SOIL DEGREDATION

Soil degradation has two major components: the loss of soil through erosion and the loss of soil
fertility. Both components lead to progressively lower crop yields, increased loss of production
and may end up in land abandonment and desertification.
Soil degradation can either be as a result of natural hazards or due to unsuitable land use and
inappropriate land management practices.
Soil degradation is the loss of actual or potential productivity as a result of natural and
anthropogenic factors which reduce the productivity of soil and its beneficial effects on the
environment.
Components, processes and symptoms of soil degradation
Soil Degradation
Components

Chemical

Physical

Biological

Processes

Leaching

Compaction

Organic matter oxidation

volatilization

erosion

Biodiversity loss

Specific Symptoms

Acidification, low nutrients Crusting, ponding, poor Less

faunal

level, pollution, salinization, water retention, loss of delayed

alkalization
General

top soil

activity,

decomposition,

structural weakening

Low or declining yields, poor response to inputs

Symptoms

Major process causing soil degradation can be defined as follows:

Plants cover degradation and deforestation
Removal of natural vegetation, growing different types of plants at a klower density than would
be found under natural condition and introducing more animals create conditions which are
likely to lead to soil degradation.
Soil erosion

Removal of top soil by various agents (rain, wind) results to reduced soil moisture thus creating
drought prone conditions
Soil crusting, sealing and compaction
Soil crusting and compaction tends to increase run off, decrease infiltration of water into the soil,
prevent/inhibit plant growth and leave the surface bare and subjected to other forms of
degradation.
Reduction of soil organic matter
In warm climates, oxidation of the organic matter is rapid and most of the soils are relatively low
in organic matter. Under such conditions the fertility of the soil declines. Organic matter is
important because it feeds the soil with micro organisms that assists in decomposition to release
nitrogen.
Excessive Toxic Substances
These are released from municipal/ industrial wastes, oil spills, and excessive use of fertilizers,
herbicides or pesticides
Removal of nutrients from the soil
This reduces the capacity of the soil to support plant growth and can also cause acidification

Impacts of soil degradation on production

1. Decline soil fertility and crop yields
2. To overcome reduction in yields farmers will increase inputs including seeds, fertilizers
etc
3. Reduced response to inputs e.g in salt affected soils the response to fertilizer application
is poor
4. Reduced possibility of alternative land use e.g in salt affected areas farmers are forced to
cultivate only salt tolerant crops
5. Irrigation systems may fail
6. Siltation of reservoirs due to water erosion can reduce the available water for iirigation

Socio-economic Impacts of soil degradation

1. Abandonment of land where severe degradation occurred leads to increased number of
landless farmers
2. Reduction in food production, food supply, low food security leads to famine
3. Increased labor requirement for example in cases of deforestation farmers are forced to
walk for long distances in search of fuel
4. Low income to the poor small scale farmers

SOIL EROSION
The word erosion is derived from the Latin word erosio meaning to gnaw away. In
general terms soil erosion implies the physical removal of top soil by various agents including
rain, water flowing over and through the soil profile, wind, ice or gravitational pull.
Consequences of soil erosion can be seen both on site and off site
Onsite effects include:

Loss of soil

Breakdown of soil structure

Decline in organic matter

Offsite effects include

Sedimentation of rivers/lakes

Reduced capability of rivers to hold flood waters

Inhibition of fish spawning

Blockage of sunlight necessary for plant life

Blockage of irrigation canals

Severity of soil erosion can vary from place to place

Factors determining soil erosion

Slope
The steeper the slope the grater the erosion as result of increased velocity of water flow
Soil texture
The bigger the size of soil particles the easier its eroded

Organic matter level

It has an inverse relation. The higher the levels of organic matter in the soil the lower the rate of
erosion. Organic matter is the glue that binds the soil particles together and plays an important
part in preventing soil erosion. It influences the infiltration capacity of the soil therefore reducing
run off.
Vegetation Cover
The loss of vegetation through overgrazing, ploughing and fire makes the soil vulnerable to
being swept away by wind and water. Plants provide protective cover on the land and prevent
soil erosion through the following ways:

Plants slow down water as it flows over the land and this allows much of the rain to sink
into the ground

Plants roots hold the soil in position and prevent it from being blown /washed away

Plants break the impact of raindrop before it hits the soil, reducing the soils ability to
erode

Land use
Grass is best natural soil protector against soil erosion because of its relatively dense cover. Row
crops such as maize offer little cover during early growth stages and thereby encouraging
erosion. Fallowed areas, where no crop is grown, are most subjected to soil erosion.

Measures to prevent soil erosion

Use of contour ploughing and windbreaks

Leave unploughed grass strips between ploughed lands (strip cropping)

Avoid overgrazing

Practice crop rotation

Practice mulching (spread hay or straw over a field as a substitute for cover crop)

Types of soil erosion

Wind Erosion

Water erosion: Sheet erosion, gulley erosion and rill/channel erosion

Assignments: read more on the above listed types of erosion

Calculation of erosion rates

Soil conservationists around the world use the universal soil loss equation to estimate soil
erosion rates by water. The equation provides an estimate of the soil loss rate in
tones/hectare/year. This estimate can be used for soil conservation planning. The universal soil
loss equation is

Where A=

estimated soil erosion rates in tones/hectare/year

K=

soil fertility factor

R=

rainfall and runoff factor

LS=

length or slope factor

C=

crop management factor

P=

erosion control practice

Example
Determine the average annual soil loss of a field with the following parameters
K= 0.38, 0.33
R=60.6, 150
LS=1.2, 0.4
C=0.8, 1.0
P=0.5, 1.0