Land Use and Soil Pollution

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Land Use and Soil Pollution. Morgan Fagan . Agriculture. Industrialized Uses machines Chemical Fertilizers Chemical Pesticides Focus on maximum yield Use of GMOs http:// education-portal.com/academy/lesson/what-is-genetic-engineering-definition-benefits-issues.html#lesson - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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Land Use and Soil PollutionMorgan Fagan

AgricultureIndustrialized

Uses machines Chemical FertilizersChemical PesticidesFocus on maximum yield

Use of GMOs http://

education-portal.com/academy/lesson/what-is-genetic-engineering-definition-benefits-issues.html#lesson

Monoculture Plantations

AgricultureSustenance

Increased biodiversityNo pesticidesNo chemical additivesNatural fertilizersIntegrated Pest Management

Beneficial insects Mums Crop Rotation

AgricultureTypes

Alley cropping Agroforestry Organic Farming

ForestryEcological Services

Providing wildlife habitatsCarbon sinksAffecting local climate patternsPurifying air and waterReducing soil erosion as they serve as a

watershed, absorbing and releasing controlled amounts of water

Providing energy and nutrient cycling

ForestryTypes

Old growth forestPlantations

Human impactConverting forests for commercial useHabitat fragmentation

ForestryHarvesting Trees

Clear cuttingShelterwood Even aged cuttingUneven aged cuttingSelective cutting

ForestryForests cover about 1/3 of all land surface

world wide80% of all forest are closed canopies20% are open canopy70% of forests are located in North America,

the Russian Federation, and South AmericaThe U.S is the largest area of timbering

(employs 150,000 people and represents a $7 billion per year industry!)

Teddy Roosevelt established the forest services in 1905

Urban Sprawl The movement of people from

rural areas to urban areasReasons for Urbanization

Access to jobsHigher standards of livingEasier access to health careMechanization of agricultureAccess to education

Urban SprawlPros

Uses less landBetter sanitation systemsHigh tax revenuesDecrease reliance on

fossil fuels

Urban SprawlCons

Concentrated source of pollutantsMore waste Increased crime ratesHigher strain on social services

Impacts on SoilErosion

Increased erosion leads to loss of top soil, nutrients, and heavy, toxic elements

Prevented in farming by no till or low till Covered soil does not erode as quicklySediment pollution

Impacts on SoilTree Removal

Increases runoffDecreases ground waterIncreases erosion

Impacts on SoilUrbanized land

Loss of habitatsDecreased amount of ground waterThermal pollutionChemicals from transportation

Impacts on SoilDesertification

Due to overgrazing and over farming usable, fertile land it converted into dry, barren soil

Superfund Sites Sites that contain uncontrolled and/or

abandoned land where hazardous waste is located

State and Local governments are left to clean up the mess