Consequences of Non-Organic Farming - Topsoil Erosion - Essay Example

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This paper "Consequences of Non-Organic Farming - Topsoil Erosion" tells that organic farming is better for the soil. Studies show that organic fields have deeper vegetation, more weed cover, and contain 88% more ‘epigeal arthropods’ (squiggly soil creatures). …

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Consequences of Non-Organic Farming - Topsoil Erosion

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Subject: Agriculture
Type: Essay
Level: Undergraduate
Pages: 1 (250 words)
Downloads: 4

Extract of sample "Consequences of Non-Organic Farming - Topsoil Erosion"

Pesticides are used in non-organic farming routinely to control weeds, pests, and diseases in crops The use of pesticides can hurt both air, land, and water. Artificial fertilizers inhibit soil micro-organisms which actually help to prevent methane from escaping into the atmosphere. Nonorganic farming increases greenhouse emission gases and has a direct impact on causing global warming. Pesticide’s toxic runoffs are washed away and get mixed with water. Causing the water pollution problem.

This offers a threat to aquatic life and human being who consumes aquatic life and pose risk for downstream drinking water resources. Non-organic farming techniques use chemicals like pesticides and mono-crop methods which have led to the emergence of topsoil erosion Consequences Of Non-Organic Farming (Topsoil Erosion):Soil erosion is the process by which soil particles are detached from the soil surface and removed by the action of wind or water. Soil erosion by water can be divided into a sheet, rill, and gully erosionSheet erosion is soil loss that occurs uniformly over an area of land and losses can be large.

Rill erosion occurs mainly after the potato harvest when fields are not protected by a cover crop or mulch during the winter. Significant rill erosion also occurs during the cropping season between potato drills during intense rainfall events.Gully erosion is the removal of large amounts of soil from relatively small areas of natural surface depressions in the field.Topsoil erosion is the removal of topsoil that is rich in crop nutrients and organic matter reduces the fertility of the soil which in turn affects food productivityTopsoil erosion increases the harmful chemicals runoffs and offers significant challenges to life.

Soil micro-organisms are helpful to prevent soil erosion, but pesticides and fertilizers kill them. Soil stores carbon. The more carbon it stores, the less carbon dioxide there is in the atmosphere adding to global warming. Poor land management leads to carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere from the soil.

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