Title: Causes, Effects and Solutions for Agricultural Pollution - E&C
Headings: Agricultural Pollution: Causes, Effects & Solutions
Causes, Effects and Solutions for Agricultural Pollution
Agricultural Pollution: Causes, Effects & Solutions
Audio Lesson
Contents
Causes for Agricultural Pollution
Excessive use of pesticides and herbicides
Use of large amounts of fertilizer
Contaminated water
Heavy metals
Soil erosion
Animal management
Manure management
Introduced species
Genetically modified organisms
Land management
Greenhouse gases from fecal waste
Effects of Agricultural Pollution
Effects on human health
Eutrophication
Decrease in crop yields
Soil pollution
Air pollution
Destruction of biodiversity
Water pollution
Effects on animals
Effects on plants
Effects on aquatic life
Solutions to the Agricultural Pollution Problem
Reduce the use of fertilizer and pesticides
Avoid soil erosion by planting all over the year
Plant trees or grasses along the edges of fields
Adjust the intensity of the tillage of a field
Improve manure management
Change our consumption behavior
Prevent excess nutrients from reaching the water
Raise the awareness of farmers on the topic of agricultural pollution
Education
Convince others
Conclusion
Sources
About the author

Content: Many machines used for agricultural purposes emit harmful greenhouse gases like CO2 which in turn can lead to global warming. Moreover, farm animals emit large amounts of methane which is considered one of the most harmful greenhouse gases. Destruction of biodiversity
The use of pesticides in agriculture can kill many insects and other small animals which in turn can lead to a reduction in biodiversity. An ecosystem is a quite sensitive organism. Only small changes in the natural ecosystem can cause big effects. For example, if some insects vanish from the ecosystem, plants will be adversely affected since these insects had been responsible for the fertilization of crops. In turn, animals who rely on these plants as a food source are also affected since their food sources had been reduced. Thus, agricultural pollution can also lead to a loss of biodiversity. Water pollution
Water pollution is another big problem which is caused by agricultural pollution. Through the excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides, many harmful substances will reach our lakes, rivers and eventually also the groundwater.