Author Question: Critique the following argument: Erosion is always with us; mountains are formed and then erode, and ... (Read 41 times)

APUS57

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 571
Critique the following argument: Erosion is always with us; mountains are formed and then erode, and rivers erode canyons. You cannot eliminate soil erosion, so it is foolish to ask people to do so.
 
  What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

How would the pressure on urban soils differ from those in agricultural areas?
 
  What will be an ideal response?



cloudre37

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 332
Answer to Question 1

It is true that erosion is always with us and that it cannot be eliminated. The goal is to not increase the rate of soil erosion by human activities. Farmers and everyone else interested in maintaining our ability to produce food should be concerned about maintaining soil fertility. Erosion decreases fertility. Our goal should be to decrease rates of erosion to background. This would result in a sustainable ecosystem that will be able to continue to provide goods and resources to the current, and future, human population.

Answer to Question 2

Urban areas face issues in the soil because so much of the soil is covered with impervious building materials like asphalt and concrete. Covering the soil leads to a loss of surface area for infiltration of rain. This leads to the problems of run-off, pollution of standing water, and a lowering of recharge for groundwater. In agricultural areas the topsoil is used constantly, depriving it of key nutrients. Depending on the farming practice used, it may result in a loss of humus and topsoil, and certainly in a loss of nutrients. This leads farmers to use fertilizers on the soil, which can lead to runoff and the pollution of standing water bodies. In addition, if the agricultural land does not receive enough annual rainfall to support the types of crops that are growing, then irrigation practices can lead to the salinization of the soil.



Related Topics

Need homework help now?

Ask unlimited questions for free

Ask a Question
 

Did you know?

Certain chemicals, after ingestion, can be converted by the body into cyanide. Most of these chemicals have been removed from the market, but some old nail polish remover, solvents, and plastics manufacturing solutions can contain these substances.

Did you know?

A strange skin disease referred to as Morgellons has occurred in the southern United States and in California. Symptoms include slowly healing sores, joint pain, persistent fatigue, and a sensation of things crawling through the skin. Another symptom is strange-looking, threadlike extrusions coming out of the skin.

Did you know?

Certain topical medications such as clotrimazole and betamethasone are not approved for use in children younger than 12 years of age. They must be used very cautiously, as directed by a doctor, to treat any child. Children have a much greater response to topical steroid medications.

Did you know?

Fungal nail infections account for up to 30% of all skin infections. They affect 5% of the general population—mostly people over the age of 70.

Did you know?

There are more bacteria in your mouth than there are people in the world.

For a complete list of videos, visit our video library