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“Soil pollution is defined as the ‘addition of substances to the soil, which adversely affects physical, chemical and biological properties of soil and reduces its productivity.” In this context, consider the following causes of soil pollution:
1. Indiscriminate use of fertilizers.
2. Dumping of solid waste
3. Soil erosion
Which of the above factors is/are responsible for soil pollution?
  • a)
    1 and 2 only
  • b)
    2 and 3 only
  • c)
    1 only
  • d)
    1, 2 and 3
Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?
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“Soil pollution is defined as the ‘addition of substances ...
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Soil Pollution
• Soil is a thin layer of organic and inorganic materials that covers the Earth’s rocky surface. Soil pollution is defined as the ‘addition of substances to the soil, which adversely affects physical, chemical and biological properties of soil and reduces its productivity.’
• It is build-up of persistent toxic compounds, chemicals, salts, radioactive materials, or disease-causing agents in the soil which has adverse effects on plant growth, human and animal health.
• A soil pollutant is any factor which deteriorates the quality, texture and mineral content of the soil or which disturbs the biological balance of the organisms in the soil.
Causes
• Indiscriminate use of fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides, and herbicides
• Dumping of large quantities of solid waste
• Deforestation and soil erosion
• Pollution Due to Urbanisation
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Passage -1The law in many parts of the world increasingly restricts the discharge of agricultural slurry into watercourses. The simplest and often the most economically sound practice returns the material to the land as semisolid manure or as sprayed slurry. This dilutes its concentration in the environment to what might have occurred III a more primitive and sustainable type of agriculture and converts pollutant into fertilizer. Soil microorganisms decompose the organic components of sewage and slurry and most of the mineral nutrients become available to be absorbed again by the vegetation.The excess input of nutrients, both nitrogen and phosphorus - based, from agricultural runoff (and human sewag e) has caused many healthy oligotrophic lakes (low nutrient concentrations, low plant productivity with abundant water weeds, and clear water) to change to eutrophic condition where high nutrient inputs lead to high phytoplankton productivity (sometimes dominated by bloomforming toxic species). This makes the water turbid, eliminates large plants and, in the worst situations, leads to anoxia and fish kills; so called cultural eutrophication. Thus, important ecosystem services are lost, including the provisioning service of wild-caught fish and the cultural services associated with recreation.The process of cultural eutrophication of lakes has been understood for some time. But only recently did scientists notice huge dead zones in the oceans near river outlets, particularly those draining large catchment areas such as the Mississippi in North America and the Yangtze in China. The nutrient-enriched water flows through streams, rivers and lakes, and eventually to the estuary and ocean where the ecological impact may be huge, killing virtually all invertebrates and fish in areas up to 70,000 km2 in extent. More than 150 sea areas worldwide are now regularly starved of oxygen as a result of decomposition of algal blooms, fuelled particularly by nitrogen from agricultural runoff of fertilizers and sewage from large cities. Oceanic dead zones are typically associated withindustrialized nations and usually lie off- countries that subsidize their agriculture, encouraging farmers to increase productivity and use more fertilizer.Q.According to the passage, what are the effects of indiscriminate use of fertilizers?1. Addition of pollutants to the soil and water.2. Destruction decomposer of microorganisms in soil.3. Nutrient enrichment of water bodies.4. Creation of algal blooms.

Passage -1The law in many parts of the world increasingly restricts the discharge of agricultural slurry into watercourses. The simplest and often the most economically sound practice returns the material to the land as semisolid manure or as sprayed slurry. This dilutes its concentration in the environment to what might have occurred III a more primitive and sustainable type of agriculture and converts pollutant into fertilizer. Soil microorganisms decompose the organic components of sewage and slurry and most of the mineral nutrients become available to be absorbed again by the vegetation.The excess input of nutrients, both nitrogen and phosphorus - based, from agricultural runoff (and human sewag e) has caused many healthy oligotrophic lakes (low nutrient concentrations, low plant productivity with abundant water weeds, and clear water) to change to eutrophic condition where high nutrient inputs lead to high phytoplankton productivity (sometimes dominated by bloomforming toxic species). This makes the water turbid, eliminates large plants and, in the worst situations, leads to anoxia and fish kills; so called cultural eutrophication. Thus, important ecosystem services are lost, including the provisioning service of wild-caught fish and the cultural services associated with recreation.The process of cultural eutrophication of lakes has been understood for some time. But only recently did scientists notice huge dead zones in the oceans near river outlets, particularly those draining large catchment areas such as the Mississippi in North America and the Yangtze in China. The nutrient-enriched water flows through streams, rivers and lakes, and eventually to the estuary and ocean where the ecological impact may be huge, killing virtually all invertebrates and fish in areas up to 70,000 km2 in extent. More than 150 sea areas worldwide are now regularly starved of oxygen as a result of decomposition of algal blooms, fuelled particularly by nitrogen from agricultural runoff of fertilizers and sewage from large cities. Oceanic dead zones are typically associated withindustrialized nations and usually lie off- countries that subsidize their agriculture, encouraging farmers to increase productivity and use more fertilizer.Q.The passage refers to the conversion of pollutant to fertilizer. What is pollutant and what is fertilizer in this context?

