Land Pollution

• Minerals


  Elements or compounds which are solid, inorganic, and naturally occurring. They are often combined with other substances.
• Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium


  Components of fertile soil
• Land


  A natural resource, an economic good, a property, a territory
• Soil


  The material that makes up the topmost part of the crust. The pedosphere is the thin outermost layer of the Earth made up of soil.
• Soil


  • It provides the nutrients which are vital for plant growth
  • It allows water, air, and energy to flow through it, providing other resources which are critical for the survival of species
• How soils form


  1. Weathering - the breaking down or dissolving of rocks and minerals on Earth's surface

  2. Accumulated sediments, weathered rocks, and decaying organic matter
• Soil


  • It can be characterized by its profile, texture, color, consistency, and acidity
  • It is described according to its physical and chemical properties
• Soil Texture


  • Sand particles - measures up to 2 mm
  • Clay particles - particles are smaller than 0.002 mm
  • Silt particles - particles measure between 0.05 to 0.002 mm
• Loam


  Contains a good proportion of sand, clay, and silt
• Soil color


  The kind of elements or minerals which are present in the soil gives its characteristic color
• Soil consistence


  The ease or difficulty of breaking the soil apart gives its consistency
• Soil acidity


  It influences the kind of plants which can grow in it. The acidity of the soil is affected by the water it absorbs, natural and man-made processes.
• Land pollution


  The destruction and contamination of the land through the direct and indirect actions of humans. The pollution results in changes to the land, such as soil erosion.
• Land pollution


  • Mining
  • Use of harmful pesticides and insecticides in farming
  • Garbage found at landfills
  • Litter
• The mining process can lead to the creation of large open spaces beneath the surface of the earth that can lead to soil erosion.
• The use of harmful pesticides and insecticides in farming to protect crops can cause the land to become barren.
• The garbage found at landfills is filled with toxins that eventually seep into the earth.
• Litter makes it difficult for plants and other producers in the food web to create nutrients. Animals can die if they mistakenly eat plastic.
• A massive landfill at Payatas, Quezon City was the site of a land pollution tragedy in 2000. Heavy rains caused a trash landslide, killing 218 people.
• Leaching


  The process where chemical improperly disposed of on the land could end up in the ground water.