How would the pressure on urban soils differ from those in agricultural areas?
What will be an ideal response?
Urban areas face issues in the soil because so much of the soil is covered with impervious building materials like asphalt and concrete. Covering the soil leads to a loss of surface area for infiltration of rain. This leads to the problems of run-off, pollution of standing water, and a lowering of recharge for groundwater. In agricultural areas the topsoil is used constantly, depriving it of key nutrients. Depending on the farming practice used, it may result in a loss of humus and topsoil, and certainly in a loss of nutrients. This leads farmers to use fertilizers on the soil, which can lead to runoff and the pollution of standing water bodies. In addition, if the agricultural land does not receive enough annual rainfall to support the types of crops that are growing, then irrigation practices can lead to the salinization of the soil.
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Accuracy of weather forecasts begins to decrease rapidly for periods greater than
a) 1 day b) 2 days c) 5 days d) 1 month e) 1 week
The globe is the only map that accurately portrays all spatial relationships characteristic of Earth's surface
Indicate whether the statement is true or false
The amount of solar heating can increase from
A) a decrease in sunspot activity and energy output from the Sun. B) a decrease in snow and ice cover on Earth's surface. C) a decrease in the amount of greenhouse gases. D) a huge volcanic eruption that adds ash and dust to the atmosphere.
Which of the following is NOT a major symptom of desertification?
a. loss of natural native vegetation b. lack of sufficient grazing from livestock c. increased soil erosion d. lowering of the water table