Passage -1The law in many parts of the world increasingly restricts the discharge of agricultural slurry into watercourses. The simplest and often the most economically sound practice returns the material to the land as semisolid manure or as sprayed slurry. This dilutes its concentration in the environment to what might have occurred III a more primitive and sustainable type of agriculture and converts pollutant into fertilizer. Soil microorganisms decompose the organic components of sewage and slurry and most of the mineral nutrients become available to be absorbed again by the vegetation.The excess input of nutrients, both nitrogen and phosphorus - based, from agricultural runoff (and human sewag e) has caused many healthy oligotrophic lakes (low nutrient concentrations, low plant productivity with abundant water weeds, and clear water) to change to eutrophic condition where high nutrient inputs lead to high phytoplankton productivity (sometimes dominated by bloomforming toxic species). This makes the water turbid, eliminates large plants and, in the worst situations, leads to anoxia and fish kills; so called cultural eutrophication. Thus, important ecosystem services are lost, including the provisioning service of wild-caught fish and the cultural services associated with recreation.The process of cultural eutrophication of lakes has been understood for some time. But only recently did scientists notice huge dead zones in the oceans near river outlets, particularly those draining large catchment areas such as the Mississippi in North America and the Yangtze in China. The nutrient-enriched water flows through streams, rivers and lakes, and eventually to the estuary and ocean where the ecological impact may be huge, killing virtually all invertebrates and fish in areas up to 70,000 km2 in extent. More than 150 sea areas worldwide are now regularly starved of oxygen as a result of decomposition of algal blooms, fuelled particularly by nitrogen from agricultural runoff of fertilizers and sewage from large cities. Oceanic dead zones are typically associated withindustrialized nations and usually lie off- countries that subsidize their agriculture, encouraging farmers to increase productivity and use more fertilizer.Q.What is the central theme of this passage?

Passage -1The law in many parts of the world increasingly restricts the discharge of agricultural slurry into watercourses. The simplest and often the most economically sound practice returns the material to the land as semisolid manure or as sprayed slurry. This dilutes its concentration in the environment to what might have occurred III a more primitive and sustainable type of agriculture and converts pollutant into fertilizer. Soil microorganisms decompose the organic components of sewage and slurry and most of the mineral nutrients become available to be absorbed again by the vegetation.The excess input of nutrients, both nitrogen and phosphorus - based, from agricultural runoff (and human sewag e) has caused many healthy oligotrophic lakes (low nutrient concentrations, low plant productivity with abundant water weeds, and clear water) to change to eutrophic condition where high nutrient inputs lead to high phytoplankton productivity (sometimes dominated by bloomforming toxic species). This makes the water turbid, eliminates large plants and, in the worst situations, leads to anoxia and fish kills; so called cultural eutrophication. Thus, important ecosystem services are lost, including the provisioning service of wild-caught fish and the cultural services associated with recreation.The process of cultural eutrophication of lakes has been understood for some time. But only recently did scientists notice huge dead zones in the oceans near river outlets, particularly those draining large catchment areas such as the Mississippi in North America and the Yangtze in China. The nutrient-enriched water flows through streams, rivers and lakes, and eventually to the estuary and ocean where the ecological impact may be huge, killing virtually all invertebrates and fish in areas up to 70,000 km2 in extent. More than 150 sea areas worldwide are now regularly starved of oxygen as a result of decomposition of algal blooms, fuelled particularly by nitrogen from agricultural runoff of fertilizers and sewage from large cities. Oceanic dead zones are typically associated withindustrialized nations and usually lie off- countries that subsidize their agriculture, encouraging farmers to increase productivity and use more fertilizer.Q.What is/are the characteristics of a water body with cultural eutrophication?1. Loss of ecosystem services2. Loss of flora and fauna3. Loss of mineral nutrients

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“Soil pollution is defined as the ‘addition of substances to the soil, which adversely affects physical, chemical and biological properties of soil and reduces its productivity.” In this context, consider the following causes of soil pollution:1. Indiscriminate use of fertilizers.2. Dumping of solid waste3. Soil erosionWhich of the above factors is/are responsible for soil pollution?a)1 and 2 onlyb)2 and 3 onlyc)1 onlyd)1, 2 and 3Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?
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“Soil pollution is defined as the ‘addition of substances to the soil, which adversely affects physical, chemical and biological properties of soil and reduces its productivity.” In this context, consider the following causes of soil pollution:1. Indiscriminate use of fertilizers.2. Dumping of solid waste3. Soil erosionWhich of the above factors is/are responsible for soil pollution?a)1 and 2 onlyb)2 and 3 onlyc)1 onlyd)1, 2 and 3Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? for UPSC 2024 is part of UPSC preparation. The Question and answers have been prepared according to the UPSC exam syllabus. Information about “Soil pollution is defined as the ‘addition of substances to the soil, which adversely affects physical, chemical and biological properties of soil and reduces its productivity.” In this context, consider the following causes of soil pollution:1. Indiscriminate use of fertilizers.2. Dumping of solid waste3. Soil erosionWhich of the above factors is/are responsible for soil pollution?a)1 and 2 onlyb)2 and 3 onlyc)1 onlyd)1, 2 and 3Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? covers all topics & solutions for UPSC 2024 Exam. Find important definitions, questions, meanings, examples, exercises and tests below for “Soil pollution is defined as the ‘addition of substances to the soil, which adversely affects physical, chemical and biological properties of soil and reduces its productivity.” In this context, consider the following causes of soil pollution:1. Indiscriminate use of fertilizers.2. Dumping of solid waste3. Soil erosionWhich of the above factors is/are responsible for soil pollution?a)1 and 2 onlyb)2 and 3 onlyc)1 onlyd)1, 2 and 3Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?.
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