Human Activities and the Environment PDF

Human Activity and the Environment  Soil is a necessary resource because it helps sustain life on Earth including humans, animals and plants. Aside from life sustaining roles, soil helps purify, or clean, water as it drains through the ground and into rivers, lakes, and oceans. In addition, de...

Human Activity and the Environment  Soil is a necessary resource because it helps sustain life on Earth including humans, animals and plants. Aside from life sustaining roles, soil helps purify, or clean, water as it drains through the ground and into rivers, lakes, and oceans. In addition, decomposers in soil also help recycle nutrients by breaking down the remains of plants and animals, releasing nutrients that living plants use to grow. Soil also provides a home for a variety of living things, from tiny one-celled organisms to small mammals.  Despite the mentioned importance in sustaining life on earth, there are serious issues concerning the soil’s good qualities and availability. In fact, a review of soil degradation in the Philippines (Asio, V. 2009) revealed that soil degradation, the physical, chemical and biological decline in soil quality is a major agricultural and environmental problem in the Philippines due to erosion. Loss of nutrients and organic nutrients, salinization, acidification, pollution, compaction and subsidence are other soil degradation processes cause by erosion. Human Activities that Contribute to the loss of Good Quality Soil  FARMING Farming is the act or process of working the ground, planting seeds, and growing edible plants. You can also describe raising animals for milk or meat as farming.  Positive Effect of Farming Application of herbicide, a pesticide used to kill unwanted plants used in farming has a positive benefit on soil health. Lime and mineral fertilizers added to soil provide stable optimum growing conditions for plants. Organic manures and other organic fertilizers provide a source of food/energy for many soil organisms thus making the soil healthy and good for planting. Even the growing plants help in stabilizing the soil structure. Another important effect of farming on soil health is the provision of water through irrigation and drainage. Irrigation/drainage water stabilizes the soil moisture thus making it healthier and suitable for planting.  Negative Effect of Farming Tillage in farming is the preparation of soil for planting and the cultivation of soil after planting. It can cause direct damage to soil microorganisms and potentially expose those to new predators. Though pesticides are found beneficial to soil, it was found to have long term harmful effects on the overall activity or population of soil organisms. Some applied veterinary medicines are found to affect the normal degradation rate of some insects and animals, thus altering the soil’s health.  WASTE DISPOSAL The collection, processing, and recycling or deposition of the waste materials of human society. Waste is classified by source and composition. Broadly speaking, waste materials are either liquid or solid in form, and their components may be either hazardous or inert in their effects on health and the environment. CONSTRUCTION OF STRUCTURES Structure in building construction refers to the process of putting together different elements of construction, to serve a useful purpose. This method has to effectively support and transmit possible loads on the building to the ground. BUFFER STRIPS Buffer strips are designed to intercept runoff using permanent vegetation. Other erosion-control practices are usually employed in association with buffer strips. As an integral part of a planned conservation system, buffer strips may be located at a variety of locations within a landscape. To maintain buffer-strip performance, periodic maintenance is required. Contour buffer strips, filter strips, and grassed waterways are frequently used types of buffer strips. FOREST PROTECTION Forest protection is a branch of forestry which is concerned with the preservation or improvement of a forest and prevention and control of damage to forest by natural or man made causes like forest fires, plant pests, and adverse climatic conditions (global warming). NO-TILL FARMING No-till farming (also known as zero tillage or direct drilling) is an agricultural technique for growing crops or pasture without disturbing the soil through tillage. No-till farming decreases the amount of soil erosion tillage causes in certain soils, especially in sandy and dry soils on sloping terrain. FEWER CONCRETE SURFACES Lots of concrete surfaces, especially in residential areas, make it difficult for water to get to the soil. Using paving stones for patios and gardens work to protect the soil. They are also a tool to prevent soil erosion in specific areas. PLANT WINDBREAK AREAS A windbreak (shelterbelt) is a planting usually made up of one or more rows of trees or shrubs planted in such a manner as to provide shelter from the wind and to protect soil from erosion. They are commonly planted in hedgerows around the edges of fields on farms. TERRACE PLANTING Terrace cultivation, method of growing crops on sides of hills or mountains by planting on graduated terraces built into the slope. Though labour-intensive, the method has been employed effectively to maximize arable land area in variable terrains and to reduce soil erosion and water loss. TREE PLANTING The roots of trees hold the soil in place as it fights erosion that causes landslide. It also absorbs and store rainwater that helps reduce runoff and sediment deposit after the storms. It also helps recharge ground water supply, prevents transport of chemicals into streams as well as prevents flooding CROP ROTATION The practice of planting different crops sequentially on the same plot of land to improve soil health, optimize nutrients in the soil, and combat pest and weed pressure. INDIGENOUS CROPS Indigenous crops are native crop options that enhance the soil. Planting these is a way to ensure conservation efforts. They should be planted even when diverse crops are being planted, as well  MONITOR GRAZING Animal grazing plays a critical role in conserving soil. Monitoring the areas where cows and other animals graze is important. This helps to prevent depletion of the soil. It also addresses the issue of hoof damage, which can occur to the soil. CONTROL STORM WATER Instead of allowing water to puddle in yards or gardens, it is important to control it. Storm water can easily cause flooding or problems in these areas. Setting up large container to hold excess water in problem locations is helpful. This water can be re-used for watering gardens and yards.  DAMS The purpose of a dam is to impound (store) water, wastewater or liquid borne materials for any of several reasons, such as flood control, human water supply, irrigation, livestock water supply, energy generation, containment of mine tailings, recreation, or pollution control. Activity 1 Directions: Using the checklist below, put a check whether the given activity affects the soil or not.  Activity 2 Write True if the statement is correct and False if it is not. 1. Farming is one of the traditional sources of income in our country done by planting crops or raising livestock. 2. Land use conversion usually done to support urbanization activities can cause rapid soil degradation and sedimentation. 3. Clearing trees and other plants and plowing up the soil to plant crops increases the quantity and quality of the soil. 4. Throwing waste products which are full of chemicals which are not originally found in nature can lead to soil pollution. 5. People produce a certain amount of personal waste products by way of urine and feces  Activity 2 Write True if the statement is correct and False if it is not. 6. Checking the salient composition and fertility is important. 7. Every deposit of fresh garbage is not covered with a layer of soil to prevent it from blowing around. 8. Solid waste is also produced by several industrial processes. 9. Waste comes from household, commercial establishment, institution and some industrial source is part of waste disposal. 10. 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