Question

What is meant by soil conversation? List out its methods.

Answer 1

Hint:
 The presence of toxic chemicals that causes contamination of soil and degrades the soil quality is called soil pollution. Soil conversation is aimed to check soil pollution. Mainly this pollution is caused by the dumping of solid waste on the earth over a long period of time.

Complete answer:
The process of protecting the layers of soil especially the top layer from degradation, destruction, pollution and exhaustion are known is soil conservation. The methods used in this process is known as the methods of soil conservation.

Some general methods normally adopted for soil conservation are:
- Afforestation
- Checking Overgrazing
- Constructing Dams
- Changing Agricultural Practices – Some agricultural practices useful in soil conservation are - Contour Ploughing, Terracing and Contour Bunding, Checking Shifting Cultivation, Ploughing the Land in Right Direction, Crop Rotation, Use of Early Maturing Varieties, Contour Ploughing, Strip Cropping, Terracing and Contour Bunding, Checking Shifting Cultivation, Ploughing the Land in Right Direction and Use of Early Maturing Varieties.

Additional information:
Loss of soil fertility and loss of soil has several causes, including over-use, erosion, salinization, and chemical contamination.
The slash and burn clearing methods and unsustainable subsistence farming used in some less developed regions can often cause deforestation, loss of soil nutrients, erosion on a massive scale, and sometimes even complete desertification.
Soil erosion erodes the topsoil that is important for organic matter, nutrients, microorganisms that are required for plants to grow and shine.
Soil conservation is a very important step that protects the soil from being washed away. The soil then reaches aquatic resources bringing in pesticides and fertilizers used on agricultural land.

Note:
In India, soil erosion has been continuing over for such a long time that it has assumed alarming parameters. By bringing about certain changes in our agriculture practices, lifestyles and attitudes, we can save a lot of our valuable soil.