2. SOIL IS NOT A DIRT
•it is a resource. It is a main component of
land resources, agriculture, and ecological
sustainability. It also provides food and
foundation for shelter. Soil is important in
sustaining man’s existence and provides
humans with the following services:
3. 1. Arable land for
agriculture
•The word "arable" comes from the
Latin arabilis, which means “able to
be plowed" .Thu arable lands are
plowable lands which could be
used to grow crops. An important
component of arable lands is soil
that can sustain plant and animal
life. According to statistics from the
8. 4. Foundation and support
-Soilstructureprovidesabasefor
plantroots.Soilsalongthe
bedrockalsoprovidefoundation
andsupportforhumanshelter
andstructuressuchashousesand
roads.
11. Soil is a nonrenewable, finite
resource which is generally not
recoverable within a human
lifespan It is an important
natural resource which is often
overlooked. The increasing
demands of an ever- growing
population put pressure on the
world's soil resources due to
intensive agriculture and
fertilizer use, land conversions,
12. The Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United
Nations (UN FAO) define sail
degradation a change in the soil
health status, resulting in a
diminished capacity of the
ecosystem to provide goods and
services for its beneficiaries.
Degraded soils cannot provide
the goods and services required
by its ecosystem.
13. 1. Soilerosion causes the loss of
topsoil and nutrients in the
soil. It is indeed the most
visible effect of soil
degradation. Soil erosion is a
natural process but is often
made much worse by poor
management practices.
14. 2. Soil compaction reduces the
amount of air, water, and
space available to roots and
soil organisms. An example of
compaction is caused by
repeated traffic or traveling
on wet soil.
15. 3. Desertification is the irreversible change of
the land to such a state where it can no
longer be recovered for its original use.
It is characterized by droughts and arid
conditions as a result of human
activities and exploitation.
Desertification is a major threat to
world soils and currently affects about
one-sixth of the world's population and a
quarter of the world's land.
16. 4.Intensiveagriculturehas been increasing since the
1960s- an effort to feed the world population
more However, this intensification of
agriculture has led to the u of more and
heavier machinery, deforestation, and clearing
of land for cultivation. As a consequence, these
activities le to the loss of organic matter, soil
compaction, and damage to soil physical
properties. The over-application of nutrient
with fertilizers and pesticides led to
contaminated soil and water supplies, leading
to the further loss of soil fauna and flora
which are essential parts of a healthy soil.
17. 5. Urbanization or the increasing population has led to
the conversion of land to urban centers which are
generally characterized by concrete structures,
roads, and pavemen These concrete structures
represent a significant loss f soil, which is more or
less permanent as soil is sealed with concrete.
Such sealing hinders the soil's interaction with
the atmosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere
which affect nutrient cycling and other soil
services. According to the UN FAO, 33% of global
soil is moderately to highly degraded through
erosion, salinization, compaction acidification,
chemical pollution, and nutrient depletion which
hamper soil functions and limit food production.
18. According to the UN FAO, 33% of
global soil is moderately to highly
degraded through erosion,
salinization, compaction
acidification, chemical pollution, and
nutrient depletion which hamper soil
functions and limit food production.
19. • Fig.5-10. Compaction in soil reduces the rate
of water infiltration and drainage-two
components suitable for plant growth.
20. • Fig. 5-11. in an attempt to cope with the
growing population, agriculture have
become more machine-dependent.
21. • Fig. 5-13. Urbanization have reduced land
area and the overall quality of the nearby
soil.
22. Dr. Robert Pendleton
• The field of soil science was not well
developed in the Philippines until the
pioneering work of American soil
scientists, which included Dr. Robert
Pendleton, who is considered as the
"Father of Philippine Soil Science." He
began the classification of Philippine
soils while in the College of Agriculture
at Los Baños. Dr. Pendleton trained a
whole generation of competent Filipino
soil scientists, including Dr. Nicolas
Galvez.
24. 1. Plant trees and groundcover-
The vegetative cover acts as a
barrier against erosion by wind
and softens the impact of rain.
Roots stabilize the soil and, at the
same time, naturally and slowly
loosen the soil and draw
nutrients into the plants.
25. 2. Employ "no-dig" gardening
techniques- Digging can
loosen compacted soil, but it
can also disturb the structure
and leave it more vulnerable
to erosion from wind and
water.
26. 3. Avoid compacting soil - Do
not walk on soil that is
soaking wet. Create dedicated
paths in gardens and
wilderness areas and stick to
them.
27. 4. Follow the trail - When hiking
in natural areas, do not make
shortcuts that will destroy plant
life and enhance erosion. Create
suitable runoff channels and
drains to help prevent soil
erosion.
28. 5. Control rainwater runoff-
Create suitable runoff
channels and drains to help
prevent soil erosion.
30. The effects of human activities on
soil can be mitigated through
sustainable soil management, such
as increasing soil organic matter
content, keeping the soil surface
vegetated, avoiding excessive
tillage, using nutrients wisely,
promoting crop rotations, reducing
erosion, and preventing soil
compaction.
31. • 1. Increasing soil organic matter - The
addition of new organic matter is important
in improving and maintaining soil quality. It
also improves soil structure and enhances
water and nutrient-holding capacity.
• 2. Keeping the soil covered and vegetated-
Ground cover and vegetation protects the
soil. It also provides habitats for larger soil
organisms and can improve water
availability. The soil can be covered by
leaving crop residue on the surface or by
planting cover crops.
32. • 3. Avoiding excessive tillage-Tillage is done
to loosen surface soil and break up soil
structure. Reducing it minimizes the loss of
organic matter and protects the soil surface
from further erosion.
• 4. Managing pests and nutrient efficiently-
Efficient pest and nutrient management
requires regular testing and monitoring of
soil conditions and pests, along with the
application of only the necessary chemicals
at the right time and place.
33. • 5. Promoting crop rotation - Changing vegetation
across the landscape over time allows the soil to
recover, as different plants contribute in a unique
way to soil structure and composition. It also
increases the diversity of plants as well as other
organisms in the area.
• 6. Reducing erosion and preventing soil
compaction-Erosion can be prevented by keeping
the ground covered and vegetated, and by
channeling excess surface water runoff. Soil
compaction can be prevented by restricting
human activities to designated areas and
pathways.
