Title: Land Degradation: 9 Main Causes of Land Degradation
Headings: Land Degradation: 9 Main Causes of Land Degradation
Land Degradation: 9 Main Causes of Land Degradation
Nine Main Causes of Land Degradation are as follows:
1. Deforestation:
2. Excessive Use of Fertilizers and Pesticides:
These are:
3. Overgrazing:
4. Salination:
The origin of saline soil depends on the following factors:
1. Quality of Irrigation Water:
2. Excess Use of Fertilizers:
3. Capillary Action:
4. Poor Drainage of Soil:
5. Salts Blown by Wind:
5. Water-logging:
6. Desertification:
The major causes of desertification are mismanagement of forests, overgrazing, mining and quarrying. Dr. H. Dregne has listed desertification processes as follows:
7. Soil erosion:
(i) Wind Erosion:
(ii) Water Erosion:
8. Wasteland:
Wastelands are of two types:
9. Landslides:
They are:
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Content: ADVERTISEMENTS: The word pesticides includes any form of chemical used for the control of unwanted herbaceous plants (herbicides), woody plants (arboncides), insects (insecticides) or any chemical that has biocidal activity affecting rodents, arachnids or any other population. After Second World War the use of pesticides increased tremendously. Although their success in controlling pests on a short-­term basis cannot be denied, but their long-term effectiveness in controlling pests or their overall effects on ecosystems (including human health) and environment has to be seriously questioned on two major grounds. These are: (a) Increasing concentration of pesticides residues as they move up the food chain; and
ADVERTISEMENTS: (b) Rapid evolution of new breeds of pests that are immune to the pesticides applied. Moreover, excessive use of these pesticides, results in an increase in the level of resistance by certain pests and it may kill some useful species like earthworm which are very helpful in maintaining soil fertility. Thus, the use of pesticides leads to decline in the fertility status of soil.