial wastes released by the industrial processes contain organic, inorganic and non-biodegradable materials which have ability to change physiochemical and biological characteristics of the soil. It totally disturbs the level of texture and mineral, bacterial and fungal colonies of the soil.

Urban wastes are solid wastes include commercial and domestic wastes which make a huge heap on the soil and contribute to the soil pollution. Chemical pollutants and metallic pollutants are the industrial wastes from the textile, soap, dyes, synthetic, detergents, metal, and drugs industries which are dumping their hazardous wastes continuously in the soil and water. It directly affects the living organisms of the soil and reduces fertility level of soil. Biological agents (such as bacteria, algae, fungi, protozoan and microorganisms like nematodes, millipedes, earthworms, snail, etc) also disturb the physio chemical and biological atmosphere of soil and cause soil pollution.

Some radioactive pollutants from the sources like nuclear reactors, explosions, hospitals, scientific laboratories, etc go very deep to the soil, remain there for long time and cause soil pollution. Wrong agricultural practices using advance agro-technology means use of huge quantities of toxic fertilizers including herbicides, weedicides, pesticides, etc enhances soil fertility however gradually declines the physio-chemical and biological property of the soil.

Other sources of the soil pollution are municipal garbage heap, food processing wastes, mining practices, and many more. Soil pollution is very hazardous to the health because toxic chemicals enter to the body through food chain and disturbs whole internal body system. In order to reduce and restrict the soil pollution, all the effective control measures including environment protection laws should be followed by the people especially industrialist. Recycling and reuse of the solid wastes and maximum possible tree plantation should be promoted among people.

More Informative Resources on Pollution

Essay on Soil Pollution FAQs

What is soil pollution short note.

Soil pollution happens when harmful substances contaminate the soil, affecting its quality and harming plants, animals, and humans.

What is the short line of soil pollution?

Soil pollution occurs when harmful chemicals or waste spoil the earth's natural balance, making it unfit for healthy growth.

How is soil polluted Class 10?

Soil gets polluted by chemicals from pesticides, industrial waste, improper disposal of garbage, and oil spills, harming its fertility and health.

What is pollution causes and effects?

Pollution is caused by human activities releasing harmful substances into the environment, leading to various detrimental effects on nature, animals, and human health.

What are 10 ways to reduce pollution?

Use public transport, recycle and reuse, conserve energy, plant trees, limit plastic use, proper waste disposal, reduce water wastage, use eco-friendly products, support clean energy, spread awareness.

What is the problem of pollution?

Pollution disrupts the natural balance of the environment, harming ecosystems, endangering wildlife, and impacting human health.

What are the 5 effects of air pollution?

Breathing problems, increased health risks, environmental damage, reduced visibility, climate change.

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100 Words Essay On Soil Pollution In English

Soil pollution is defined by Wikipedia to be, “a part of land degradation caused by the presence of xenobiotic chemicals or other alteration in the natural soil environment. It is typically caused by industrial activity, agricultural chemicals or improper disposal of waste.”

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Soil Pollution Essay | Essay on Soil Pollution for Students and Children in English

Soil Pollution Essay: Soil is the topmost layer of the earth’s surface which sustains life on the planet. Without oil, there would be no life on earth as we know it because the soil has the essential ingredients that living things need in order to grow and survive. Soil is usually made up of two components, organic materials, and inorganic matter. Organic matter is formed over millions of years by the decaying of dead plants and animals. Inorganic matter is formed due to weathering of rock particles into finer materials.

In this soil pollution essay, we are going to discuss all the usages of soil and how soil is getting polluted day by day.

Long Essay on Soil Pollution 600 Words in English

Short essay on soil pollution 200 words in english, 10 lines on soil pollution.

• What are the types of pollution?
• What is the biggest source of soil pollution?
• What are the main pollutants in soil?
• What are the different types of soil in India

Long and Short Essays on Soil Pollution for Students and Kids in English

In this article, we have provided a 600-word essay on soil pollution and a 200-word soil pollution essay for children and students to make use of it in their tests, exams, assignments, projects, and essay writing competitions.

Find below 600-word soil pollution essay in English for kids and students of Classes 7,8,9 and 10.

Soil is that natural resource in our ecosystem that can be compared to oxygen because the soil is as important as oxygen for the survival of living beings on the planet. Soil is the top layer on which plants and trees grow to provide food to animals, animals, in turn, live on the soil their entire lives. Human beings cultivate the soil to produce food. The whole cycle of the food chain is standing stable and healthy because of the soils. The importance of soil is many, some of which are mentioned below.

Importance of Soil

• They provide food for human beings. Agriculture has been in existence ever since the evolution of mankind. And good nutrient-filled soil is necessary to produce grains, vegetables, and fruits. Farmers till and cultivate rich soil filled land to fill the hunger of our growing population
• Soil and the ingredients in it have many medicinal values. Soil contains ingredients that are antibiotic in nature. Both these organic and inorganic ingredients are capable of killing many types of bacteria which is why soils are used for medicinal purposes. The ingredients of soil are used in cancer curing drugs, skin ailments and to cure tuberculosis
• The nutrients of soil are fantastic ingredients for beauty products. Kinds of toothpaste, facial masks, foundations, and blushes are some of the beauty products in the beauty industry that uses soil for its manufacturing.
• Soil cover is necessary to retain forests. The afforestation drives conducted by various governmental and non-governmental entities take up the prevention of soil erosion as the first step in curbing deforestation.

As seen above in this particular soil pollution essay, the importance and usages of soil are in itself a detrimental factor for the cause of pollution. Man has been overexploiting soil and uses it for his own benefits backed by greed and hunger. Let us see below in this soil pollution essay on how soil has been exploited.

How does Soil Pollution Occur?

Now that we have learned the importance of soil, let us discuss the various forms of soil pollution in the world.

• Industrial Wastes: How many times have you seen industries dumping its wet waste into rivers and dry wastes on land? Often times right? Industries such as pharma, electronics and drugs manufacturer dump thousands on tons of waste onto a barren land in the outskirts of the city. Sometimes these wastes are hazardous in nature and harmful chemicals might seep down into the soil and ultimately into the water table. These water and the soil can be used in agriculture or consumed by animals eventually resulting in the entry of harmful chemicals into the food chain. This can have catastrophic effects on our health
• Harmful Agricultural Practices: Framer uses pesticides and fertilizer to have a better agricultural output. But excessive use of these chemicals will reduce the fertility of soil thereby reducing the reuse rate of land for further agricultural uses. Also, one of the biggest concerns of infertile soils is that farmers will abandon that piece of land and go further in search of fertile soils, which leads to cutting down of forest covers. Deforestation will further result in global warming and climate change. All the events in nature are linked with each other
• Landfills: Garbage disposal has been a colossal problem for many developed countries. In a country like India, metropolitan cities like Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, and Bengaluru face garbage disposal problems. They ultimately end up dumping domestic waste on water and empty lands. The harmful chemical will get injected into the soil and can lead to degradation of the soil and the surrounding atmosphere as well.

Soil pollution has been a problem ever since rapid industrialization and globalization. Governments, as well as people, should come forward to implement robust laws and policies to prevent soil pollution from happening further.

Find below a 200-word short essay on soil pollution that is helpful for students of classes 1,2,3,4,5 and 6.

Soil is the uppermost layer in the earth’s stratum. Soil enables and sustains life on the planet, without which there would be no living beings on the earth. But lately, due to mans’ greed and irresponsibility, soil pollution has become a dangerous phenomenon, if not controlled would lead to catastrophic effects our atmosphere and food cycle in the future.

Wrong agricultural practices, dumping of harmful wastes, and garbage disposal on open lands, rupturing of underground storage tanks, industrial waste disposal are some of the many reasons that are causing soil pollution. A polluted soil, which has no nutrients and useful chemicals in it, is no use to human beings, plants, and animals, resulting in leaving behind that land and searching for newer ones. This search for a new piece of land in order to cultivate it results in deforestation. Deforestation will further result in soil erosion, melting of glaciers, global warming, floods, and various other calamities. Every chain is linked with one and another in nature and disturbance in one of the links will result in a disturbance in the whole chain.

Students can find more English Essay Writing Topics, Ideas, Easy Tips to Write Essay Writing, and many more.

• Soil is the uppermost layer of the earth.
• Soil is composed of organic and inorganic materials.
• Nutrients in soil that help in agriculture are nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, and magnesium.
• Harmful agricultural practices have lead to soil pollution.
• Discharge of industrial waste on open lands has caused immense soil pollution.
• Soil pollution will lead to the poisoning of our food cycle.
• Deforestation leads to soil erosion and desertification.
• Afforestation is one of the ways to reduce and control soil pollution.
• Use of judicious agricultural practices should be adopted to prevent the pollution of soil in the future.
• Industries should filter the harmful chemical of its waste before disposing it into the atmosphere. Also, harmless disposal methods should be used.

FAQ’s on Soil Pollution Essay

Question 1. What are the types of pollution?

Answer: Soil pollution, air pollution, and water pollution are the three main types of pollution

Question 2. What is the biggest source of soil pollution?

Answer: Agricultural practices are the biggest source of soil pollution.

Question 3. What are the main pollutants in soil?

Answer: Ammonia, lead, nitrate, and petroleum hydrocarbons are the main pollutants in soil.

Question 4. What are the different types of soil in India?

Answer: Sand, clay, chalk, silt, and loam are the main types of soil in India.

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• Essay on Land Pollution

An Introduction

Land pollution is one of the most common types of pollution which we are facing right now. Land pollution takes place anytime and due to different scenarios. Even the acts of nature such as hurricanes and floods can lead to land pollution. One of the main reasons for the contamination of the land is by the urban and rural areas as they do the soil's poor management. Likewise, depending on the site at which the land has been contaminated, the pollution may be low, or it could be at a high threat level. Today with different land pollution paragraphs, we will be trying to explain the importance of decreasing land pollution and steps to keep land pollution low. 

Land Pollution Essay for English Exam

The essay on land pollution should be taken seriously as land pollution can have a detrimental impact on animal and human health and both water and air quality. Compounds that are used in the environment can easily cause decay in several ways. Even the use of fertilizers for crops, pesticides and insecticides can harm the land on which it has been sprayed over. 

Another big problem that leads to land pollution is soil erosion, which is caused by deforestation and trees' cutting. As a result, the amount of land left for farmers for farming and other agricultural operations gets reduced. In 2016, 75 billion tons of soil in the world was lost due to various human-made issues and deforestation. Moreover, the importance of keeping the soil intact to the ground is because 95 percent of the food which humans consume is produced in soil across the globe. Thus, making land pollution an even more significant concern for the food industry. 

Land Pollution Paragraph and Key Points

Agriculture and household runoff.

One of the major reasons for Land pollution is untreated waste generated by Households and Agriculture. The waste is not segregated into dry and waste hence its breakdown becomes difficult and it adds to the Land Pollution. The dry waste includes plastics, textile, glass etc which cannot be decomposed and recycled.

Whereas, the wet waste includes vegetable peel off, dry leaves, hair, stale food that are items that could be recycled through composting. If we do not segregate our waste into dry and wet waste they all go into one single bin and are buried inside Earth. This leads to seepage of such items into Land that results in pollution.

The use of digital devices for work and education purposes has increased manifold in the last few years. Where do you think all the e-waste goes? The laptops, mobiles, tablets that we use increases land pollution when it is not properly discarded. 

Hazardous Waste

Hazardous waste includes light bulbs, batteries, fertilizers, pesticides, paints that runoff and pollute the land and water resources. 

