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Soil Degradation and loss of Fertility in Hela, Enga and Southern…
Soil Degradation and loss of Fertility in Hela, Enga and Southern Highlands Provinces, PNG
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- Deforestation destroys vegetative root networks
- Overgrazing exposes topsoil matrix
- Intense agriculture depletes organic nutrients
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- Extreme heat accelerates surface evaporation
- Bare, dry soil loses structural humidity
- High wind shear removes fertile upper horizons
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- Direct rainfall hits unprotected soil
- Heavy surface runoff washes away silt/clay
- Mechanical erosion accelerates topsoil loss
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- H⁺ ion accumulation spikes acidity
- Nutrient Displacement: Soil-Ca²⁺ + 2H⁺(aq) → Soil-2H⁺ + Ca²⁺(aq)
- Hydrosphere leaches Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ below root zones
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- Over-irrigation raises the water table
- Capillary action pulls mineral salts upward
- Surface evaporation leaves salt crust: Na⁺(aq) + Cl⁻(aq) → NaCl(s)
- Sodium disperses clay particles, choking plant roots
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- Excessive tillage forces atmospheric O₂ into soil
- Aerobic microbes hyper-activated
- Humus breakdown: C(s, organic) + O₂(g) → CO₂(g)
- Solid carbon is lost to the atmosphere as greenhouse gas
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- No-till farming preserves stable organic matter
- Leaving crop residue safeguards against wind shear
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- Continuous cover crops anchor the soil
- Legumes fix atmospheric nitrogen naturally
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- Drip irrigation prevents rising water tables
- Controlled drainage halts salinization
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- Deep tree roots anchor geosphere crust layers