Soil erosion impacts the agricultural industry as well as the natural environment. When the topsoil is eroded from an area, that area loses its most nutrient-rich layer, and therefore soil quality is reduced. Poor soil quality means smaller crop yields and may even wash away seeds and small plants.

Impacts of erosion

• reduced ability of the soil to store water and nutrients.
• exposure of subsoil, which often has poor physical and chemical properties.
• higher rates of runoff, shedding water and nutrients otherwise used for crop growth.
• loss of newly planted crops.
• deposits of silt in low-lying areas.

Erosion increases the amount of dust carried by wind, which not only acts as an abrasive and air pollutant but also carries about 20 human infectious disease organisms, including anthrax and tuberculosis.

Soil loss due to water runoff could increase greatly around the world over the next 50 years due to climate change and intensive land cultivation. In addition, in some parts of the world climate change is expected to further increase the amount of precipitation that will erode the soil.

Explanation: Removal of soil by erosion diminishes the available food or other plant growth environment. Soil erosion not only depletes vegetation cover, but it allows for more destructive water flows during rains or snow melts. Flooding is destructive to more habitats, including human ones.

• Reduce Tillage. Reducing tillage allows crops to remain in the soil rather than being plowed at the end of a season.
• Contour Farming.
• Cover Crops.
• Windbreaks.

Following steps are taken to control the soil erosion in hilly areas: (i) Contour ploughing: this refers to ploughing along contour lines. (ii) Terrace farming: construction of steps along the hilly areas by cutting the rock layers to reduce the flow of rivers. (iii) Plugging of gullies to prevent gully erosion.

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 ( …

Environmental remediation consists of removing pollution from the soil, groundwater or surface water. Bioremediation (microbes) and phytoremediation (plants) can be used to convert the pollutants into harmless products. These are natural solutions that need to be supported by in-depth actions.

Effects of Soil Pollution on Human Health Living, working, or playing in contaminated soil can lead to respiratory diseases, skin diseases, and other health problems. Diseases caused by soil pollution include Irritation of the skin and the eyes, Headaches, nausea, vomiting, Coughing, pain in the chest, and wheezing.