Mining  

What are the causes of land pollution? Well, the first one we can think of is mining. Humans have been mining for more than 200 years, and since its beginning, the ever risk of subsidence or the collapse of top layers is growing at a rapid pace. In those areas where the mining has been done extensively, the land has already been collapsed several times, leading to loss of life and property. One of the hardest collapses ever recorded happened in England when the coal mine collapsed, and tons of soil erosion took place, wiping the whole school, which had to face the first impact of the massive overflow. 

Nuclear Waste

This type of waste is produced in nuclear power plants where scientists use nuclear reactors to form electricity in massive amounts. In addition to this, once the electricity is created, the process which uses the reactors leaves radioactive waste that can't be dumped like your regular household waste. One of the common radioactive wastes is plutonium, which needs to be disposed of in the ground covered from all sides by steel silos so that no radioactive waves can escape to the nearby land. Also, this waste takes thousands of years before it can finally stop radiating radiation. Nevada is the desert In the US, used as a nuclear waste facility for the US government. This causes some of the adverse effects of land pollution, making it inhabitable for animals and the human community.

Examples of Land Pollution

In this essay on land pollution for students and children, we have already explained different land pollution methods. One of the latest examples of land pollution that caused heavy damage to wildlife is Goa's forest's deforestation for the construction of railway lines to support the factories and coal mining. 

FAQs on Essay on Land Pollution

1. Does writing a 500 words essay on land pollution be sufficient enough?

Land pollution is a vast topic, and it covers various aspects of pollution. This ranges from pollution being spread on the land by the factories to the pollution of human waste. One can use reports to write up the land pollution essay to make it look more attractive, and they present it with pictures to look pleasing to the eyes. However, there is no use of all this data and photos if the essay's quality is not up to the mark. Thus, if you are writing an article about land pollution, you need to make it more concise and stick to the topic. Even 500 words are enough for an essay on land pollution, but you need to make those 500 words count.

2. Do animals contribute to land pollution in any way possible?

No, animals in no way are causing land pollution whatsoever. Many people might think they do excrete out waste material, but that too is a biodegradable waste, meaning it can quickly decompose in the land and leaves no mark on the ground. On the other hand, the machines and the factories that humans have built produce waste that can't be decomposed easily, making the waste material stay on the land for years to come. As a result, humans and their machines are the main culprits of land pollution. Before the invention of the steam engine, there was zero to minimum land pollution on earth, and now in the 21 st century, it is one of the biggest concerns we have for this planet.

3. How can we deal with land pollution?

We have to adopt the strategy of the 3Rs- Reduce, Reuse and Recycle. Reduce the existing consumption, reuse items without throwing them away after first use and recycle them at an industrial scale. 

Small efforts from our side like carrying a cloth bag while shopping, throwing waste in dustbins only, segregating waste into dry and wet waste, composting in our homes, schools, and communities will help reduce Land Pollution.

4. Why is land pollution harmful?

Land pollution is not only harmful to the land but also for water bodies and the organisms that live inside it. When the untreated waste seeps into land it pollutes the soil, affects the agricultural crops, and enters our food chains. When the pollution on land enters the sea, it affects marine organisms when they swallow microplastics. It affects the overall health of human beings when we eat seafood.

Essay on Soil Pollution

Soil pollution refers to the mixture of toxic and harmful substances in the soil.

Soil is one of the important natural resources that are the basis of human survival on this Earth. People are not only dependent on soil for food but they have another connection with it. The soil contains the blood of our brave soldiers and also the hard work of our farmers. People love and give special importance to the soil. But today, the scenario is changed completely and the world is facing the major concern of soil pollution. On seeing the importance of soil and the need to protect it, we will discuss soil pollution in detail.

Short and Long Soil Pollution Essay in English

Here, I’m presenting long and short essays on Soil Pollution in 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, and 500 words. This topic is useful for students of classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 to write effective essays, paragraphs, or speeches in English.

Soil Pollution Essay 10 Lines (100 – 150 Words)

1) Soil is an important natural resource necessary for human survival.

2) The mixing of toxic substances into the soil is referred to as soil pollution.

3) Soil pollution is harmful to nature as well as to all living organisms.

4) It can be caused due to natural means or due to human interventions.

5) Soil pollution can lead to harmful diseases in humans.

6) It also affects the fertility and quality of the soil.

7) Chemicals from industries and agriculture are the major source of soil pollution.

8) It can be controlled by minimizing chemical fertilizers.

9) Industries should treat chemicals before disposing of them in the soil.

10) Preventing soil pollution will help to live happily on Earth.

Short Essay on Soil Pollution (250 – 300 Words)

One of the most vital components of the nature is soil. At the moment, soil pollution is the main cause of harm to our environment. When plenty of toxic substances are mixed into the soil, it becomes toxic resulting in soil pollution. A soil pollutant is anything that hurts the soil’s quality, texture, or mineral content, or that affects the balance of the living things in the soil.

Soil pollution harms all living organisms in one or another way. It turns soil acidic which is most unfriendly for most microorganisms. However, it affects human health majorly. Soil pollution is caused by dumping pesticides, Herbicides, insecticides, fuel, oil, and other things in the soil. The use of fertilizers to increase soil fertility is harmful to the soil. Solid waste disposal and deforestation are some other causes of soil pollution. Loss of nutrients in the soil is often linked to soil degradation.

Soil pollution is a problem because it hurts not only the crops but also the whole ecosystem. Before putting industrial waste in the soil, it must be made less dangerous. Government should make strict rules for industries. People should be made aware of the hazards of soil pollution. Farmers should use bio-fertilizers instead of chemical fertilizers. Things like plastics and other non-biodegradable substances should be prohibited. Planting more trees will result in minimizing soil erosion and preventing soil pollution.

As the saying goes, “Prevention is better than Cure”, it’s better to take steps to make the world a safer place than to wish you had. Therefore, we should play our part to control soil pollution and make Earth a safer and better place to live.

Long Essay on Soil Pollution (500 Words)

Introduction

Soil is an essential part of our surroundings. It covers the rocky parts of the Earth’s surface and is mainly made up of organic and inorganic substances. Soil pollution is now one of the biggest problems faced by the entire humanity. It is where many small animals live, where plants grow, and where people grow a wide range of crops to keep the cycle of life going.

What is Soil Pollution?

Soil pollution is any unwanted change in the physical, chemical, or biological properties of the soil that affects its fertility and usefulness. It is a big problem for the environment and has long-term effects on people’s health. Soil pollution makes it impossible for plants to grow the way they should. Some contaminants are made by nature, but most are caused by industrialization and human activities.

Causes of Soil Pollution

There are many things that can pollute the soil, but farming and manufacturing are the most common ones. The discharge of wastes and chemicals from industries into the soil without treating them pollutes the soil. Farmers use fertilizers to grow crops but they seep down the soil making it poisonous.

Putting trash in the ground is another common way to pollute the soil. This can be anything from the garbage of homes to waste from factories and hospitals. The poisons in these things can seep into the ground and pollute it.

Effects of Soil Pollution

Soil Pollution is very dangerous to the health of people and other living things. When we eat food grown in polluted soil, the crop absorbs the chemicals, which are then passed on to us and can cause severe life-taking diseases. As an effect of soil pollution, the soil becomes useless and it is no longer used to grow crops. When water from the soil seeps below the ground and gets into natural water bodies, it does a lot of damage to the animals and plants that live there. It can also be responsible for causing soil erosion. Acid rain is made worse in part by dirty soil.

How to Control Soil Pollution?

People can control soil pollution in many ways. The most important thing to solve this problem is to make people aware of the consequences of soil pollution. Industrialists should follow all effective control measures, such as environmental protection laws, to cut down and limit soil pollution. Farmers should stop using excessive pesticides and herbicides and instead can switch to organic fertilizers and compost. People should encourage recycling and reusing solid waste, as well as planting as many trees as possible.

Soil pollution is a worldwide problem that everyone has to deal with. Studies have shown that soil pollution is getting worse in both cities and rural areas at a very scary rate. We can’t let soil’s beauty go away by making it dirty. Therefore, it is high time to apply efforts and save soil from pollution.

I hope the above provided essay on Soil Pollution will be helpful in understanding the effect, causes, and prevention of this type of pollution.

FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions on Soil Pollution

Ans. Loamy soil is considered best for farming.

Ans. Alluvial soil is mostly found in India.

Ans. Cancer, skin disease, respiratory disease, nervous system damage, etc are some diseases caused by soil pollution

Ans. No, the soil is a non-renewal resource as it takes long years to form.

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Essay on Soil Pollution for Students in English | 500 Words Essay

December 20, 2020 by Sandeep

Essay on Soil Pollution: The process by which soil gets contaminated by toxic chemicals and pollutants in rich concentrations, thereby affecting the ecosystem is called soil pollution. Metals, ions, salts, organic compounds formed through microbial activity and organism decomposition disturbs surface layer of soil. This slowly enters groundwater and then into water bodies. Humans infest crops with pesticides and insecticides and produce industrial land radioactive substances due to which soil gets polluted.

Essay on Soil Pollution 500 Words in English

Below we have provided Soil Pollution Essay in English, written in easy and simple words for class 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10 school students.

Soil is a combination of organic matter, minerals, chemicals, liquids and organisms that sustain life together. Soil pollution is the presence of toxic components in the soil that affect the soil and the environment at large. It is usually caused by industrial production, agricultural products, or unsuitable waste disposal. Due to its impact on plant life, the problem of soil contamination typically comes to light.Soil pollution can arise from the use of pesticides, non-biodegradable materials, manufacturing effluents, and artificial fertilizers.

Soil pollution contributes to other forms of contamination if, for example, soil pollutants are transferred to water or air. Agriculture is highly soil-dependent, and its pollution harms agricultural activities. The soil is the gift of nature that we work on, walk around, find the food source, produce food, etc. However, something done inappropriately is becoming biologically toxic. Carefree use of soil has caused an increased rate of soil pollution which will inevitably make the soil unusable and unrecyclable.

Types of Soil Pollution

The soil contains two types of pollutants, namely natural pollutants and added pollutants due to human activities. Natural pollutants include organic compounds and inorganic particles that are the result of human activities such as animal and plant decay. Such pollutants are not a cause of concern though, and in fact, they replenish their nutrient soil.  The other group of pollutants are human-made. Human-made pollutants include toxic chemical waste, oil and fuel disposal, radioactive waste, landfills and unregulated disposal, coal ash and other such waste that originates from human activity and is dumped into the soil without treatment.

Causes of Soil Pollution

The disposal of heavy metals, oil and gasoline pollution, industrial waste, accumulation of acids and hazardous chemicals contribute to soil pollution. Heavy use of inorganic nitrogen manures within the agricultural method is often related to soil pollution, in part through the nitrification process. The principal cause of soil pollution is improper irrigation technique. When you over water the ground, this results in an increased level of the water table, which results in higher capillary action.

Similarly, poor maintenance of irrigation waterways and channels can lead to water leakage within the adjacent agricultural land. Also, the lack of crop rotation and intensive farming may have a detrimental impact on the consistency of the soil after some time. Urban activities includes improper waste disposal and building construction which leads to soil pollution by inhibiting proper water drainage. Animal waste and human sewage may pollute the soil by altering its chemical composition.

Effects of Soil Pollution

Soil pollution has had a significant effect on crop quality as the crop roots are unable to absorb enough nutrients from the soil due to pollutants present. For certain parts of the world, this has made the soil less fertile, and efforts are on to replenish the soil of its nutrients. Another significant effect on human health from land pollution is the emergence of multiple diseases due to our interaction with the soil pollutants. For example, areas where soil pollution is high, along with skin infection and even skin cancer, there has been an increase in respiratory problems, particularly in children.

