Explain some harmful effects of agricultural practices on the environment.
(i) Soil. Fertilizer
added to soil not only changes the chemistry of the soil but
also kills many useful microbes.
(ii) Ground Water.
A part offertilizer always leaches down into soil and
reaches ground water. It raises the salt content of ground
water.
(iii) Eutrophication. Run-off from fields sprayed
with fertilizer reaches water bodies. It results in
their eutrophication.
(iv) Pesticides. Pesticides
sprayed over crops reach water bodies killing the biota.
Persistent pesticides undergo biomagnification and prove highly
harmful to higher organisms.
(vi) Ground Water.
Continued use of ground water in agriculture has resulted in
lowering of water table at most of the places.
(vii)
Irrigation. It causes water-logging and salivation
of soils.
(viii) Genetic Erosion. Use of only
selected high yielding varieties has resulted in genetic erosion
of the crop plants.
(ix) Damage to Nature. Natural
ecosystems and habitats have been damaged during clearing land
for agriculture.
(i) Soil. Fertilizer
added to soil not only changes the chemistry of the soil but
also kills many useful microbes.
(ii) Ground Water.
A part offertilizer always leaches down into soil and
reaches ground water. It raises the salt content of ground
water.
(iii) Eutrophication. Run-off from fields sprayed
with fertilizer reaches water bodies. It results in
their eutrophication.
(iv) Pesticides. Pesticides
sprayed over crops reach water bodies killing the biota.
Persistent pesticides undergo biomagnification and prove highly
harmful to higher organisms.
(vi) Ground Water.
Continued use of ground water in agriculture has resulted in
lowering of water table at most of the places.
(vii)
Irrigation. It causes water-logging and salivation
of soils.
(viii) Genetic Erosion. Use of only
selected high yielding varieties has resulted in genetic erosion
of the crop plants.
(ix) Damage to Nature. Natural
ecosystems and habitats have been damaged during clearing land
for agriculture.
