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In geotechnical engineering, soil compaction is the process in which stress applied to a soil causes densification as air is displaced from the pores between the soil grains. When stress is applied that causes densification due to water (or other liquid) being displaced from between the soil grains, then consolidation , not compaction, has ...
Soil conservation is the prevention of loss of the topmost layer of the soil from erosion or prevention of reduced fertility caused by over usage, acidification, salinization or other chemical soil contamination. Slash-and-burn and other unsustainable methods of subsistence farming are practiced in some lesser
Soil aeration is the mechanism of improving the exchange of gases between the atmosphere and soil. Through soil microbial activity and plant root respiration, certain gases such as oxygen will be depleted in the soil, while others, such as carbon dioxide, will build up in the soil. [1] Lack of oxygen in the soil can impact plant growth.
Soil compaction, also known as soil structure degradation, is the increase of bulk density or decrease in porosity of soil due to externally or internally applied loads. [1] Compaction can adversely affect nearly all physical, chemical and biological properties and functions of soil . [ 2 ]
A wide variety of materials have been described as soil conditioners due to their ability to improve soil quality. Some examples include biochar, [3] bone meal, blood meal, coffee grounds, compost, compost tea, coir, manure, [4] straw, peat, sphagnum moss, vermiculite, sulfur, lime, hydroabsorbant polymers, [5] biosolids, [6] and rock flour.
Soil degradation attributing factors, causes, and effects. Having too much or too little of any of the components of soil can cause soil degradation. For example, having a high clay content reduces aeration and water permeability. [3] Another example is that, though phosphorus and nitrogen are essential for plant growth, they are toxic in high ...
As far as plants and vegetation are concerned, the accumulation of salts in the soil adversely affects their physiology and morphology by increasing the osmotic pressure of the soil solution, altering the plant’s mineral nutrition, and accumulating specific ions to toxic concentrations in the plants.
The benefits of improving soil structure for the growth of plants, particularly in an agricultural setting, include: reduced erosion due to greater soil aggregate strength and decreased overland flow; improved root penetration and access to soil moisture and nutrients; improved emergence of seedlings due to reduced crusting of the surface; and ...