Soil pollution also contributes to higher rates of water pollution . It is because the pollutants of the soil near the rivers or other bodies of water allow the pollutants to be mixed with the flowing water of the rives and thereby pollute it. Soil pollution impacts the environment as a whole, as it also impacts certain species survival.

Preventative Measures for Soil Pollution

Since polluted soil is not safe to use, we need to find ways to prevent soil pollution from affecting our everyday lives. The toxicity of the industrial waste must be before it is disposed of in the soil. Farmers need to make sure they use bio-fertilizers rather than chemical fertilizers. The farmers must also opt for bio-pesticides and bio-fungicides. It can take a long time to respond, but it is suitable for both the crops and the soil. Planting more trees can help to avoid soil erosion.

Exploring pesticide replacements and organic fertilizers is an excellent solution to preventing soil emissions. Also, mixed and rotational farming should be encouraged more to avoid land pollution. Recycling the waste material, rather than storing it inside the landfill, would also eliminate soil pollution. Nobody will throw the electrical products and batteries into home dustbins to keep the soil clear of dangerous substances.

Essay on Pollution In English For Students

Essay on Pollution for Students: Explore Essay on pollution in varying lengths, including 100, 150, 200, 600, and 800 words.

November 19, 2023

Table of Contents

Essay on Pollution: Pollution is a big problem that happens when harmful things get into the air, water, and land around us. It can be from factories, cars, or even how we throw away our trash. Pollution is not good because it can make people and animals sick and can even change the weather. It’s not just a problem in one place – it’s everywhere, and it affects the whole world. In this essay, we’re going to talk about the different kinds of pollution, where it comes from, and why we all need to work together to make things better for our planet.

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Short Essay on Pollution

Below, we present concise and comprehensive essays on pollution in English to enhance your understanding. Upon reviewing these essays, you will gain insights into the definition of pollution, its primary causes, methods for prevention, and more. These resources can prove valuable for your academic assignments, such as essay writing, speech delivery, or paragraph composition in school or college.

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Essay on Pollution in 100 Words

Pollution happens when harmful stuff gets into nature and makes things bad. There are different kinds of pollution like dirty air, dirty water, dirty soil, too much noise, and too much light. The sources of pollution are diverse, ranging from industrial activities to household waste. Pollution has severe consequences on ecosystems, human health, and the overall well-being of our planet. Addressing pollution is a collective responsibility that requires global awareness and sustainable practices. Governments play a crucial role in enforcing regulations, promoting renewable energy sources, and raising awareness about the importance of environmental conservation.

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Essay on Pollution in 150 Words

Pollution is a pressing environmental issue affecting our planet. It occurs when harmful substances contaminate the air, water, or soil. The primary sources of pollution include industrial activities, vehicle emissions, improper waste disposal, and deforestation. Air pollution, caused by the release of pollutants into the atmosphere, leads to respiratory problems and climate change. Water pollution, resulting from the discharge of chemicals and waste into water bodies, poses a threat to aquatic life and human health.

Soil pollution occurs when pollutants, such as pesticides and industrial waste, degrade the quality of soil, impacting plant growth and food safety. Noise pollution, caused by excessive noise from various sources, can lead to stress and hearing loss. Light pollution disrupts natural ecosystems and affects wildlife behavior. To address pollution, individuals must adopt sustainable practices, industries must implement cleaner technologies, and governments must enforce stringent environmental regulations.

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Essay on Pollution in 200 Words

Pollution is a global challenge that poses a threat to the health of our planet and its inhabitants. It manifests in various forms, including air, water, soil, noise, and light pollution. The consequences of pollution are far-reaching, affecting ecosystems, biodiversity, and human well-being. Industrial activities, urbanization, and improper waste management contribute significantly to pollution.

Air pollution, caused by the release of pollutants into the atmosphere, leads to respiratory diseases, climate change, and environmental degradation. Water pollution results from the discharge of chemicals, sewage, and industrial waste into rivers, lakes, and oceans, harming aquatic life and contaminating drinking water sources. Soil pollution occurs when pollutants like pesticides and heavy metals degrade the quality of soil, affecting plant growth and food safety.

Noise pollution, generated by traffic, industrial machinery, and other human activities, can have adverse effects on human health, causing stress, sleep disturbances, and hearing loss. Light pollution, caused by excessive artificial light in urban areas, disrupts natural ecosystems and interferes with the behavior of nocturnal animals.

Addressing pollution requires collective efforts at individual, community, and governmental levels. Individuals can contribute by adopting eco-friendly practices, reducing waste, and using sustainable modes of transportation. Industries must invest in cleaner technologies and adhere to strict environmental standards. 

Long Essay on Pollution 

Pollution is a complex and multifaceted environmental issue that poses a significant threat to the sustainability of our planet. It is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment, resulting in adverse changes that affect ecosystems, biodiversity, and human health. Pollution can take various forms, including air pollution, water pollution, soil pollution, noise pollution, and light pollution, each with its unique set of challenges and consequences.

Sources of Pollution

The sources of pollution are diverse and often interconnected. Industrial activities, urbanization, transportation, agriculture, and improper waste management contribute significantly to the release of pollutants into the environment. Industrial processes emit a variety of pollutants, including greenhouse gases, particulate matter, and toxic chemicals, which can have detrimental effects on air quality and contribute to climate change.

Vehicle emissions, stemming from the burning of fossil fuels, release pollutants such as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter into the atmosphere, contributing to air pollution and respiratory diseases. Improper disposal of waste, both solid and liquid, contaminates water bodies and soil, posing threats to aquatic life, plant health, and food safety.

Agricultural practices, including the use of pesticides and fertilizers, contribute to soil and water pollution, affecting both the environment and human health. Deforestation and urbanization disrupt natural ecosystems, leading to habitat loss and the displacement of wildlife. Noise pollution, resulting from human activities such as traffic, construction, and industrial processes, can have adverse effects on human health, causing stress, sleep disturbances, and hearing loss.

Consequences of Pollution

The consequences of pollution are severe and far-reaching. Air pollution is a major contributor to respiratory diseases, including asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Long-term exposure to air pollutants such as particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide has been linked to cardiovascular diseases and adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Water pollution poses threats to aquatic life and human health. Contaminated water sources can lead to the spread of waterborne diseases, affecting millions of people globally. Soil pollution affects plant growth and food safety, as pollutants like pesticides and heavy metals accumulate in the soil and enter the food chain.

Noise pollution can have physiological and psychological effects, causing stress, sleep disturbances, and an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases. Light pollution disrupts natural ecosystems and interferes with the behavior of nocturnal animals, affecting their reproductive patterns and migration.

Global Impact

Pollution is not confined to local or regional boundaries; it has a global impact. Greenhouse gas emissions, primarily from the burning of fossil fuels, contribute to global warming and climate change. The rise in global temperatures leads to melting ice caps, rising sea levels, and extreme weather events, posing threats to unsafe ecosystems and communities.

The pollution of oceans with plastic waste has become a global crisis, with millions of tons of plastic entering the oceans annually. This not only harms marine life but also affects human health, as microplastics enter the food chain through seafood consumption.

Loss of biodiversity is another consequence of pollution, as ecosystems are disrupted and species face habitat destruction and pollution-induced stress. The decline of pollinators, such as bees, due to exposure to pesticides, has implications for agriculture and food security.

Addressing Pollution

Addressing pollution requires a comprehensive and collaborative approach at individual, community, and governmental levels. Individuals can contribute by adopting sustainable practices in their daily lives, such as reducing energy consumption, using eco-friendly products, and practicing responsible waste disposal.

Communities can organize clean-up initiatives, promote recycling programs, and raise awareness about the importance of environmental conservation. Educational institutions play a crucial role in fostering environmental awareness and sustainability practices among students.

Governments must enact and enforce stringent environmental regulations to curb pollution. Incentives for industries to adopt cleaner technologies, invest in renewable energy sources, and implement sustainable waste management practices are essential. International cooperation is crucial to address global environmental challenges, with countries working together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, combat plastic pollution, and protect biodiversity.

Essay on Pollution in 800 Words

Pollution, the presence of unwanted substances known as pollutants in the environment, poses an immediate and severe threat to the delicate balance of our ecosystems. The recognition of the urgent need to address pollution is essential if we are to preserve the Earth and its biodiversity. This essay explores the various facets of pollution, its types, and the impact it has on major Indian cities such as Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Lucknow, and Varanasi.

What is Pollution?

Pollution occurs when external compounds, primarily generated by human activities, enter the environment as unwanted entities known as pollutants. These pollutants cause significant harm to the environment, affecting water bodies, air, flora, and fauna. The consequences of pollution extend globally, contributing to phenomena like the greenhouse gas effect, global warming, and acid rain.

Effects of Pollution on Major Indian Cities

Imagine bustling cities in India, like Delhi or Varanasi, filled with life and energy. However, there’s a problem casting a shadow over this vibrancy – pollution. In this exploration, we’re going to look at how pollution affects the air, water, and soil in cities such as Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Lucknow, and Varanasi. The goal is to understand the challenges these cities face and why it’s so important for everyone to work together to tackle pollution and ensure a healthier future.

Pollution Level in Delhi

Delhi, the National Capital Territory, faces a dire situation in terms of air quality index (AQI). According to the World Health Organization, Delhi ranks lowest among 1650 major cities worldwide. The air quality, especially during the winter months from October to December, rapidly deteriorates, reaching hazardous levels.

The AQI for Delhi remains moderate (101-200) from January to September but spikes during winter, often surpassing 500. Particulate Matter (PM2.5 and PM10) levels soar well beyond safe limits, primarily due to factors such as vehicular emissions, industrial activities, and the traditional practice of burning paddy crop roots in neighboring states.

Pollution Level in Noida

Noida, bordering Delhi in western Uttar Pradesh, faces similar challenges with poor air quality. Intensive construction activities, heavy vehicular pollution, and cold winter air contribute to the formation of a thick smog, impacting the Air Quality Index. The PM levels in Noida compete with Delhi, often reaching hazardous levels during the winter months.

Pollution Level in Ghaziabad

Ghaziabad frequently tops the list of North Indian cities with the worst AQI and pollution levels. Industrial pollution and waste burning are major contributors to Ghaziabad’s poor air quality. Located on the outskirts of the city, industries emit dense smoke, exacerbating pollution. The PM10 levels in Ghaziabad often surpass permissible limits, reaching alarming levels, especially during festivals like Diwali.

Pollution Level in Lucknow

Lucknow, the capital of Uttar Pradesh, experiences fluctuating AQI levels, ranging from moderate to poor. While not as severe as Delhi NCR, the air quality in Lucknow is still alarming, demanding concrete action. The quantity of suspended Particulate Matter has increased significantly in residential areas, posing health risks. The city’s air contains fine PM2.5 particles, reaching hazardous concentrations.

Pollution Level in Varanasi

Varanasi, the ancient pilgrimage city and the parliamentary constituency of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, faces environmental challenges due to ongoing construction activities. Varanasi’s AQI is ranked third on the World Health Organization’s list of the fifteen most polluted cities globally. The ongoing construction work contributes to a decline in air quality, with AQI reaching up to 300, falling in the “Poor” category. Particulate Matter, especially PM2.5, poses health risks to the city’s residents.

The impacts of pollution are profound, impacting ecosystems, biodiversity, and the well-being of humans. Prolonged exposure to air pollutants is associated with cardiovascular diseases, while contaminated water sources contribute to the spread of waterborne diseases. Soil pollution poses risks to food safety, and noise pollution leads to stress and hearing loss. Additionally, light pollution disrupts wildlife behavior.

