Soil Conservation Matrix

Soil Conservation Matrix

Review the three major types of soil degradation occurring in the environment. Briefly explain how each type of damage occurs.

Causes Consequences Solutions

Soil Erosion Ð'* Water, wind, and people.

(Miller,2005 p.279) ●Soil erosion has two major harmful effects. One is

loss of soil fertility through depletion of plant nutrients

in topsoil. The other harmful effect occurs when eroded soil ends up as sediment in nearby surface waters,

where it can pollute water, kill fish and shellfish,

and clog irrigation ditches, boat channels, reservoirs,

and lakes. (Miller,2005 p.279) ●Polyvarietal

cultivation, intercropping, terracing,

agroforestry and

Polyculture. Contour planting and strip cropping, windbreaks, and Alley cropping.

(Miller,2005 p.278,284-285)

Desertification ●A combination

of natural climate change that causes prolonged

drought and human activities that reduce or degrade topsoil. (Miller,2005 p.281)

●Worsening drought

Famine

Economic losses

Lower living

standards

Environmental

refugees

(Miller,2005 p.283)

●We can also restore land suffering from desertification

by planting trees and grasses that anchor

soil and hold water. (Miller,2005 p.282)

Salinization ●Repeated annual applications of irrigation water

lead to the gradual accumulation of salts in the upper

soil layers.

(Miller,2005 p.283)

●It stunts crop growth, lowers crop yields, and eventually kills plants and ruins the land.

(Miller,2005 p.283)

●Reduce irrigation

Switch to salttolerant

Crops.

(such as barley,

cotton, sugar