Environmental effects of agriculture

10.Engineering and Environmental Geology

The agriculture id the oldest activity in the history of mankind. It meant the beginning of the transforlation the original, natural environment.

During the last centuries agriculture went through a very rapid, intensive change. As the result of the development of implements and technologies people managed to enlarge the cultivated areas. The gradual formation of monocultural farming induced irreversibile changes regarding the quality of the soil and the ground water.

1. Environmental effects of modern agriculture1) Conventional agriculture. Reduction and, especially, elimination of agrochemical require major changes in management to assure adequate plant nutrients and to control crop pests.

Processes of conventional agriculture (KERÉNYI 2003)

2) Modern agriculture. The specialization of production units has led to the image that agriculture is a modern miracle of food production.

Processes of modern agriculture (KERÉNYI 2003)

Organic fertilizer

Syntetic fertilizer (www.balkonkertesz.hu)

2. Effects of agriculture to soil (groundwater)

Water erosion Wind erosion1. Surface erosion2. Rill erosion3. Stream channel erosion

2.1. Soil degradation

Rill erosion (www.enfo.agt.bme.hu) Traces of wind erosion (www.enfo.agt.bme.hu)

2. Secondary salinization

Secondary salinization at the Great Hungarian Plate (forrás: www.szikesviz.hu)

3. Effects of agriculture to the ecosystem of soil

1. Land transformation and degradation

Szántással javított talajszerkezet (www.static.fotoalbum.hu)

2. Eutrophication

Eutrophization of a dead channel of the Danube (www.rdhsz.hu)

3. Irrigation

Motorized irrigation (www.idokep.hu)

4. PesticidesPesticides are organic and inorganic chemicals originally invented and first used effectively to better the human environment by controlling undesirable life forms such as bacteria, pests, and foraging insects. Their effectiveness, however, has caused considerable pollution.

5. Herbicides and insecticides

Herbicides are used to kill weeds, especially on pavements and railways. They are similar to auxins and most are biodegrale by soil bacteria.

6. Monocultures

Monocultural agriculture (www.think.transindex.ro)

Crop rotation (www.petrs.network.hu)

Thank you for your attention!