Importantly, pollution transcends local boundaries; its consequences are felt globally. Greenhouse gas emissions contribute significantly to global warming, causing adverse effects on climate patterns. The accumulation of plastic waste in oceans not only harms marine life but also infiltrates the food chain, posing threats to human health. Furthermore, pollution-induced stress and habitat destruction contribute to the loss of biodiversity, impacting ecosystems on a global scale.

Stringent environmental regulations need to be implemented and enforced by governments to combat pollution effectively. Offering incentives to industries for adopting cleaner technologies, investing in renewable energy sources, and practicing sustainable waste management is vital. International cooperation is essential to tackle global environmental challenges, with countries collaborating to decrease greenhouse gas emissions, combat plastic pollution, and safeguard biodiversity.

Pollution remains a pressing issue affecting major Indian cities, with severe implications for the environment and public health. The need for immediate and concerted efforts to address pollution is evident, as evidenced by the deteriorating air quality in cities like Delhi, Noida, Ghaziabad, Lucknow, and Varanasi. It is imperative that governments, industries, and individuals collaborate to adopt sustainable practices, enforce regulations, and invest in technologies that mitigate the environmental impact. Only through collective action can we hope to mitigate the menace of pollution and ensure a healthier and sustainable future for our planet.

Pollution is a critical environmental issue that demands urgent attention and concerted efforts at local, national, and global levels. The consequences of pollution are profound, affecting ecosystems, biodiversity, and human health. It is imperative that individuals, communities, industries, and governments work together to adopt sustainable practices, enforce regulations, and invest in technologies that minimize the environmental impact.

The battle against pollution requires a shift in mindset, where environmental sustainability becomes a priority in decision-making processes. By addressing pollution, we not only protect the health of our planet but also ensure a better quality of life for current and future generations. It is a collective responsibility to preserve the beauty and diversity of our natural environment and create a sustainable and harmonious coexistence between human activities and the ecosystems that support life on Earth.

Essay on Pollution FAQs

Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment, leading to adverse changes. It can take various forms, including air, water, soil, noise, and light pollution.

Primary sources of pollution include industrial activities, vehicle emissions, improper waste disposal, deforestation, and agricultural practices that involve the use of pesticides and fertilizers.

Pollution has severe consequences on ecosystems, biodiversity, and human health. It can lead to respiratory diseases, waterborne illnesses, soil degradation, habitat loss, and disruptions in wildlife behavior.

Air pollution can cause respiratory diseases such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Long-term exposure to air pollutants is linked to cardiovascular diseases and adverse pregnancy outcomes.

Water pollution occurs when chemicals and waste are discharged into water bodies. It poses a threat to aquatic life by contaminating their habitats and disrupting ecosystems. It can also affect human health through the consumption of contaminated water.

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• Biology Article
• What Is Soil?

What Is Soil

An estimated 70 percent of the earth’s surface is covered with water, while the remaining 30 per cent constitutes land. The layer of the earth that is composed of soil and is influenced by the process of soil formation is called pedosphere. But what exactly is soil and what is soil made of?

What is Soil?

Technically, the soil is a mixture that contains minerals, organic matter, and living organisms. But broadly speaking, soil can refer to any loose sediment. Moreover, there are many types of soil that are distributed around the world and these are generally classified into the following:

Typically, the soil consists of 45% minerals, 50% empty spaces or voids and 5% organic matter. Furthermore, soil performs many important functions such as:

• Providing a growth medium for the plants
• Acts a modifier of the earth’s atmosphere
• One of the most crucial components of the biosphere
• Provides habitat for organisms

Also Read:  Soil Teeming

How is Soil Formed?

Soil is formed by weathering of rocks. Solid rock can weather away in one of the three ways into the soil, namely:

Mechanical Weathering

Chemical weathering, biological weathering.

This is commonly observed near the surface of the earth. Also called physical weathering, as this process is influenced by physical forces such as wind, water and temperature.

As the name suggests, chemical weathering occurs when rocks are broken down by chemical reactions. Often, such types of weathering can change the chemical composition of the soil.

Though not an actual weathering process, living organisms weaken and subsequently disintegrate rocks, often by initiating mechanical or chemical weathering. For instance, tree roots can grow into cracks in the rock, prying them apart and causing mechanical fractures. Microorganisms can secrete chemicals that can increase the rock’s susceptibility to weathering.

Also Read:  Soil Profile

Composition of Soil

The soil is composed of different components: 5% organic matter, 45% minerals, 20-30% different gases and 20-30% water. Therefore, the soil is known as a heterogeneous body. Given below is the composition of soil in detail:

Organic Matter

Organic substance is found in very small amounts in the soil. Plants and animals are the main sources of organic matter. Depending upon the decomposition stage, the organic matter is of the following three types:

• Completely decomposed organic matter
• Partially decomposed organic matter
• Undecomposed organic matter

Minerals are an important element of the soil. These are solid components composed of atoms. These occur naturally and have a fixed chemical composition. Olivine and feldspar are the main minerals present in the soil.

Gaseous Components

The air-filled pores of the soil contain the gaseous components. Nitrogen and oxygen present in the pores is generally the atmospheric air fixed by the microorganisms. However, the composition of carbon dioxide is higher due to the gas produced by microorganisms present in the soil.

The soil dissolves the minerals and nutrients in the water and transports it to different parts of the plants . These are essential for the growth and development of the plant.

Importance of Soil

Soil is an important element essential for the survival of living organisms. The importance of soil is mentioned below:

• The fertile soil helps in the growth and development of the plants. The plants thus produced are healthy and provide food, clothing, furniture, and medicines.
• It supports many life forms including bacteria, fungi, algae, etc. These microbes, in turn, maintain environmental balance by retaining the moisture and decaying the dead organisms.
• The topsoil supports certain life activities such as reproduction, hatching, nesting, breeding, etc. of a few organisms.
• The organic matter present in the soil increases the fertility of the soil which is responsible for the growth of the plants. It also contains certain minerals and elements that are necessary for the plants to carry out their cellular activities.
• Soil is used for making cups, utensils, tiles, etc. The contents in the soil such as gravel, clay and sand are used in the construction of homes, roads, buildings, etc.
• Useful mineral medicines such as calcium, iron, and other substances such as petroleum jelly for cosmetics are extracted from the soil.
• The soil absorbs the rainwater. This water is evaporated and released into the air during sunny days, making the atmosphere cooler.

Also Read:  Mineral Riches In The Soil

Thus we see how the soil is formed, what it is composed of and how it is important to different life forms.

To know more about soil, its formation, composition and importance (along with other important concepts such as soil pollution ), download BYJU’S – The Learning App.

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Paragraph on Soil Pollution

Students are often asked to write a paragraph on Soil Pollution in their schools. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 200-word, and 250-word paragraphs on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

Paragraph on Soil Pollution in 100 Words

Soil pollution means the dirt or ground gets very dirty and unhealthy. This can happen when bad chemicals, like ones from trash or cars, mix with the soil where plants grow. These chemicals can make plants sick, and if we eat those plants, we can get sick too. Sometimes, even the water we drink can become dirty because of the bad soil. We need to take care of the soil by throwing away trash in the right place and not using too many chemicals. Clean soil helps us grow yummy fruits and vegetables and keeps everything in nature happy and healthy.

Paragraph on Soil Pollution in 200 Words

Soil pollution is when the dirt where plants grow gets filled with harmful stuff that doesn’t belong there. Imagine if someone mixed trash into your garden soil; plants wouldn’t like that. This bad stuff can be chemicals from factories, oil spills, or even garbage like plastic bags and bottles. When the soil gets dirty like this, it’s not just the plants that have a problem. Tiny creatures that live in the ground can’t survive, and the animals that eat those plants get sick too. Even people can get unwell if they eat fruits or vegetables that have grown in polluted soil. It’s like a chain; if one part gets hurt, it can affect everything connected to it. That’s why we need to keep our soil clean. We can do this by not throwing trash on the ground, recycling things instead of dumping them, and telling others to take care of the Earth too. Clean soil means healthier plants, animals, and people. So, let’s make sure we treat the ground under our feet with care so it can stay healthy and full of life. Remember, every little bit we do to help can make a big difference for our planet!

Also check:

Paragraph on Soil Pollution in 250 Words

Soil pollution is when harmful substances, like chemicals and waste, get mixed with the earth where plants grow. Imagine your soil is like a giant cake that everyone from little insects to big trees wants to eat. Now, if someone dropped yucky stuff like old batteries, plastic bags, or factory waste onto the cake, you wouldn’t want to eat it, right? That’s what happens to the soil; it becomes dirty and dangerous. These bad substances can come from many places, like farms using too many chemicals to make plants grow faster, factories letting out dirty waste, or people throwing trash on the ground instead of in the bin. When the soil is polluted, it can’t do its job well, which is to help plants grow healthy and strong. This means the food we get from those plants isn’t as good for us, and it can even make us sick. Plus, the animals that live in the soil or eat the plants can also get hurt. Cleaning up soil pollution isn’t easy, and it can take a long time. That’s why it’s so important for us to take care of the earth by recycling, using fewer harmful chemicals, and making sure trash goes to the right place. By doing these things, we can help keep our soil clean and safe for everything living in and on it, including us.

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Essay on soil erosion | environment.

Here is a compilation of essays on ‘Soil Erosion’ for class 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. Find paragraphs, long and short essays on ‘Soil Erosion’ for school and college students.

Essay on Soil Erosion

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Essay Contents:

• Essay on the Conservation of Soil Erosion

Essay # 1. Meaning of Soil Erosion:

All land use activities, particularly those which are poorly managed, involve destruction or disturbance, to a greater or lesser extent, of natural and semi-natural ecosystems. Almost invariably, however, it is those ecosystems, in equilibrium with their environment, which offer most effective protection to the soil that supports them.

A major consequence of ecosystem destruction and disturbance is that of soil degradation. This has been defined as the decline in soil quality caused through its misuse by human activity. More specifically it refers to the decline in soil productivity through adverse changes in nutrient status, organic matter structural stability and concentrations of electrolytes and toxic chemicals.

Soil degradation incorporates a number of environmental problems, some of which are interrelated, including erosion compaction, water excess and deficit, acidification, salinization and sodification and toxic accumulation of agricultural chemicals and urban/industrial pollutants.

In many instances, these have led to a serious decline in soil quality and productivity and it is only in recent decades that the finite nature of soil as a resource has become widely recognised. Soil degradation is not a new phenomenon. Archeological evidence suggests that it has been on­-going since the beginning of settled agriculture several thousand years ago.

The decline of many ancient civilizations, including the Mesopotamians of the Tigris and Euphrates valleys in Iraq, the Harappans of the Indus valley in Pakistan and the Mayans of Central America, was due in part to soil degradation.

More recently an event of major significance was the dustbowl which occurred in the Great Plains of the American Midwest during the 1930s.

At this time, intensive agricultural practices, employed in the eastern states, were transferred to the drier Midwest where the soils are lighter textured and more susceptible to erosion. A number of years of drought, combined with crop failure and destruction of the protective organic-rich topsoil, resulted in severe wind erosion.

According to the Global Assessment of Soil Degradation project, about 15 per cent of the global land area between 72°N and 57°S is degraded. Of this, an area slightly less than that of India (about 300 million hectares) is strongly degraded, largely as a result of deforestation (113 million hectares), inappropriate management of cropped land (83 million hectares) and overgrazing (75 million hectares).

