1. Soil Conservation
NCES: 6.E.2.3 &2.4
Kim Lachler
2011

2. Soil is important Without soil plants can not grow
Plants provide us food and oxygen

3. Terms Weathering Erosion Deposition The breaking down of rock
The movement of sediment
Deposition
The sediment being laid down

4. Causes of erosion
Steep slopes
Little vegetation
Water
Wind
Humans

5. Human causes Agriculture
Topsoil erodes when crops are removed and fields are left without plants
The nutrients get depleted from the same crops being grown year after year.

6. Human causes Forest Harvesting (cutting down trees) Exposes the soil
In tropical forest
Trees are removed for farming and grazing
The soil is thin and the topsoil does not last long

7. Human causes Overgrazing Livestock are left on the same field too long
They eat all the vegetation leaving the soil exposed.

8. Human causes
Strip mining
Leaves rock exposed
Topsoil is discarded

9. Human causes
Construction
Top soil is removed
Plants are removed

10. Affects of erosion Topsoil loss Poor/no plant growth
Sediment running into streams and drinking water

11. Methods to prevent soil erosion
No-till farming
The stacks of the crop are left over winter
New crops are planted without tilling the stocks under

12. Methods to prevent soil erosion
Contour Farming
Plant on the natural relief of the land

13. Methods to prevent soil erosion
Terracing
On steep slopes “stair” are carved out to slow down water run-off

14. Methods to prevent soil erosion
Cover crop
Planting a winter crop
Not only reduces erosion but using the right plants can put nutrients back into the soil

15. Methods to prevent soil erosion
Pasture rotation
Livestock graze on a field for a short period.
They are moved to a different field to give time for the other field to recover.

16. Methods to prevent soil erosion
Crop rotation
Planting specific type crops in a different spot each year.
This helps the nutrients of the soil.

17. Methods to prevent soil erosion
Responsible construction
Water down soil so it doesn’t blow off or run off
Use silt nets to catch eroding soil
Plant new plants when finished

18. Methods to prevent soil erosion
Controlled strip mining
Each layer when removed is set aside
Layer are put back in the correct order when finished mining
Plants are planted

19. Methods to prevent soil erosion
Use sidewalks
Doesn’t create “cow paths” which exposes soil.

20. Bibliography
Glencoe
Soil conservation, Google Images, googleimages.com, accessed 11/26/11
Soil erosion, Google Images, googleimages.com, accessed 11/26/11
grazing, Google Images, googleimages.com, accessed 11/26/11
Strip mining, Google Images, googleimages.com, accessed 11/26/11
construction, Google Images, googleimages.com, accessed 11/26/11
No till farming, Google Images, googleimages.com, accessed 11/26/11
Pasture rotation Google Images, googleimages.com, accessed 11/26/11
covering, Google Images, googleimages.com, accessed 11/26/11
Sidewalk, Google Images, googleimages.com, accessed 11/26/11
Cow path, Google Images, googleimages.com, accessed 11/26/11