Land or Soil Resources

What is soil?

Top soil the upper soil layer

Top most layer of earth crust consisting of organic and inorganic matters is called soil. Soil is a renewable resource. Soil is a living system. It is the medium of plant growth and supports different types of living organisms on the earth.

Subsoil weathered rocks sand and silt clay

Substratum weathered parent rock material

Unweathered parent bed rock

USES OF LAND Land : Lithosphere Supports plants and animal growth Provides food and minerals. Agriculture is done on land Forest , mountains , grasslands and rivers are on land Construction of buildings and Industries

Land Degradation
Decrease in the quality of the land or decrease in fertility of the soil.
Causes: Population Increase Urbanization Chemical fertilizers and Pesticides

Effects: Loss of soil nutrients Loss of Biodiversity Decrease in crop porduction

Factors of Soil formations

A. Climate, B. Vegetation and other forms of life and C. Time are important factors in the formation of soil. D. Change in temperature, E. Actions of running water, wind and glaciers, F. Activities of decomposers etc. G. Chemical and organic changes.

Soil Formation Facts

To form 2.5 centimeters (1 inch) of topsoil, may require between 200 and 1000 years. The thickness of the soil varies from a thin film on very young lands, near the poles and on the tops of mountains,

Soil Erosion and Soil Conservation

What is soil erosion?

The removal of the top layer of the soil from its original place by water,wind and glaciers

There are two causes of Soil erosion

A. Natural Factors. (Normal erosion) B. Human Factors. (Accelerated erosion)

Soil erosion by running water

Soil erosion by wind

NATURAL FACTORS

Heavy Wind
Water : Heavy rain Land slides

Match the given photos with appropriate factor

Human factor in soil erosion

a. Deforestation,
b. Over-grazing, c. Construction activities,

d. Mining activities. e. Defective methods of farming such as ploughing in a wrong way i.e. up and down the slope.

Rills and gully erosion

Types of soil erosion

1) Gullies: The running water cuts through the clayey soils and makes deep channels as gullies.

Badlands
2) Badlands: The land becomes unfit for cultivation and is known as bad land.

Types of soil erosion

3) Sheet Erosion: Sometimes water flows as a sheet over large areas down a slope. In such cases the top soil is washed away. This is known as sheet erosion.

4) Wind erosion: Wind blows loose soil off flat or sloping land known as wind erosion.

Methods of Soil conservation

i. Contour Ploughing: Planting crops in rows across the sloped land

ii. Terrace Farming: Steps can be cut out on the slopes making terraces. Terrace cultivation restricts erosion. Western and central Himalayas have well developed terrace farming.

Carefully observe the difference between the two.

Methods of Soil conservation

iii. Alley Cropping: Large fields can be divided into strips. Strips of grass are left to grow between the crops. Shrubs still remain on the soil after harvesting.
iv. Wind breaks: Trees are planted in long rows along the boundary of cultivated land. Trees block the wind and prevent soil erosion

Observe the trees in the background. Why are they planted there?

Desertification
Progressive destruction or degradation of land. Croplands are converted in to desert Reduction in agricultural productivity
Causes: Deforestation Overgrazing Overuse of ground water Mining Climate change : Less rainfall and drought Excessive use of fertilizers Effects: Destruction of crop lands Loss of biodiversity Loss of soil nutrients

Land Slides
Downward and Outward movement of slope.
Man- Induced Land slides Causes Construction of roads in hill or mountains Mining and decrease of ground water level

Effects: Decrease of communication links : cables, wires Loss of buildings Loss of life