Describe briefly the effects of the following farming practices on the soil; (a) bush burning; (b) overgrazing; (c) clean clearing; (d) fertilizer application.
Explanation
The effects of the following farming practices on the soil are: (a) Bush burning: (i) Bush burning destroys seeds of weeds. (ii) It destroys the organic matter content of soil. (iii) It destroys soil borne pathogen(s) (iv) It exposes the soil to erosion.
(b) Over grazing: (i) Over grazing removes the vegetative cover of the soil. (ii) leads to compaction of the soil. (iii) It destroys the soil structure. (iv) It exposes the soil to erosion.
(c) Clean clearing: (i) It exposes the soil to direct sunlight, resulting in evaporation. (ii) It destroys the structure the soil. (iii) It exposes the soil to erosion. (iv) It leads to compaction of the soil by heavy machine.
(d) Fertilizer application: (i) It supplements nutrient content of the soil. (ii) It promotes the productive capacity of soils. (iii) increases the population of micro-organisms in the soil. (iv) Excessive use of fertilizers can cause soil acidity