In recent decades, the global rate of soil degradation has increased dramatically and is likely to increase further as we approach the twenty-first century; in 1983 it was estimated at 5-7 million ha a -1 and is set to rise beyond 10 million ha a -1 by the year 2000.

The effects of soil degradation are not restricted to the soil alone, but have a number of off-site implications. Soil erosion, for example, is often associated with increased incidence of flooding, siltation of rivers lakes and reservoirs and deposition of material in low-lying areas.

These problems may be compounded in areas where infiltration capacity is reduced due to compaction, hard setting or induration of soils. Salinisation and sodification of soils are often associated with poor quality irrigation water while soil acidification is commonly linked with acidification and aluminium contamination of surface waters.

Leaching of fertilizers and pesticides from agricultural soils may also lead to contamination of surface and shallow ground waters.

In addition, contamination of soils by urban and industrial pollutants, such as heavy metals and radionuclides, may lead to toxic accumulation in arable produce and in herbage for grazing animals, thus having important implications for human health.

The extent of soil degradation is influenced by a number of factors, many of which are interrelated, namely soil characteristics, relief, climate, land use and socio-economic and political controls (Fig. 23.1).

In many studies of soil degradation and its wider environmental implications, the socio-economic and political controls are often overlooked, or at least not examined in any detail, perhaps because of the difficulties associated with the collection of reliable and comparable data.

Increasingly, however, these controls on land use systems are being viewed as central to the issue of soil degradation, particularly in the developing world.

Management of soil degradation, whether at a global, regional or local scale, is clearly a complex issue and represents one of our most challenging environmental problems.

Emphasis should be placed on sustainable, rather than exploitative land use practices; this theme was highlighted by the World Soil Charter which called for a commitment by governments, agencies and land-users to ‘manage the land for long term advantage rather than short term expediency’ .

The problem requires a holistic, multidisciplinary approach involving the collaborative and coordinated efforts of ecologists, agronomists, soil scientists, hydrologists, engineers, sociologists and economists. Moreover, the involvement of government and non-government organisations, aid agencies and the farmers themselves is essential to the success of research and development in this area.

Such involvement should facilitate the implementation of education, training and incentive programmes. Imposition from above of high-technology, high-cost solutions by technical experts from developed countries is certainly not the answer in the developing world.

Inevitably, such solutions are not economically viable and low-technology, low-cost options—such as low external input agriculture, agroforestry and social forestry—are often the only answer.

Hence, the approach to soil conservation has shifted in recent years from a rather techno centric standpoint to a more eco-centric position. Central to this approach are the concepts of land husbandry and sustainable development, which place emphasis on the land-users themselves rather than on the technical experts and advisors.

This chapter aims to examine a selection of the most pressing soil degradation problems and, in each case, the causal factors, on and off site effects and management strategies will be considered.

Essay # 2. Occurrence of Soil Erosion:

Soil erosion occurs when the rate of removal of soil by water and/or wind exceeds the rate of soil formation. Generally, rates of soil formation are very low, with profiles developing at a rate of about 1 cm every 100-400 years; assuming an average bulk density of 1.33g cm -3 , this equates to about 0.3 – 1.3 t ha -1 a -1 .

It is important to differentiate between natural or background erosion and erosion which has been accelerated largely as a result of human activity.

Background erosion rates are often similar to rates of soil formation at < 1.0 t ha -1 a -1 , although in mountainous areas they may be considerably higher. In contrast, rates of accelerated erosion commonly exceed 10 t ha -1 a -1 and sometimes exceed 100t ha -1 a -1

Some of the highest soil erosion rates have been observed in the Loess Plateau area of China and in the Himalayan foothills of Nepal, where values in excess of 200 t ha -1 a -1 have been recorded. Similarly, in India, gully erosion results in a loss of about 8,000 ha of land per year.

The extent of soil erosion is governed by a number of factors. Those of particular importance include erosivity of the eroding agent, erodibility of the soil, slope steepness and length, land use practices and conservation strategies.

These factors are summarised in the Universal Soil Loss Equation which has been used widely in the modelling and prediction of soil erosion e.g., Colby-Saliba:

E = R.K.L.S.C.P.

where, E = mean annual soil loss, R = rainfall erosivity index, K = soil erodibility index, L = slope length, S = slope steepness, C = cropping factor which represents the ratio of soil loss under a given crop to that from bare soil, and P = conservation practice factor which represents the ratio of soil loss where contouring and strip-cropping are practiced to that where they unused.

Although widely used, this model has been the subject of extensive criticism. For example, it assumes that a vegetation cover is always protective which is not necessarily the case; erosion on land with a good cover of crops planted in rows can be greater than on land which is sparsely vegetated. It is also water erosion based and cannot be used in areas affected extensively by wind erosion.

More specifically, it focuses on rill and inter-rill erosion and is not easily applied to areas where gully and stream bank erosion are widespread. Its universal nature has also been questioned particularly in terms of its application to tropical soils.

Furthermore, it should be emphasised that this model does not consider the wide range of socio-economic and political factors which play a crucial role in terms of their influence on the degree of soil erosion which will be examined later. Alternative models include SLEMSA (Soil Loss Estimator for Southern Africa) and CREAMS (Chemicals Run-off and Erosion Arising From Agricultural Management Systems).

Land use is perhaps the most significant factor influencing soil erosion, for two main reasons. First, many land use practices leave the soil devoid of a protective vegetation cover, or with only a partial cover, for significant periods of time and second, they involve mechanical disturbance of the soil.

Specific aspects of land use often associated with accelerated soil erosion include expansion and intensification of arable cultivation, overgrazing, deforestation, certain forestry practices, site clearance in preparation for urban and industrial construction and a number of recreational activities such as walking and skiing.

Arable cultivation has expanded and intensified dramatically in recent decades. Relatively steep slopes, formerly covered by grass or tress, have been converted to arable cropping, while an increased use of heavy agricultural machinery has resulted in compaction of the soil. This, in turn, has led to reduced infiltration capacity, particularly along wheel tracks, thus resulting in increased surface run-off and erosion.

Similarly, increased reliance on tillage activities, throughout the cropping cycle, has rendered soils more susceptible to erosion. This problem has been compounded by the decline in levels of soil organic matter and hence structural stability, largely in response to increased use of inorganic fertilizers.

In addition, the tendency to increase field sizes on arable land has meant that there are fewer physical breaks and barriers in the landscape, such as tree lines, hedgerows and walls, to restrict erosion. Susceptibility to erosion is further increased if land is cultivated with the slope rather than parallel to the contours.

Overgrazing is particularly common in drought-affected parts of the developing world, such as the Sahel region of sub-Saharan Africa and the rangelands and communal lands of eastern and southern Africa.

In a study of the impact of grazing on soils of the Savanna region of Nigeria, for example, Aweto and Adejumbobi (1991) attribute enhanced surface run-off and erosion to compaction of the soil and destruction of the protective vegetation cover by grazing animals and to the adoption of inappropriate burning strategies.

Deforestation, largely for logging and wood fuel purposes, is also common in many parts of the developing world.

Trees are well-known for their ability to protect soils from erosion, particularly on steeply sloping terrain. Their root systems and the organic material which they supply help to stabilise the soil, while water uptake and canopy interception serve to reduce the frequency and intensity of surface run-off.

In addition to deforestation, many forestry practices are associated with accelerated soil erosion, including the needle leaf forestry programmes which have become widespread in many areas of upland Britain. Here, erosion is most serious during the pre-planting stages of land preparation and drainage and after harvesting.

In relation to urban and industrial land use, construction and associated disturbance of land may lead to increased soil erosion. Even certain recreational activities have been implicated in this problem, including walking and skiing.

A number of socio-economic and political factors have been associated with accelerated soil erosion, particularly in the developing world. These include population pressure, skewed land resource distribution; poverty and marginalization, increasing demand for wood fuel, inappropriate land tenure and farm policies, small size of land-holdings and poor infrastructure.

In many developing countries, population growth is rapid and the demand for agricultural land and wood fuel is ever increasing (Table 23.4).

Furthermore, agricultural systems are characterised by a skewed land resource distribution where a minority of affluent and powerful landowners control a majority of the land area.

The poorest farmers are thus forced onto marginal land, which is particularly susceptible to erosion, and often end up in a vicious spiral of debt. Rural-urban migration, abandonment of land and increased soil erosion are often responsible to this poverty trap situation (Fig. 23.2).

In many parts of the developing world, large areas of land are utilised for mono-cultivation of cash crops, which are not necessarily best-suited to soil conditions, rather than for indigenous mixed food cropping. Such commercial pressure on agricultural systems, as well as contributing to the problem of marginalization discussed above, has a detrimental effect on soil quality and is unlikely to be sustainable in the long term.

There is also little political support in terms of education, training and incentive schemes to encourage farmers to adopt more sustainable land use practices. The establishment of appropriate and comprehensive soil conservation and land husbandry programmes is further hindered by the small size of land-holdings and the large number of farmers involved (Table 23.5).

The on and off-site effects of soil erosion are considerable. At the global scale, it is estimated that unless soil conservation measures are introduced on all cultivated land, 544 million ha of potentially productive rain-fed crop land will be lost and agricultural production expected to decrease by almost 20 per cent, by the year 2000-2005.

Undoubtedly, these effects will be felt most severely in those developing countries which are least able to cope with the problem. It should be noted that the deterioration in soil productivity is disproportionate to the amount of soil eroded, as it is the nutrient rich and structure- supporting constituents in the topsoil which are lost most readily.

Essay # 3. Causes of Soil Erosion:

These are as follows:

(i) Overcropping:

Overcropping causes the soil to deteriorate when too many crops are grown on the same land without the farmer replacing lost mineral and organic material. In natural conditions, as plants grow, they extract the valuable mineral and organic plant nutrients from the soil; when they die, they decay and release their nutrients, returning them to the soil which is thus enriched for other plants that come after them.

But when men cultivate crops, they harvest them and carry the crops elsewhere to be sold or consumed. There is no replacement at all. If the farmer year after year, grows cotton which is very exhaustive of nitrates, and does not add any manure or fertilizers, the soil is bound to become poorer until the farm has to be abandoned.

Overcropping may occur in several ways:

(a) Monoculture:

This is the growing of a single type of crop, year after year, such as cotton or wheat. The crop is constantly using up particular types of minerals from the soil which it needs. As a result some minerals in the soil may be completely exhausted and fertility may decline if fallow periods, fertilizers or crop rotations are not used to balance soil properties.

(b) Multicropping:

This is the constant use of the land for several crops every year. If there is not a constant supply of fertilizer this quickly exhausts the soil and yields rapidly decline.

(c) Shifting cultivation:

This type of cultivation of forest clearings can be very harmful. The destruction of the trees by fire means that the soil is no longer protected from the full force of heavy tropical rain, nor is it consolidated and held together by plant roots. It is therefore quickly washed away. After the ladangs are abandoned the forest is allowed to grow again, and, if the plot is not cleared again for a long time (about 20 years), the rest or fallow period is long enough for the soil to regain its humus and mineral content.

If, however, as usually happens, the plots are re-cleared after only a few years or one plot is occupied for too many years, the soil cannot recuperate and it becomes permanently infertile. It may be eroded into deep gullies or invaded by lalang grass and is thus made useless either for farming or for forest.

(ii) Overgrazing:

Animal grazing is dependent upon either natural or man-sown grasses and herbs, which are eaten by the cattle, sheep, goats or horses. The number of animals that can be grazed depends on the carrying capacity of the pasturage, that is the number of animals which can graze on the pasture without completely killing the grasses or other plants.

