Encyclopaedia of Soil Pollution and Soil Erosion Causes, Processes and Effects (Soil Conservation And Land Management)

Soil pollution is defined as the build-up in soils of persistent toxic compounds, chemicals, salts, radioactive materials, or disease causing agents, which have adverse effects on plant growth and animal health Soil is the thin layer of organic and inorganic materials that covers the Earths rocky surface The organic portion, Which is derived from the decayed remains of plants and animals is concentrated in the dark uppermost topsoil The inorganic portion made up of rock fragments, was formed over thousands of years by physical and chemical weathering of bedrock Productive soils are necessary for agriculture to supply the world with sufficient food soil erosion implies that the soil run off with force of water and erosion can be done by the removal of material movement of rock particles etc. Major effects are of wind rainfall etc. as they move away the loosened soil soil pollution is caused by the presence of man-made chemicals or other kind of alteration in the natural soil environment This type of contamination typically arises from the rupture of underground storage links, application of pesticides percolation of contaminated surface water to subsurface strata oil and fuel dumping leaching of wastes from landfills or direct discharge of industrial wastes to the soil The most common chemicals involved are petroleum hydrocarbons; solvents, pesticides lead and other heavy metals this occurrence of this phenomenon is correlated with the degree of industrialization and intensities of chemical usage this book will prove to be an essential guide to the students and researchers of geography, agriculture biotechnology and allied disciplines.