 You go to the grocery store to buy some fresh strawberries, but there are none! Not only that, but there are no fruits or vegetables in the store.  Confused, you ask an employee where the produce is. You are told that there is no more produce because the world has run out of top soil!  Fruits and vegetables grow in top soil.  75% of the earth is water, some dessert, some mountains, some covered with buildings…The amount left to grow fruits and vegetables is small!  We must take care of the soil to ensure we have fruits and vegetables in the future.

 Identify sources of energy production that can contribute to soil erosion  Illustrate harmful effects of soil erosion  Discuss legal aspects of soil erosion  List soil erosion control methods and programs

 Occurs when soil is removed through the action of wind and water at a greater rate than it is formed  When rain hits soil that is not covered by vegetation and where they are no roots to bind the soil, it has an impact of a bullet  Soil particles are loosened, washed down the slope of the land and end up in a valley or are washed away out to the sea through streams and rivers  Erosion removes the topsoil first Taken from the National Department of Agriculture

Picture from: generalhorticulture.tamu.edu

 Water  Wind  Urbanization ◦ Building new homes, roads, etc.  Overstocking and overgrazing  Lack of crop rotation  Planting crops down the contour instead of along it  Inappropriate farming techniques such as deep plowing land 2-3 times a year to produce annual crops  Removal of plants and trees Taken from the National Department of Agriculture

 While some of the causes of soil erosion are natural phenomenon's, such as rain, others are human induced.  Human induced causes include: ◦ Deforestation ◦ Intensive farming: excessive fertilizer, irrigation, deep plowing, etc. ◦ Housing development ◦ Road construction ◦ Overstocking/Overgrazing ◦ Lack of crop rotation Taken from Science Net Links

 “If we disregard this, a time will come when there would not be enough soil left to sustain life on earth, because the soil is a necessary growth medium for plants, a home for certain insects and animals, as well as a medium form from which we get minerals, such as gold. It is important therefore to treat soil, especially topsoil, as a living entity.”  Soil is a nonrenewable resource, so once it is gone, it is gone forever.  Few plants will grow in the soil ever again Taken from the National Department of Agriculture

 Reduced soil fertility  Degraded land  Soil carried off in rain or irrigation water can lead to sedimentation of bodies of water  Sedimentation causes serious damage to freshwater and marine habitats ◦ People in Brazil have reported a decline in fish numbers  Pesticides and fertilizers carried off into the water from the soil can also cause harm to wildlife and pollute waterways  Arable land destroyed  Flooding increased Taken from WWF Global

 Planting vegetation  Use of contour plowing and windbreaks  Strip cropping  Avoid overgrazing  Allow indigenous plants to grow along riverbanks  Conserve wetlands  Cultivate land, using a crop rotation system  Minimum or no tillage  Encourage water infiltration and reduce water runoff  Matting  Retaining Walls/Edging Taken from the National Department of Agriculture

 In groups, teach the class how the following soil erosion prevention methods actually prevent erosion from occurring. Show what happens without the prevention and with the prevention method using a drawing. ◦ Vegetation ◦ Matting ◦ Retaining Walls/Edging ◦ Strip Cropping ◦ Conservation Tillage  Then, state what actions you think your city should implement before constructing new buildings/homes.

 Using a computer in groups of 3, research the legal aspects of soil erosion. ◦ Are there laws in place for construction companies when building? ◦ Are there consequences for companies inducing soil erosion?  As a class, discuss the findings.

 What are 2 natural causes of soil erosion?  What are 3 human induced causes of soil erosion?  What are the harmful effects of soil erosion?  Name 5 soil erosion control methods.  What are the legal aspects of soil erosion?

 Today we discussed soil erosion. Hopefully you learned the importance of prevention methods to prevent this from happening as much as possible. This can allow you to be more aware of the consequences of building homes, roads, etc.

 World Wildlife Fund  National Department of Agriculture  AAAS ScienceNetLinks

 Science I. D. 1.  Science I. E. 2.  Science. III. B. 1.  Science. III. C. 1.  Science. III. D. 1.