Soil degradation is one of the most serious and most widespread environmental problems on a global scale. Virtually all the world’s soils have suffered transformations due to anthropic or man action, which has decreased their quality and ability to provide services, both to us and ecosystems.
If you worry and want to know better What is soil degradation Do not miss this ecology article in which we give you the definition, the causes, the consequences and how we can avoid it.
What is soil degradation and types
The soil degradation It is a phenomenon by which the floor of a certain place loses some of its most important properties, which translates into a decrease in its ability to provide ecosystem services and other services.
Before getting in depth in this process, it is advisable to review What is the ground. The soil is the first layer that we find on the earth’s surface. It is divided into layers called horizons, being the first one a rich layer in organic matter, the second a layer characterized by leachates fall, and a third in transition to the mother rock. Soils are dynamic structures that are in constant formation and degradation.
Although it is an extremely thin layer in geological terms, the soil is of great importance for life, since it is where a large part of the plant species are settled, the majority of organic matter conversion processes are given in inorganic and live a multitude of animal species, fungi and bacteria. In addition, soils are essential for agriculture or livestock.
Once the tremendous Soil importancewe can get an idea of the problems that your degradation can generate. In addition, we recommend this other Ecology Verde to know the different types of soil and their main characteristics.
Types of soil degradation
There are several types of soil degradation, although here we will see the most common:
- Erosion: Soil erosion always occurs naturally, due to different factors such as water or wind. We talk about an erosion problem when it is more intense than usual. In this case, the upper soil layer, the most important for life, looks very diminished or disappears completely. Learn more about what is the erosion of soils, their causes and consequences here.
- Salinization: It occurs especially in coastal areas. It occurs when the underground sweet waters near the sea are overexploited. When this current disappears, the sea perhaps towards the ground, bathing it with salt water.
- Pollution: In pollution we introduce some external element to the ecosystem that is also detrimental to ecological balance. Not only can it be produced by solid waste or contaminated waters, but also by rains that drag harmful elements. Discover more about soil pollution in this other article.
- Droughts: especially important under the optics of climate change. The soils need a certain proportion of water to continue to house life. When droughts are produced a large part of the species that live there. Find out more about what drought, its causes and consequences in this other post is.
The extreme soil degradation process is known as “desertification.” In this case, a fertile land becomes a desert of life.
Causes of soil degradation
The Causes of soil degradation They are varied, but we can know the most important:
WASTE AND VERTED MANAGEMENT
When there is a poor waste management and discharges (or even directly illegal), these components end up in the soils, giving rise to pollution. The spills are especially harmful, since being liquids they spread rapidly and in large areas of land. Waste such as heavy metals (such as lead) are very difficult to eliminate.
They can also aggravate other problems. For example, glass fragments in arid climates (especially in areas with herbaceous plants that dry in summer) increase fire risk.
Logging, extensive agriculture and overpass
Tala, extensive agriculture (directly related to felling in many cases) and overparation contributes to the elimination of vegetation cover, whose roots prevent soil erosion. It can affect large extensions. The monoculture without rotation degrades the soil by exhaustion of any of the nutrients. They are aggravated with forest fires.
Fires and overexploitation of water resources
In those areas where vegetation is not xerophilic or pyrophila, the lack of water causes the death of the species that give rise to the surface horizon of the soil, impoverishing it. They also contribute to erosion.
Territory management
The management of the territory can become very harmful, which will depend largely on the specific characteristics of the territory. For example, large dams avoid the distribution of alms and clays with high organic content in areas adjacent to the river and modify the water profile of the territory.
Consequences of soil degradation
As we have seen, the soil degradation It has a multitude of causes that determine several problems. However, the consequences are in many cases common and relate to each other.
The main one is the loss of the ability to support life (biological degradation). Once it has occurred Soil lossit is very difficult for them to support the species that inhabited there. Likewise, it can generate millionaire losses in agriculture (paradoxically, this factor is cause and consequence of degradation).
The exact consequences will depend on the particular characteristics of the territory, the degree of degradation and if techniques such as bioremediation are applied.
How to avoid soil degradation
Avoid soil degradation It goes on adopting effective solutions to minimize fires, the impact of agriculture, livestock and civil works and properly manage waste.
As citizenship, we can take care of our soils demanding environmental policies appropriate to our authorities, being aware of our consumption and improving our own waste management (avoid discharges and other waste).
If you want to read more articles similar to What is soil degradationwe recommend that you enter our category of other environment.
