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Specific soil management practices that affect soil health include: [17] Controlling traffic on the soil surface helps to reduce soil compaction, which can reduce aeration and water infiltration. Planting cover crops that keep the soil anchored and covered in off-seasons so that the soil is not eroded by wind and rain.
Soil conditioners may be used to improve water retention in dry, coarse soils which are not holding water well. The addition of organic material for instance can greatly improve the water retention abilities of sandy soils and they can be added to adjust the pH of the soil to meet the needs of specific plants or to make highly acidic or ...
In agriculture, leaching is the loss of water-soluble plant nutrients from the soil, due to rain and irrigation. Soil structure, crop planting, type and application rates of fertilizers, and other factors are taken into account to avoid excessive nutrient loss.
Research to improve the water-use efficiency of crop plants has been ongoing from the early 20th century, however with difficulties to actually achieve crops with increased water-use efficiency. [5] Intrinsic water-use efficiency W i usually increases during soil drought, due to stomatal closure and a reduction in transpiration, and is ...
Antique Dutch windmills used to pump water into the embanked river to prevent waterlogging of the lowlands behind them. Waterlogging water is the saturation of soil with water. [1] Soil may be regarded as waterlogged when it is nearly saturated with water much of the time such that its air phase is restricted and anaerobic conditions prevail.
Erosion control is the practice of preventing or controlling wind or water erosion in agriculture, land development, coastal areas, river banks and construction. Effective erosion controls handle surface runoff and are important techniques in preventing water pollution , soil loss , wildlife habitat loss and human property loss.
This can increase water-holding and water use (up to 85% for sand), improve soil permeability, reduce the need for irrigation, reduce compaction, soil erosion, and leaching, and improve plant growth. Desertification and lack of water threaten agriculture in many arid and semi-arid regions of the world; these may be mitigated with hydrogels. [1]
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 ...