Kesuburan Tanah

(15) Priming Effects, Global Effects,

Nutrient Pollution
Priming Effects
The term priming effect'' was introduced by
Bingemann et al. (1953).
In the meantime some synonyms are used also:
priming action, added nitrogen interaction - ANI
(introduced by Jenkinson et al., 1985), extra N and
additional N (in the Russian literature).
Priming Effects
The addition of different substances to the soil might cause not
only an acceleration of mineralization (+ priming effect), but also
its reduction, or an immobilization of the added C or N (-priming
effects): e.g. temporal N unavailability due to immobilization
priming effects are strong short-term changes in the turnover of
soil organic matter caused by comparatively moderate
treatments of the soil.
Such interventions might be input of organic or mineral fertilizer
to the soil, exudation of organic sub-stances by roots, mere
mechanical treatment of soil, or its drying and rewetting.
priming effect arises either immediately or very shortly after the
addition of a specific substance to the soil
priming effects in soils rich in C and N are larger than those in
poor soils
the size of the priming effects increases with the amount of the
added organic substances, or mineral fertilizers
ammonia causes larger priming effects than NO3
GLOBAL EFFECTS OF AGRICULTURE
The use of fire to clear lands for agriculture can affect the
climate through increasing the atmospheres particulate load.
Agriculture can lead to loss of biodiversity and can increase the
rate and number of species extinctions.
Agriculture can have global environmental effects, including
change in albedo (reflectivity of the land) due to vegetation
removal, change in water evaporation rates, change in land
surface texture, and change in global chemical cycling.
Modern agriculture can upset the global carbon cycle through
fossil fuel-generated CO2 emissions and by hastening the
decomposition of soil organic matter; the manufacture and use
of artificial nitrogen fertilizers may imbalance the global nitrogen
cycle.
EFFECTS OF AGRICULTURE ON THE
ENVIRONMENT
Local effects are those which operate in close
proximity to the farm area; they include erosion, soil
nutrient depletion, and waterway sedimentation.
Regional effects are the result of farming activities
impacting large areas; desertification, major changes
in large waterways, and large-scale soil fertility
changes are examples.
Global effects include climatic changes and
disruption of major chemical cycles.

Nutrients and Pollution
Pollution problems with nutrients Nutrients in water and air can
be a source of pollution
Nitrate in ground water are a health concern. Infants cant
metabolize high levels of NO3-N (PHS 10 ppm NO3-N)
Phosphorus pollution can lead to eutrophication of surface water
resulting in algae blooms, etc.
Volatilization of nitrous oxides can lead to ozone depletion
Causes of Nutrient Pollution
Natural processes
Atmospheric deposition
Non-plant/soil uses of nutrients (urea for ice melting)
Industrial point sources
Excess or improper application of nutrients on farms,
landscapes, golf courses

EFFECTS OF AGRICULTURE ON THE
ENVIRONMENT
No major efforts to date to increase global
food supply have been free from
environmental costs.
Irrigation, application of artificial fertilizers,
even the use of new, high-yielding crop
varieties developed by agroengineers during
the Green Revolution have all had
substantial environmental costs.
HOW AGRICULTURE CHANGES THE ENVIRONMENT
Agriculture, as the worlds largest industry
and the industry most directly dependent on
the land, has wide-ranging and significant
environmental effects
Some of agricultures environmental effects
are primary (direct or on-site); others are
secondary (indirect or off-site).

CROPS, SOIL FERTILITY, AND SOIL EROSION
Extensive and in some cases irreversible
damage has accrued to earths productive soil
base as a result of past farming, grazing, and
forestry practices.
Disturbed soils are highly susceptible to
erosion, structural damage, and nutrient
depletion.
The effects of soil disturbance vary by region;
they tend to be more severe in tropical than
temperate zones.
Plowing the Soil
Plowing disturbs the soil in ways unlike any
natural force or process; though it is necessary for
high crop production, it subjects the soil to severe,
long-term stresses.
The primary detrimental effects of plowing are
erosion and loss of soil organic content.
Sediment Damage
Soil erosion leads to sedimentation, the
deposition of eroded materials into waterways and
reservoirs.
Sedimentation can damage or destroy fisheries
and ocean ecosystems such as coral reefs and can
reduce water quality through addition of excess
nutrients and toxins.
MAKING SOILS SUSTAINABLE
Ideally, good farming practices would maintain a balance
between soil formation and loss.
Contour Plowing
Contour plowing, the practice of following the land contours
and plowing perpendicular rather than parallel to slopes, has
traditionally been the single most effective method for
minimizing erosion on plowed lands.
Other Techniques for Sustaining Soil
Other soil-saving techniques include fall plowing, multiculture
(versus monoculture), strip-cropping, terracing, and crop
rotation.
No-Till Agriculture
No-till agriculture (conservation tillage) is growing in
popularity as food producers see its value in conserving soil and
reducing fuel and labor costs.
DESERTIFICATION: A REGIONAL EFFECT
Deserts are the natural result of climatic
conditions that do not provide enough steady
moisture for substantial plant growth and the
resultant soil enrichment. Even areas with
sufficient rainfall for plant growth can be
deserts if the soils do not store sufficient
water.
Desert Regions
Human activities have produced more desert lands
than would be expected under natural conditions.
This phenomenon is called desertification
Causes of Desertification
Poor farming and forestry practices,
overgrazing, and conversion of rangelands
to croplands are leading causes of desertification
Pollution can also turn productive lands into
desertlike areas
Excessive irrigation of poorly-drained soils in arid
regions and the resultant salinization (salt build-
up) of those soils can destroy a soils productivity
and create a desert
Preventing Desertification
The major symptoms of desertification are
water table lowering, soil salinization,
reduction of surface water, increased soil
erosion, and loss of natural native
vegetation.
Desertification prevention depends on
monitoring the aquifers and soils to check for
onset of the above-mentioned indicators.
Soil-conserving agricultural techniques and
reforestation are important in preventing the
spread of deserts.

GLOBAL EFFECTS OF AGRICULTURE
Agriculture can have global environmental effects,
including change in albedo (reflectivity of the land)
due to vegetation removal, change in water
evaporation rates, change in land surface texture,
and change in global chemical cycling
Modern agriculture can upset the global carbon cycle
through fossil fuel-generated CO2 emissions and by
hastening the decomposition of soil organic matter;
the manufacture and use of artificial nitrogen
fertilizers may imbalance the global nitrogen cycle
The use of fire to clear lands for agriculture can
affect the climate through increasing the
atmospheres particulate load
Agriculture can lead to loss of biodiversity and can
increase the rate and number of species extinctions
The environmental effects of agriculture can be
identified as local, regional, or global.
Local effects are those which operate in close
proximity to the farm area; they include erosion,
soil nutrient depletion, and waterway
sedimentation.
Regional effects are the result of farming
activities impacting large areas; desertification,
major changes in large waterways, and large-
scale soil fertility changes are examples.
Global effects include climatic changes and
disruption of major chemical cycles.

The questions to consider are these
Is there any way to feed the growing human
population without furthering ecosystem
disruption and deterioration?
There are many exciting technologies on the
horizon, especially in genetic engineering, that
would seem to promise for all, but
Can we accurately assess the environmental costs of
these technologies before we adopt them, or are there
likely to be unforeseen and potentially irreversible
effects that become apparent only after
implementation?
With the health and lives of so many humans at stake,
can we afford to be cautious and move slowly in these
areas?