Soil and Agriculture: Land Degradation and Soil Conservation

1. Soil and Agriculture:Land Degradation and Soil Conservation By: Shaiza Ali, Simran Chotrani, Tyng Pan, Mansi Patel November 18, 2013 AP Environmental Science Ms. Yuhas

2. Desertificationreducesproductivity of arid lands • Dry lands – arid and semi-arid environments that cover about 40% of Earth’s land service • Desertification – a form of land degradation in which more than 10% of productivity is lost • Made worse by climate change Fertile Crescent region

3. Desertificationreducesproductivity of arid lands • Causes: erosion, soil compaction, forest removal, overgrazing, drought, salivation, climate change, water depletion • Effects: endangers food supply, dust storms

4. The DustBowlwas a monumental event in the United States. • The US, specifically the Great Plains, was once a land that supported prairie grasses that held soils in place. • Settlement in 19thand early 20thcenturies- area was turned into farmland. • Land was unsuitable to grow crops and graze cattle. • This contributed to soil erosion by removing native grasses and altering soil structure. Dust Bowl Region

5. The DustBowlwas a monumental event in the United States. • The most affected region in the Southern Great Plains become known as the Dust Bowl. • The area was subject to “black blizzards” – massive gusts of dust that clouded the air. • This, combined with drought, forced people off the land. Kansas dust storm, 1930s

6. The Soil Conservation Service pioneeredmeasures to addresssoildegradation. Soil Conservation Act of 1935, establishing the Soil Conservation Service (SCS). This new agency works to: • Assess the land’s resources, problems, and opportunities for conservation. • Prepare an integrated plan for each property • Work closely with land users • Implement conservation measures

7. The Soil Conservation Service pioneeredmeasures to addresssoildegradation. - Conservation districts: operatewithfederal direction, authorization, and funding, ut they are organized by the states. - 1994, SCS renamed to Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) • responsibilites expanded to include water quality protection and pollution control

8. Soil conservation efforts are thrivinginternationally. • The SCS and NRCS serve as models for the world. • For example, parts of South America, such as Argentina, have shifted to no-till farming. • This happened due to the efforts of local grassroots organizations and information provided by the government. No-till farming

9. Soil Conservation Efforts are Thriving Internationally • Other approaches to soil conservation include: • Crop rotation • Contour farming • Strip cropping • Terracing • Grazing management • Reforestation • Wildlife management Contour Farming

10. Case Study: MeasuringErosionwith Pins and … NuclearFallout? • Late Jerry Ritchie, had adopted low and high tech methods by using simple measuring pins and turning them into radiation detectors. • In order to see if these “erosion” pins would work, they were used to measure erosion around hedges near gullies in Maryland. • Using these pins over wide areas gave an average reading of overall erosion rate.

11. Case Study: MeasuringErosionwith Pins and … NuclearFallout? • The pins used in Maryland, using these technique, they found that 1-2 cm soil accumulating upslope from the hedges • In order to get evidence of erosion on a wider scale, scientist have considered measuring nuclear fallout. • Fallouts include cesium-137, a radioactive isotope of the cesium element. • Radioactive test helped Ritchie determine that hedges can only offer partial help against erosion.

12. CurrentEvents-Healthy soil: the basis for a strong economy and wholesome environment • Soil not only holds environmental and agricultural importance; it is vital to ensuring the growth of a healthy economy. • This is why an EU-funded project aims to show how successful regenerative agricultural practices for preventing soil degradation can make a significant difference. • Soil offers us many services, including acting as a filter and buffer to contaminants, allowing us to have clean drinking water. It also acts as a pool of biodiversity, and as a sink for atmospheric carbon dioxide.

13. CurrentEvents-Healthy soil: the basis for a strong economy and wholesome environment • However, soil has been subject to urbanization, mal-farming, pollution, and climate change, leading to its degradation. • This is why the LIFE REGEN FARMING project was launched in July 2013: in an attempt to discover and develop regenerative practices for soil conservation. • These practices include the use of crops with minimum tillage, perennial crops, organic fertilizers, direct seeding and rotational grazing.

14. CurrentEvents-Healthy soil: the basis for a strong economy and wholesome environment • The project has been awarded 700,000 euros to fund its research. • The project has started its research in the meadows of rural Spain and hopes to complete all its testing in multiple areas by June 2016.

15. Bibliography • Google Images • Withgott, J., & Brennan, S. (2011). Essential environment: the science behind the stories (4th ed.). San Francisco: Pearson. • Tecnalia, N. (2013, October 29). European Commission : CORDIS : Newsroom. European Commission : CORDIS : Newsroom. Retrieved November 18, 2013, from http://www.cordis.europa.eu/fetch?CALLE R=EN_NEWS&ACTION=D&RCN=36199