Soil conservation is a set of management strategies for prevention of soil being eroded from the earths surface or becoming chemically altered by overuse, acidification, salinization or other chemical soil contamination. Methods and materials in soil conservation a manual written and illustrated by john charman consultant to fao under the supervision of rod gallacher, technical officer soil conservation agll, fao. Principles of soil conservation and management springerlink. Some methods, say a system of open ditches, have to be provided for removing surface water. Additionally, these can be used with structural and agronomic measures. Slashandburn and other unsustainable methods of subsistence farming are practiced in some lesser developed areas. The increased biological activity of these soil microbes is an indicator of a healthy soil sciarappa et al, 2015.
Soil conservation and water conservation are achieved simultaneously and go handinhand. Soil conservation is the prevention of soil loss from erosion or reduced fertility caused by over usage, acidification, salinization or other chemical soil contamination. Several types of biological soil and water conservation measures exist see figure. Soil conservation refers not only to mechanical protection measures but includes all aspects of. Remigios is a doctoral student at the university of fort hare abstract. Erosion, the most severe process of soil degradation, is apparent in many areas of the world and can be aggravated severely by inappropriate soil management. Iv soil conservation david sanders encyclopedia of life support systems eolss symptom of bad land use and management. In order to keep the land productive, a good conservation program is imperative. In the case of water erosion, mechanical soilconservation measures include a wide variety. Soil conservation is fundamentally a matter of determining a correct form of land use and. Soil erosion has been continuing over, such a large part of india. Soil can be drained away or contaminated, destroying it for use. Soil survey laboratory methods manual soil survey laboratory investigations report no. Indigenous soil and water conservation in africa introduction many parts of africa are experiencing annual population growth rates between 2 and 4 %, degradation of the natural resource base, recurrent droughts and a growing dependence on food aid as well as the import of cereals to cover food deficits.
The next pages will give you a short overview of the three types of soil and water conservation. For effective conservation of soil and water, we must treat and use the. Conservation techniques conserve water within the biomass and the soil by reducing runoff and keeping the water where it falls, as much as possible. Soil conservation is the practice of protecting the soil against erosion or deterioration. Soil conservation practices such as cover crops and reduced tillage can favorably improve soil health by increasing the number of soil organisms that break down organic matter, and in the process, release plant nutrients. Soil conservation and management in developing countries.
What is soil conservation and methods of soil conservation. Some of the methods that must be adopted for conserving soil are as follows. The erosion of siwaliks has been studied by glover and hamilton 1935 and gorrie 1951 and various methods have been suggested for soil conservation. Land degradation soil degradation is the decline in soil quality caused by its improper use, usually for agricultural, pastoral, industrial or urban purposes. Soil and water conservation society, 1988, ankeny, ia, u. When the water stands on the surface, the problem of surface drainage takes place. Mechanical soil conservation techniques free download as powerpoint presentation. Unesco eolss sample chapters land use, land cover and soil sciences vol. It includes soil conservation, soil amendment, and optimal soil health. Land degradation, soil erosion and soil conservation pmf ias. Water harvesting techniques gather water from an area termed the catchment area and channel it to the cropping area or wherever it is required. This volume is suitable for both undergraduate and graduate students interested in understanding the principles of soil conservation and management. Wikipedia defines soil conservation as, soil conservation is the prevention of soil loss from erosion or reduced fertility caused by over usage, acidification, salinization or other chemical soil contamination. Thus, soil and water conservation practices are becoming increasingly important in the arid and semiarid.
This graphics can be used for both personal and small commercial use. Soil and water conservation 265 life on this planet, as the so il is an essential resource to suppor t plants for producing food, and to provide shelter to insects and animals. Corn growing in a notillage system plot as part of the longterm sustainable agriculture demonstration project at beltsville, maryland. Conservation practices sought farming methods that were.
Field book for describing and sampling soils standards for observing and recording soil and site characteristics. Soil degradation is a serious global environmental problem and may be exacerbated by climate change. Soil conservation contour plowing soil conservation and sustainable agriculture 5. However, the system of agriculture based on clean cultivated row crops made soil conservation a difficult proposition. What is soil conservation and what are various ways to.
Biological soil and water conservation measures learning. Indigenous knowledge systems and the conservation of natural resources in the shangwe community in gokwe district, zimbabwe renias ngara ngara renias is a master of arts in music student at the university of fort hare remigios v. The chief agents of soil erosion are water and wind. It encompasses physical soil erosion, chemical salinity and alkalinity, pollution and biological deterioration pollution and. The actual art of soil conservation is based on certain basic principles which include. This material is provisionally made accessible in the present form in order to make the contents widely available in advance of eventual printing. Soil conservation practices are tools the farmer can use to prevent. The choice of zimbabwe as a case study is premised on the fact that. Soil conversation involves working to reduce contamination and depletion. Three methods of soil conservation include the prevention of soil erosion, reducing tillage and rotational grazing to prevent overgrazing. Crop rotation is a tool that enables farmers to increase soil organic matter content, soil structure and rooting depth. Soil conservation is the prevention of loss of the top most layer of the soil from erosion or prevention of reduced fertility caused by over usage, acidification, salinization or other chemical soil contamination. Many conservation practices represent mature technologies directed at stabilizing the soil by promoting the formation of larger and more cohesive aggregates, providing a protective barrier to. In addition to improving soil fertility, water harvesting, enhancing the soilwater retention capacity and reducing soil erosion are measures that could significantly improve agricultural productivity in rainfed marginal environments.
There are several techniques to conserve top soil and prevent it from being washed or blown away. More information about soil and water conservation measures are presented on the website of wocat world overview of conservation approaches and technologies. Pdf an erosion control and soil conservation method for agrarian. Soil conservation technical handbook ministry for the environment. Soil conservation practices are tools the farmer can use to prevent soil degradation and build organic matter. In agriculture, some amount of soil management is needed both in nonorganic and organic types to prevent agricultural land from becoming poorly productive over. Slashandburn and other unsustainable methods of subsistence farming are practiced in some. Hugh hammond bennett, a native of anson county, earned the title father of soil conservation through his efforts to awaken the country to the impact of soil erosion on food production and the economic health of rural communities. This act established catchment boards and enabled the appropriation of government and local body funds to assist with the construction of erosion control measures and. Soil conservation includes all those measures which help in protecting the soil from erosion and exhaustion. It is a huge issue in many parts of the world, and impacts communities in a range of countries. The problem of soil conservation is very complicated and is receiving attention of scientists and engineers.
Soil conservation an overview sciencedirect topics. Pdf we present a practical method to control erosion and soil conservation for agrarian activity. Soil erosion, use of chemical pesticides and herbicides, unsustainable agricultural practices, excessive farming, water pollution and land pollution are some of the aspects upsetting the natural functions of the soil. As these soil conservation methods provided no immediate benefit to farmers, construction and maintenance of such structures was seen as both an investment in. Solved examples with detailed answer description, explanation are given and it would be easy to understand. Soil and water conservation is the basis of such a program, and also helps improve land impoverished by erosion and overusemakes it more productive so that it can support more people.
Soil conservation refers to the prevention of fertile soil loss due to erosion and other environmental factors. Soil conservation is fundamentally a matter of determining a. Soil conservation measures should aim at preventing or at least minimising the soils loss. Thus, biological measures are an effective method of soil and water conservation, especially since they are low in cost. Soil management is the application of operations, practices, and treatments to protect soil and enhance its performance such as soil fertility or soil mechanics.
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