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Organic farming in particular emphasizes optimal soil management, because it uses soil health as the exclusive or nearly exclusive source of its fertilization and pest control. Soil management is an important tool for addressing climate change by increasing soil carbon and as well as addressing other major environmental issues associated with ...
Soil compaction can occur naturally by the drying and wetting process called soil consolidation, [17] [9] or when external pressure is applied to the soil. The most relevant human-induced causes of soil compaction in agriculture are the use of heavy machineries, tillage practice itself, inappropriate choice of tillage systems, as well as ...
Soil resistance, a related term refers to the ability of soil to resist changes or the extent to which a soil will recover from any cropping or management change. The term is distinct from Soil resilience as resistance is the inherent capacity to withstand disturbance, while resilience is the capacity to recover after disturbance. [1] [2]
The vadose zone of the soil below the soil surface and the water table is subject to four main hydrological inflow and outflow factors: [3] Infiltration of rain and irrigation water (Irr) into the soil through the soil surface (Inf) : Inf = Rain + Irr; Evaporation of soil water through plants and directly into the air through the soil surface ...
Plant nutrient deficiencies can be avoided or corrected using a variety of approaches including the consultation of experts on-site, the use of soil and plant-tissue testing services, the application of prescription-blend fertilizers, the application of fresh or well-decomposed organic matter, and the use of biological systems such as cover ...
Salinity in soil is caused by irrigating with salty water. Water then evaporates from the soil leaving the salt behind. Salt breaks down the soil structure, causing infertility and reduced growth. [citation needed] [14] The ions responsible for salination are: sodium (Na +), potassium (K +), calcium (Ca 2+), magnesium (Mg 2+) and chlorine (Cl −).
Soil erosion is the denudation or wearing away of the upper layer of soil. It is a form of soil degradation. This natural process is caused by the dynamic activity of erosive agents, that is, water, ice (glaciers), snow, air (wind), plants, and animals (including humans).
Soil regeneration is the reformation of degraded soil through biological, chemical, and or physical processes. [ 2 ] When productivity declined in the low-clay soils of northern Thailand, farmers initially responded by adding organic matter from termite mounds , but this was unsustainable in the long-term.