Earth Science - Soil Resources

Soil

Is the living, uppermost layer of the Earth’s crust that supports plant life

Soil Resources

Fundamental to life on Earth, but human pressures on ____________ are reaching critical limit

• Agricultural Depletion

• Overgrazing Animals

• Deforestation

• Mining Operations

• Developmental and Expansion

• Recreational Activities

Human Activities that Affect (Soil)

Agricultural Depletion

Farming can degrade the topsoil and lead to an increase in erosion

Grazing Animals

Are animals that live on large areas of grassland

Deforestation

Is another practice that can greatly increase the rate of erosion in a region (trees)

Developmental and Expansion

can also worsen erosion, especially if the developers ignore the natural state of the land

1. Forest Protection

2. Buffer Strips

3. No Tillage Farming

4. Fewer Concrete Surfaces

5. Plant Windbreak Areas

6. Terrace Planting

7. Planting Trees

8. Crop Rotation

9. Water the Soil

10. Maintain PH

Ways to conserve Soil Resources: (10)

Buffer strips

Come in handy for conservation efforts. They provide protection where stream banks exist, they can be created with grass, tress and shrubs

No Tillage Farming

Is an approach that allows crops to remain in place for a season. it simply done by planting the seeds through the remains of previous crops

Terrace planting

this type of planting is done by maximizing the topography of the land. It benefits from the way the rain water flows naturally

Crop rotation

Is a process that works to conserve soil. It is accomplished by planting and growing different crops in succession on the same soil