What are the causes of soil degradation?

Anthropogenic Cause

Humans are also responsible for why the soil is degrading. We cannot deny the fact that some of our
activities cause a decline in soil quality. One of the causes is urbanization and road building. As a result,
we lost a large area of rich agricultural land. Next is the industrialization of agriculture, We now use a
highly mechanical and industrialized kind of agriculture, yet the organic content of the world's soil has
decreased dramatically. We removed the topsoil of the land when we grew a crop. People believe that a
tractor will accomplish the task of restoring it; however, a tractor will only plow the soil, not enrich it.
So, we must replenish it naturally through animals and plants, as green litter from trees and animal
excrement are the only sources of organic content in the soil. Also, excessive usage and misuse of
fertilizers harm organisms that help the soil stay intact. Fertilizer misuse or overuse accelerates soil
degradation by diminishing the soil's biological activity and causing toxicities to build up as a result of
improper fertilizer application. There are more human activities that harm the quality of our soil some
other examples are deforestation, improper crop rotation, overgrazing, and mining.

Natural Causes

The problem of soil degradation is increasing worldwide, it affects most of the land in the tropical
countries. Moreso, soil degradation is either a result of natural hazards or due to improper land
management. Natural hazards include topography and climate factors such as frequent floods, high
wind velocity, drought conditions and intense rainfall. But soil erosion is considered the leading cause of
soil degradation, it is a natural process that is caused by the dynamic activity of erosive agents such as
water, air, ice, plants, animals, and humans.

Soil degradation can be classified into four types of degradation: water erosion, wind erosion, chemical
deterioration, and physical deterioration. (1) Water erosion: It is the detachment of soil particles caused
by raindrops, or by running water. The impact of raindrops on the soil surface can break down soil and
make it loose and scattered. Then, flowing water transports these detached soil particles down hill or
away from the hill, and end up in streams and waterways; (2) Wind erosion: It is the process of soil
displacement caused by the power of wind. Particularly in dry season, the texture of the soil becomes
light and dry which create dust particles that is carried away by strong wind; (3) Chemical deterioration:
a type of soil degradation that includes depletion of natural nutrients or organic matter, salinization,
acidification, soil pollution, and infertility of soil. Chemical deterioration of soil is often due to
agricultural over exploitation - mismanagement by farmers in cultivation process;(4) Physical
deterioration: it involves soil compaction, sealing, and crusting. Soil compactions are caused by several
factors such as heavy weight of animals or heavy machineries. Severe crusting of the soil can breakdown
soil particles and inhibit water entry into the soil and prevent seedling emergence.