If the number of animals is within the carrying capacity, the grass is able to grow again, but if there are too many animals it may not have sufficient time to recover and may be killed. If this happens the vegetative cover becomes too thin to protect the soil and rain and wind are able to erode the soil.

This in turn reduces the amount of grass that can grow in the area. In parts of Mediterranean Europe, West and East Africa and India, overgrazing by cattle, or worse still by sheep or goats which nibble down every bit of grass, has caused acute soil erosion.

(iii) Deforestation:

When men remove the natural forest cover of an area either for agriculture or for timber this usually exposes the area to soil erosion because the soil is no longer protected by the leafy canopy of the forest from heavy rain or strong winds. The bad effects of deforestation are worst when all the trees, even the smallest, are removed and when new seedlings are not planted to replace the felled timber.

(iv) Slope Cultivation:

Soil erosion is always enhanced when the cleared area of land is on a steep slope, because this allows gully erosion to take place. The soil on slopes, too, is easily moved by gravity when it is loosened. The effects of shifting cultivation, overgrazing and deforestation are all worse on steeply sloping land.

Where cultivation takes place on steep slopes erosion is greatly aggravated if plants are arranged slope-wise, i.e. in rows up and down the hill slope. This practice of slope-wise cultivation produces ready-made channels down which rain-water can flow carrying away the topsoil.

(v) Cultivation of Dry Areas:

In semi-arid areas the cultivation of marginal agricultural lands may lead to erosion because the removal of the natural vegetation and the ploughing of the land loosens the soil and this enables the wind to blow it away. In marginal areas such as this, special dry-farming tech­niques have to be adopted unless a ‘Dust Bowl’ situation is to arise.

Essay # 4. Impact of Soil Erosion:

The rapid erosion of soil by wind and water has been a problem ever since land was first cultivated. The consequences of soil erosion occur both on- and off-site.

On-site effects are particularly important on agricultural land where the redistribution of soil within a field, the loss of soil from a field, the break-down of soil structure and the decline in organic matter and nutrient result in a reduction of cultivable soil depth and a decline in soil fertility. Erosion also reduces available soil moisture, resulting in more drought-prone conditions.

The net effect is a loss of productivity which, at first, restricts what can be grown and results in increased expenditure on fertilizers to maintain yields, but later threatens food production and leads, ultimately, to land abandonment. It also leads to a decline in the value of the land as it changed from productive farmland to wasteland.

Offsite problems result from sedimentation down stream or downwind which reduces the capacity of rivers and drainage ditches, enhances the risk of flooding, blocks irrigation canals and shortens the design life of reservoirs. Many hydroelectricity and irrigation projects have been ruined as a consequence of erosion.

Sediment is also a pollutant in its own right and, through the chemicals adsorbed to it, can increase the levels of nitrogen and phosphorus in water bodies and result in eutrophication.

Essay # 5. Process of Soil Erosion:

Soil erosion is a two-phase process, consisting of the detachment of individual particles from the soil mass and their transport by erosive agents such as running water and wind. When sufficient energy is no longer available to transport the particles, a third phase—deposition—occurs.

Rain splash is the most important detaching agent. The soil is also broken up by weathering processes, both mechanical, by alternate wetting and drying, freezing and thawing and frost action and biochemical. Soil is disturbed by tillage operations and by the trampling of people and livestock. Running water and wind are further contributors to the detachment of soil particles.

All these processes loosen the soil so that it is easily removed by the agents of transport. The severity of erosion depends upon the quality of material supplied by detachment and the capacity of the eroding agents to transport it.

There are a number of factors that control erosion:

1. Erosivity of the eroding agent;

2. Erodibility of the soil;

3. Slope of the land; and

4. Nature of the plant cover.

In the field, soil erosion status may be surveyed and data are recorded as per proforma (Table 23.6) for further interpretation.

Essay # 6. Measurement of Soil Erosion:  

Those designed to determine soil loss from relatively small sample areas or erosion plots often as part of an experiment and those designed to assess erosions over a larger area such as a drainage basin.

In erosion plot, a standard size of 22 m long and 1.8 m wide are used. The plot edges are made of sheet metal, wood or any material which is stable, does not leak and is not liable to rust. At the downslope end is positioned a collecting trough or gutter, covered with a lid to prevent the direct entry of rainfall, from which sediment and runoff are channelled into collecting tanks.

For large plots or where run-off volumes are very high, the overflow from a first collecting tank is passed through a divisor which splits the flow into equal parts and passes one part, as a sample, into a second collecting tank. A flocculating agent is added to the mixture of water and sediment collected in each tank.

The soil settles to the bottom of the tank and the clear water is then drawn-off and measured. The volume of soil remaining in the tank is determined and a sample of known volume is taken for drying and weighing. The sample weight multiplied by the total volume gives the total weight of soil in the tank.

The total soil loss from the plot is the weight of the soil in the first tank plus, assuming one-fifth of the overflow from the first tank passes through the divisor into the second tank, five times the weight of soil in the second tank.

Where automatic sediment sampling occurs, the sediment concentration is determined for each sample. Since the time that each sample was taken during the storm is known, the data can be integrated over time to give a sediment graph.

Investigation of sediment production in a catchment or drainage basin must be carried through an elaborate layout of erosion plot investigation in the stream slopes of various orders.

Essay # 7. Conservation of Soil Erosion:  

Soil conservation design most logically follows a sequence of events (Fig. 23.3) beginning with a thorough assessment of erosion risk, followed by designing a sound land use plan based on what the land is best suited for under present or proposed economic and social conditions, land tenure arrangements and production technology and what is compatible with the maintenance of environmental stability.

However, the approach of soil conservation varies from place to place and also based on type of land use. For instance, erosion control in cultivated land is dependent upon good management which implies establishing sufficient crop cover and selecting appropriate tillage practices.

Thus soil conservation relies strongly on agronomic methods combined with sound soil management whilst mechanical measures play only a supporting role. On the whole, the conservation strategies are aimed at establishing and maintaining good ground cover.

The details are given in Table 23.7:

Further, it is recognised that strategies for soil improving traditional systems instead of imposing entirely new techniques from outside and on enhancing land husbandry (Fig. 23.4, Table 23.7).

In addition there are a number of mechanical field practices used to control the soil erosion.

Three methods are normally employed in conjunction with agronomic measures:

1. Contouring i.e., carrying out ploughing, planting and cultivation on the contour can reduce soil loss from sloping land compared with cultivation up and down the slope.

2. Contour bunds i.e., these are earth banks 1.5 – 2m wide thrown across the slope to act as a barrier to run-off, to form a water storage area on their upslope side.

3. Terraces—these are earth embankments constructed across the slope to intercept surface run­off and convey it to a stable outlet at a non-erosive velocity and to shorten slope length.

4. Waterways—to convey run-off at a non-erosive velocity to suitable disposal part viz., diversion ditches, terrace channels, grass waterways etc.

5. Stabilisation structures—this is a specialised structure build up to produce small dams (0.4 to 2 meter height) by locally available materials for gully erosion control.

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The Crucial Role of Soil: Insights from “Dirt! the Movie”

This essay about “Dirt! The Movie” highlights the essential role soil plays in our lives emphasizing its importance as a living breathing entity vital to our survival. The film combines science history and personal stories to illustrate how healthy soil is crucial for food production water filtration and sustaining ecosystems. It explores the environmental and social consequences of soil degradation caused by industrial agriculture deforestation and urbanization and presents sustainable land management practices as solutions. The documentary also showcases the spiritual and cultural significance of soil and highlights grassroots efforts and urban agriculture initiatives that promote soil health and community resilience. The essay underscores the film’s balanced perspective on the challenges and innovative solutions in soil conservation.

How it works

“Dirt! The Movie” a 2009 documentary directed by Bill Benenson and Gene Rosow serves as a compelling reminder of the essential role soil plays in our lives. The film masterfully intertwines science history and personal stories to reveal the profound connection between humans and the earth. Through engaging visuals and thoughtful narratives it underscores how soil is not merely dirt under our feet but a living breathing entity vital to our survival.

At the heart of the documentary is the idea that soil is the foundation of all terrestrial life.

The film traces the origins of soil to the very beginnings of our planet illustrating how it has nurtured life for billions of years. It emphasizes that healthy soil is teeming with microorganisms fungi and organic matter that contribute to its fertility and structure. This biological richness is crucial for growing the food we eat filtering the water we drink and sustaining the ecosystems we rely on.

One of the most striking aspects of “Dirt! The Movie” is its portrayal of the environmental and social consequences of soil degradation. The documentary highlights how industrial agriculture deforestation and urbanization have led to widespread soil erosion and loss of fertility. These practices not only threaten food security but also contribute to climate change by releasing stored carbon into the atmosphere. The film features interviews with farmers scientists and activists who advocate for sustainable land management practices that can restore soil health and mitigate these impacts.

The personal stories featured in the documentary add a human dimension to the scientific and environmental themes. For instance the film introduces us to individuals who have dedicated their lives to soil conservation and sustainable agriculture. Their passion and commitment are inspiring demonstrating that positive change is possible through grassroots efforts. These narratives serve as a call to action urging viewers to reconsider their relationship with the earth and adopt practices that promote soil health.

One memorable segment of the film explores urban agriculture and community gardening as solutions to soil degradation. By transforming vacant lots and rooftops into productive green spaces urban dwellers can reconnect with nature and contribute to local food systems. The documentary showcases successful examples of these initiatives illustrating how they can improve food security enhance community resilience and foster a deeper appreciation for the environment.

“Dirt! The Movie” also delves into the spiritual and cultural significance of soil across different societies. It highlights indigenous perspectives that view the earth as a sacred entity deserving of respect and care. These cultural insights remind us that our connection to the soil is not just physical but also spiritual shaping our identities and worldviews. By honoring these traditions we can gain a more holistic understanding of our relationship with the earth and the importance of preserving it for future generations.

The documentary does not shy away from presenting the challenges and complexities involved in soil conservation. It acknowledges that systemic change is needed to address the root causes of soil degradation including economic and political factors that drive unsustainable practices. However it also offers hope by showcasing innovative solutions and the resilience of communities working to restore their lands. This balanced perspective encourages viewers to remain hopeful and proactive in the face of environmental challenges.

In conclusion “Dirt! The Movie” is a thought-provoking and visually engaging documentary that underscores the vital importance of soil in sustaining life on earth. It combines scientific insights with personal stories and cultural perspectives to create a rich tapestry of information and inspiration. The film serves as a powerful reminder that our survival is intimately linked to the health of the soil urging us to take action to protect and restore this precious resource. By fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of soil “Dirt! The Movie” encourages us to cultivate a more sustainable and harmonious relationship with the earth.

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Essay on Soil: Top 8 Essays on Soil | Soil Management

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Here is a compilation of essays on ‘Soil’ for Class 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12. Find paragraphs, long and short essays on ‘Soil’ especially written for school and college students.

Essay on Soil

Essay Contents:

• Essay on the Influence of Climate on Soil

Essay # 1. Meaning of Soil:

The term soil refers to the soft layer on the earth’s surface on which plants grow. Soil contains both organic and inorganic substances in large quantities. The organic substances known as humus in the soil are derived from decayed plant and animal remains. These are mixed with weathered particles of various rocks to constitute the soil.

The rocks exposed on the earth’s surface are moreover subjected to weathering caused by various chemical and physical reactions. Soil formation is generally a very slow process. For instance, it might take more than 1000 years for the formation of soil layer of about 2.5 cm thickness.

Of course, a lot depends on such factors as the composition of rocks and the influence of climate as well as the influence of plants and animals.

The factors responsible for transformation of rocks on the earth’s surface into soil may be grouped under three main headings:

Physical factors:

Actions of water current, temperature, pressure, glacier and wind.

