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Topsoil is composed of mineral particles and organic matter and usually extends to a depth of 5-10 inches (13–25 cm). Together these make a substrate capable of holding water and air which encourages biological activity.
Soil fertility refers to the ability of soil to sustain agricultural plant growth, i.e. to provide plant habitat and result in sustained and consistent yields of high quality. [3] It also refers to the soil's ability to supply plant/crop nutrients in the right quantities and qualities over a sustained period of time.
The agricultural industry makes a large contribution to the country's foreign exchange earnings, with more than US$1 billion in earnings from cash crop exports. [4] The 6 main cash crops are cashew nuts, coffee, cotton, sisal, tea and tobacco. [5] At one point in its agricultural history, Tanzania was the largest producer of sisal in the world. [6]
Agricultural soil science is a branch of soil science that deals with the study of edaphic conditions as they relate to the production of food and fiber. In this context, it is also a constituent of the field of agronomy and is thus also described as soil agronomy .
Soil is used in agriculture, where it serves as the anchor and primary nutrient base for plants. The types of soil and available moisture determine the species of plants that can be cultivated. Agricultural soil science was the primeval domain of soil knowledge, long time before the advent of pedology in the 19th century.
Topsoil is very fertile, which makes it valuable to farmers growing crops. [54] Soil degradation also has a huge impact on biological degradation, which affects the microbial community of the soil and can alter nutrient cycling, pest and disease control, and chemical transformation properties of the soil. [55]
Agriculture in Qatar is inherently limited in scope due to the harsh climate and lack of arable land. [1] In spite of this, small-scale farming , nomadic herding , and fishing were the predominant means of subsistence in the region prior to the 20th century.
Although the United States has many sites with contaminated soils, it has been a leader in defining and implementing standards for cleanup. [4] Each year, thousands of sites complete soil contamination cleanup, some by using microbes that “eat up” toxic chemicals in soil, [5] many others by simple excavation and others by soil vapor extraction, air stripping, or solvent extraction, with ...