Importance of Soil as A Natural Resource
Soil is an important natural resource that plays a vital role in sustaining life on earth. It is the basis of agriculture, providing food, fiber and fuel for human consumption. Soil also serves as a habitat for a variety of microorganisms, insects and small animals and helps filter and clean water. In short, soil is an essential component of the natural environment, and its conservation and management are vital to the well-being of our planet.
Soil is an important asset for us which we get from nature. It is useful for us in the following ways:-
As a Medium for Growing Crops
- Soil is very essential for growing plants and crops. Food for us and grass for animals grow in the soil. For example, we get food from plants / trees, animals get food in the form of grass. We also get different types of medicines, paper, cotton and wood from plants.
As a Source of Minerals
- There are many types of minerals in the soil. These minerals are used to obtain many types of things. For example, we obtain iron and aluminum from the oxides present in the soil. Gypsum calcite etc. is an important mineral used in factories. Clay soil is used for making bricks and utensils etc.
As a Water Storage Medium
- The surface water of rain, river etc. seeps into the soil. The impurities present in the water remain on the surface only. Fresh water that has been absorbed into the soil is stored as groundwater in the lowest layer of the soil. This water can be taken out with the help of hand pump etc. If there was no soil, all the water would have flowed into the sea and it would not have been drinkable at all. Because that water is not absorbed in the form of underground water, nor can it be stored, that is why soil is very important for water storage.
As a Natural Habitat
- Soil is the natural habitat of various types of microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi and insects such as earthworms and some organisms such as snakes, rats, etc. These organisms also increase the fertility of the soil. Earthworm helps in increasing the amount of air in the soil, which makes the soil more fertile for farming, hence it is also called the friend of farmers.
That's why it is very important for us to conserve soil because without it life on earth is not possible.
No comments:
Post a Comment