Chemical factors:

Actions of oxygen, salts and carbolic acid present in the atmosphere.

Organic factors:

Actions of plant’s roots, man and animals.

Essay # 2. Composition of Soil :

There are number of ways for determining the composition of soil. One way is by colour. Generally, the colour of the soil depends on its chemical composition. The more the proportion of organic matters, the darker is the colour of the soil. Thus the colour may vary from near white, to brown and black.

Proportion of iron, contained in the soil, might give it a red or yellow tinge. Soils in the marshes have greenish or bluish colour. In this soil some amount of iron also remains and is mixed up with the organic matters. Now-a-days, soil composition is determined by the size of grains in it, as, also, by the proportions of sand, silt and clay in the soil.

In this way, three varieties of soil can be identified, namely, Sandy soil, Clayey soil and Silty soil.

Sandy soil:

The soil in which the diameter of the minute grains ranges between 0.05 and 1.0 mm and in which the proportion of sand is more than 60 per cent, is called sandy soil. In India, the soil of Thar Desert is of this type.

Clayey soil:

This type of soil is also known as loamy soil. The grains in this soil are very fine having diameter of less than 0.002 mm. The soil where the proportion of this kind of clay is more than 60 per cent is called clayey or loamy soil. The black cotton soil of Deccan belongs to this type.

Silty soil:

Silt is formed by a mixture of about equal parts of sand and clay. The soil in the valley of the Ganges and its deltaic region is of this type.

Mechanical Composition of Soil:

The mechanical composition of the soil is the weight percentage of the mineral matters that occurs in each of the specified size fractions of the soil.

Inorganic particles occurring in the soil have classified of the basis of their sizes as follows:

Stone is greater than 2 cm in diameter

Gravel is between 2 mm to 2 cm in diameter

Fine Earth is less than 2 mm in diameter

Fine Earth has been subdivided into the following groups called soil separates according to different systems.

(1) International System:

1. A Horizon: Top or surface layer containing humus.

2. B Horizon: Intermediate soil.

3. C Horizon: Hard rocky layer.

In terms of origin, soils can be classified into two types, namely:

(a) Residual soil, and

(b) Transported soil.

(a) Residual soil:

This type of soil is generally formed in its place of origin. The weathered and crushed rocky materials mix with various organic substances to create residual soil. The black soil formed out of the rocks of the Deccan plateau is of this type.

(b) Transported Soil:

At times the weathered rocks particles are carried away by water current, glacier or wind and deposited elsewhere. These turn into soil. Such type of soil is called transported soil. Some of the alluvial soil in the river valleys and deltaic regions is an example of transported soil.

Similarly, the soil in the southern part of Canada is an example of transported soil formed by glaciers. The loess in northern China is an example of this type of soil formed by wind action.

Now-a-days again, the soil scientists classify the soil into three types:

(a) Zonal soil,

(b) Intra-zonal soil, and

(c) Azonal soil.

(a) Zonal soil:

This type of soil is formed due to prolonged influence of climate and actions of various plants. The land must have proper drainage for the formation of this type of soil. All the three horizons can be clearly seen in this type of soil. Some examples of zonal soil are the black soil and the red soil of the monsoonal regions of the Deccan plateau, and the chernozem and the brown soil of the temperate regions of Russia.

(b) Intra-zonal soil:

This soil is not very mature. Climate does not have much influence in its formation. This type of rather half mature soil is formed in the marshy area lying between two zonal soils. Since the soil is not mature enough or properly mixed, its drainage is not good.

Intrazonal soil is also formed from limestone and rocks containing salts. The soil formed by glaciers in the northern part of North America is of the intra-zonal type. This type of soil is also formed in the red soil regions of the Mediterranean and in parts of the Tundra region.

(c) Azonal soil:

This type of soil is composed solely of inorganic rocky ingredients such as gravel, sand and clay. It does not contain much of organic matter. It is found to develop in the foothill zones, at the end of the terminal moraines, in the deltas and in certain places of the deserts.

Azonal soil is, in fact, the first stage of soil formation. It comes into being before the intra-zonal and zonal soils are developed.

Within the framework of the above classification, new attempt is being made to find out more useful classification of soil. One such classification was put forward in the U.S.A. in 1960.

The main objects of this classification are:

(a) To arrange the soil types in a way so that these can be easily remembered;

(b) To establish relationship between different types and sub types of soil;

(c) To determine the stage of evolution of the soil; and

(d) To predict the quality of soil.

The soils are also classified differently into two main groups—pedelfers and pedocals. Pedelfers are found in humid climates of high latitude coniferous forests, mid-latitude deciduous forests and low latitude tropical forests. Pedocal soils are found in arid, semi-arid and sub-humid climates. The science of study of soil is called pedology.

Essay # 4. Particle Density of the Soil :

The density of soil solids is known as the particle density of the soil, which may be defined as the dry weight of soil solids per unit volume of dry soil solids. For example if one cubic centimeter of the dry soil solid weighs 2.65gms, then the particle density of the concerned soil is 2.65gms. Per cubic centimeter.

The particle density of the soil can be determined by adding the densities of the soil constituents as shown in the following formula.

Particle Density = D 1 P 1 + D 2 P 2 ………

Where D and P are the respective density and proportion of soil constituents 1, 2….

Find out the particle density of a soil of the following composition:

Vertically their value increases, and horizontally their chrome increases which means that vertically they become lighter and horizontally they become purer and less-grey. Opposite each page of the Munsell colour chips is a page where the corresponding English name of the concerned soil colour is written.

In order to describe the soil colour, it is compared with the colour chips of the Munsell colour chart. Its colour is described by the Munsell Notation of that colour chip with which it matches best.

Essay # 8. Influence of Climate on Soil :

From the factors outlined above, it is clear that the influence of climate is essential for soil formation. For example, the tropics, especially monsoonal regions, are marked by great heat and humidity. Moreover, in such regions the fluctuation of temperature between summer and winter is relatively more pronounced than in other regions.

These, together with abundant rainfall, induce easy weathering of rocks. The weathered rock particles and sediments in the uplands come to be deposited in the low-lying areas.

These are finally turned into soil. There is an abundant growth of vegetation in the tropical regions. The decomposed plants increase the fertility of soil. Soil forms easily in such regions. The soil of the western part of the Deccan plateau has been formed by the influence of monsoonal climate on lava rocks.

This is black in colour and very fertile. The red soil found in the eastern part of this plateau is rather dry. This soil was formed due to chemical reactions caused under dry winter and humid summer conditions.

The influence of wind is most important in soil formation in the hot desert regions. The wind blows away desert sands from one place to another. The heavier sand particles cannot be blown very far and hence, these are deposited as sand dunes near the desert.

But the finer sand particles are blown away to great distances and these give rise to a new type of soil, known as loess. The fertile parts of northern China are formed of fine sandy particles carried by wind from the Gobi desert.

The action of glacier in soil formation is clearly evident in the cold polar regions. Pebbles, sand, mud, etc., carried down by glacier form different types of soil in the lower regions. Fluctuation of temperature in the terminal parts of the glacier shatters the rocks into small bits and these ultimately form a new type of soil.

In the equatorial regions, plants grow quickly and hence, there are very thick forests. Forests prevent weathering of rocks. On the other hand, decomposed plants help in forming a type of rich and fertile soil. This type of soil is found in the Amazon and the Congo river valleys.

In the cold regions, the flow of river to the sea is prevented for months together by the freezing of water in the estuaries. As a result, marshes are formed in which various kinds of plants and weeds grow. The decomposed plant remains help in the formation of a new type of fertile soil. The soil in the Taiga region of Siberia is of this type.

The quality of the soil depends on the quantity of calcium, magnesium and potassium present in it. Plants take these elements from the soil with the help of roots. These are stored up in the branches and the leaves. When plant matters decompose, these elements are once again mixed with the soil and thus it adds to the fertility of the soil. Soil fertility depends a great deal on the proportion of organic substances in the soil.

The organic matters are derived from the remains of plants and animals. The decomposed plants and animal remains are mixed with soil humus by animals both chemically and physically. Creatures such as the earthworm and rat help in increasing soil fertility by their acts of bringing up fertile soil from below.

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Evaluating the Trade-Offs between Nutrient and Cadmium Levels in Soils in Northeastern China: Accounting for Variations in Soil Factors

35 Pages Posted: 6 Jul 2024

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Ministry of Ecology and Environment of the People’s Republic of China - Chinese Academy of Environmental Planning

Weiping Chen

Agricultural soils have relied on the application of fertilizers to enhance soil fertility and yields in response to increasing food demands. However, the potentially hazardous trace elements that accumulate in soils have been largely overlooked. In this study, we set out to determine the soil factors in croplands using Exploratory Factor Analysis to illuminate the trade-off between soil surplus nutrients and cadmium (Cd) accumulation as a result of fertilizer application. Our research in northeastern China highlights the fact that studies tend to ignore the accumulation and distribution of hazardous heavy metals in production fields in favor of an over-emphasis on soil fertility indicators, which is unsustainable. Our model showed that soil nutrient could be identified based on three soil factors: soil organic matter, soil available nutrients, and soil nutrient buffer structures. Fertilization enhances the available nutrients (especially available P) and plays a significant role in soil nutrient cycling. However, the long-term application of P leads to a P-surplus and leaves soils more susceptible to Cd accumulation. The 90th percentile estimate of soil Cd concentration was 1.4 times higher than the P-optimal level. Scenario analyses of long-term fertilizer management indicated that, over a 50-year simulation period, the impact of Cd accumulation in soils in traditional agriculture was insignificant. However, prolonged application of excess phosphorus fertilizer would lead to a continuous increase in the concentration of accumulated Cd from 0.17 mg kg−1 to 0.40 mg kg−1.

Keywords: Exploratory Factor Analysis, Soil nutrient, Cadmium accumulation, Trade-off

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Yang Yang (Contact Author)

Ministry of ecology and environment of the people’s republic of china - chinese academy of environmental planning ( email ), do you have a job opening that you would like to promote on ssrn, paper statistics, related ejournals, agricultural sustainability & security ejournal.

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European Championship

England are not convincing, but who cares? It’s time to just enjoy the ride

Follow live coverage of England vs Netherlands in the Euro 2024 semi-final today

When Gareth Southgate was dancing in front of the England fans at the end, celebrating a third penalty shootout win as the national manager and a third semi-final appearance in four tournaments, brimming with a sense of vindication after a bruising few weeks, critiquing their performance over the 120 minutes of football simply felt beside the point.

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There is a growing sense of inevitability about this England campaign at the 2024 European Championship. No matter how close they look to capsizing — this quarter-final against Switzerland was not quite as close as against Slovakia in the previous round, but it was still close enough — HMS Gazball finds a way to right itself and continue its unstoppable progress. Its next port of call will be Dortmund in the semi-finals on Wednesday, where they will face the Netherlands . Find a way to win that and it will be Berlin next Sunday against Spain or France — England’s first ever final on foreign soil.

For five games now in Germany this summer, it has felt as if the many issues and problems with this team would eventually sink the ship. But it hasn’t — not yet, anyway. And after so long appearing to defy physics, it is impossible now not to wonder whether some special force is providing it with safe passage.

Maybe it is just the force of Southgate’s own story.

For its first few weeks, it felt as if this fourth tournament as England manager would be a bridge too far, that he would fall short of the standards set in his first three. If Jude Bellingham had not intervened late on against Slovakia in Gelsenkirchen, Southgate would have gone out with his own personal Iceland , a painfully neat conclusion after eight years in charge. But now, whatever happens on Wednesday, Euro 2024 has been a success, in results terms at least. And there is a chance it could end with history or even glory, as the whole Southgate era reaches its climax.

We should say, for balance, that Switzerland was not quite Slovakia. England, over the 120 minutes, played better than they did that day. But this performance was still probably of the level of that first group game against Serbia on June 16 — maybe better, given the superior opposition.

But the fact is that, with 10 minutes left here in Dusseldorf, England were going home. They were 1-0 down, having frozen again in the second half. They were being out-thought and had run out of ideas. And then, out of nowhere, Bukayo Saka drove one in from distance and they were level.

It is only because we are just six days into the post-Slovakia era that it will not go down as one of the all-time great England tournament goals. It was not in the 95th minute and it was not an overhead kick, but it was still brilliant, brave and decisive, keeping England’s campaign — and maybe even Southgate’s tenure — alive when the obituaries were already being written.

England deserve ‘more credit’ for Euro 2024 performances - Xhaka

Against Slovakia, England scored what proved the winner almost as soon as extra time started. In tonight’s additional 30 minutes, they had to dig in, defend, ride their luck and wait for penalties. Which they dispatched with the calm, professional confidence of a team who knew they had done the work and would reap the rewards. (There is still something uncanny to an England fan over the age of 25 about watching Southgate’s side take penalties, but his growing mastery of it is one of his great legacies.)

You might argue England were fortunate to go through, given that they needed penalties to win this tie and they had been 10 minutes from defeat in normal time. It would be fairer to say that the victory was never inevitable, even unlikely at points, especially in that long second half when Switzerland kept asking questions to which they had no answer.

But England still found a way to get through.

Southgate has always been an admirer of Didier Deschamps’ France, of their tournament know-how, and their ability to find a way from one round to the next, even while playing barely any visible football at all. France currently look like they are trying to test that plan to destruction this summer, but if you can do it, it is not a bad way to approach things.

After the game, Southgate spoke proudly about the importance of being “savvy” and “tournament-wise”, which England never were before, but increasingly are now. It is the international version of the Real Madrid question: can a team who look bad but keep winning really be bad?

Saka ‘embraced’ penalty pressure as England beat Switzerland

It was never the Southgate way to rely on moments of individual brilliance to rescue his team.

The whole point about Gazball was that it was planned, methodical, team-oriented. It was about asking how England were going to play rather than simply who would. It made England efficient and functional, if maybe a bit predictable, and perhaps a bit powerless when games were turning against them. This summer, England are different. They never look quite as balanced or in control on the pitch, although the wing-back system today did give them a better first half than they have played for weeks.

But this England have gained something too: a sense that a brilliant individual can pop up from nowhere with a crucial, campaign-saving goal. It was Bellingham against Slovakia, Saka today, and potentially who knows who on Wednesday. They have gained a sense that there is no situation which cannot be turned on its head. And they might just be starting to gain that aura — like France, maybe even like Madrid — that they can find a way to win. They just have to prove it two more times.

What does it matter, against all of that, how few chances they create? Or that Harry Kane ’s tournament still has not got going? Or that they have produced one good second half out of five — and that was against a tiring Slovenia , in a game that still finished 0-0? Or that they never fully switch on until they are behind, or that there are still issues with the left-hand side of the team?

There is time for earnest technical analysis and there is a time to enjoy the ride.

In what could be the biggest week in modern English football history, the choice is obvious.

Kane 'fine' for Netherlands semi after collision with Southgate

(Top photo: Ina Fassbender/AFP via Getty Images)

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Jack Pitt-Brooke is a football journalist for The Athletic based in London. He joined in 2019 after nine years at The Independent.

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Key stage 2 tests: 2024 scaled scores

Scaled score conversion tables for schools and local authorities to use for the 2024 national curriculum tests.

2024 key stage 2 scaled score conversion tables

You can use these tables to convert raw scores to scaled scores for the 2024 key stage 2 (KS2) national curriculum tests.

A scaled score between 100 and 120 shows the pupil has met the expected standard in the test. The lowest scaled score that can be awarded on a KS2 test is 80. The highest score is 120.

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Essay on Pollution for Students and Children

500+ words essay on pollution.

Pollution is a term which even kids are aware of these days. It has become so common that almost everyone acknowledges the fact that pollution is rising continuously. The term ‘pollution’ means the manifestation of any unsolicited foreign substance in something. When we talk about pollution on earth, we refer to the contamination that is happening of the natural resources by various pollutants . All this is mainly caused by human activities which harm the environment in ways more than one. Therefore, an urgent need has arisen to tackle this issue straightaway. That is to say, pollution is damaging our earth severely and we need to realize its effects and prevent this damage. In this essay on pollution, we will see what are the effects of pollution and how to reduce it.

Effects of Pollution

Pollution affects the quality of life more than one can imagine. It works in mysterious ways, sometimes which cannot be seen by the naked eye. However, it is very much present in the environment. For instance, you might not be able to see the natural gases present in the air, but they are still there. Similarly, the pollutants which are messing up the air and increasing the levels of carbon dioxide is very dangerous for humans. Increased level of carbon dioxide will lead to global warming .

Further, the water is polluted in the name of industrial development, religious practices and more will cause a shortage of drinking water. Without water, human life is not possible. Moreover, the way waste is dumped on the land eventually ends up in the soil and turns toxic. If land pollution keeps on happening at this rate, we won’t have fertile soil to grow our crops on. Therefore, serious measures must be taken to reduce pollution to the core.

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Types of Pollution

• Air Pollution
• Water Pollution
• Soil Pollution

How to Reduce Pollution?

After learning the harmful effects of pollution, one must get on the task of preventing or reducing pollution as soon as possible. To reduce air pollution, people should take public transport or carpool to reduce vehicular smoke. While it may be hard, avoiding firecrackers at festivals and celebrations can also cut down on air and noise pollution. Above all, we must adopt the habit of recycling. All the used plastic ends up in the oceans and land, which pollutes them.

So, remember to not dispose of them off after use, rather reuse them as long as you can. We must also encourage everyone to plant more trees which will absorb the harmful gases and make the air cleaner. When talking on a bigger level, the government must limit the usage of fertilizers to maintain the soil’s fertility. In addition, industries must be banned from dumping their waste into oceans and rivers, causing water pollution.

To sum it up, all types of pollution is hazardous and comes with grave consequences. Everyone must take a step towards change ranging from individuals to the industries. As tackling this problem calls for a joint effort, so we must join hands now. Moreover, the innocent lives of animals are being lost because of such human activities. So, all of us must take a stand and become a voice for the unheard in order to make this earth pollution-free.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

FAQs on Pollution

Q.1 What are the effects of pollution?

A.1 Pollution essentially affects the quality of human life. It degrades almost everything from the water we drink to the air we breathe. It damages the natural resources needed for a healthy life.

Q.2 How can one reduce pollution?

A.2 We must take individual steps to reduce pollution. People should decompose their waster mindfully, they should plant more trees. Further, one must always recycle what they can and make the earth greener.

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Xi Story: A good planner with vision and action

An aerial panoramic drone photo taken on Jan. 24, 2024 shows Yundang Lake and its surroundings in Xiamen, east China's Fujian Province. (Xinhua/Jiang Kehong)

BEIJING, July 9 (Xinhua) -- In 1986, the Xiamen Daily newspaper in east China's Fujian Province launched an essay contest, inviting readers to express their expectations about what the coastal city of Xiamen would be like in 2000.

The contest served as a platform to solicit public opinions for formulating the city's economic and social development plan from 1985 to 2000, a far-reaching undertaking led by Xi Jinping, then vice mayor of Xiamen. Later, ideas from more than 10 essays participating in the contest were adopted.

"At that time, Xiamen urgently needed a development plan as a decision-making guide to achieve faster and better development," said Li Xiuji, then deputy secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Xiamen Municipal Committee.

It took one and a half years to complete a document of over 200,000 words, which turned out to be the first 15-year economic and social development strategy adopted by a local government in the country.

"Other places only drew up five-year plans at that time, but Xi did a 15-year plan and invited well-known experts to participate in the drafting. His foresightedness impressed us a lot," said Peng Yiwan, a member of the drafting group.

Many ideas and measures in the plan were pioneering and forward-looking in retrospect. For instance, it stressed preventing pollution and maintaining ecological balance while developing the economy, unusual at that time as the country's economy was just beginning to take off.

The plan has injected strong impetus into the sustainable development of Xiamen. From 1985 to 2023, the city's gross domestic product achieved an average annual growth rate of 14.1 percent, surpassing the growth rates at the national and provincial levels. Meanwhile, ecological environment remarkably improved, as the city led the country in water and air quality.

Xi's forethought continued to make a difference as he worked as governor of Fujian Province in the early 2000s. He led the formulation of an overall plan for building Fujian into an eco-friendly province by 2020. To ensure the plan is well-crafted, he demanded local authorities spend a whole year on conducting extensive research.

"In my experience, no governor would work in the same province for as long as 20 years. Xi's planning was for the future of the province and its people, rather than any short-term achievements to make himself look good during his tenure," said Li Zaiming, then chief of Fujian's environmental protection authority.

Whether working at the local or central levels, Xi has always given great weight to planning in advancing the reform and opening up, which he deems as an arduous and complex task that demands thinking in the long run and prudent decision making.

"History has taught us that the development of a place, without long-term planning, often leads to serious mistakes and even permanent regrets," Xi once said.

Xi, now Chinese president, also general secretary of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, carried on the long-term perspectives after becoming the country's top leader.

From national development plans and key reforms to international cooperation initiatives, he has stressed thorough research and meticulous planning in various undertakings, as well as relentless efforts in fulfilling the plans.

In 2020, Xi led the drafting group for proposals for formulating the 14th five-year (2021-2025) plan for national economic and social development and long-range objectives through 2035.

He presided over seven symposiums within three months to seek suggestions from representatives from all walks of life. He made field trips to enterprises and rural households to get firsthand information, sat down with rural migrant workers and couriers to heed their suggestions, and instructed authorities to solicit public opinions online.

Aspiring to lead China toward a more prosperous future, Xi has always kept the blueprint of reform and development in mind. The key to making a blueprint come true, as he points out, lies in successful implementation.

"As long as the blueprint is scientific, practical and in line with the aspirations of the people, we will continue to work on it until turning it into reality," Xi once said.

Emphasizing planning and playing the long game is one of China's institutional advantages. This stands in stark contrast to the Western system, often characterized by frequent changes of governing political parties, difficulties in continuing policies, and challenges in implementing long-term plans, according to Zhang Weiwei, director of the China Institute of Fudan University.

The construction of the Xiong'an New Area is another telling example of Xi's emphasis on planning and steady implementation in advancing reforms. The area aims to relieve Beijing of non-essential functions related to its status as the nation's capital while promoting the coordinated development of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.

Xi exhorted authorities to work out a high-level and scrupulous development plan before the construction began. "Construction should begin only after careful planning has been made for every inch of land," Xi said.

Noting that the worth of any plan lies in its implementation, Xi stressed that laws and regulations must be in place to ensure that the new city's development plan is implemented thoroughly.

Now Xiong'an has transitioned from concept to concrete reality, emerging as a cradle of new industries and innovation.

Ahead of the third plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, which will be held in Beijing from July 15 to 18 to primarily study issues concerning further comprehensively deepening reform and advancing Chinese modernization, Xi again highlighted the significance of planning and implementation for reforms.

"Reform hinges not only on planning but also on implementation of measures," Xi said at a symposium attended by representatives from businesses and academia in Jinan, Shandong Province, in May. 

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