Describe what erosion is and its effects on the soil. Describe what additives people put into the soil, and what affects they have on water, plants and animals. Have an appreciation for the most basic and important resources of the Earth which sustains us. The use and abuse of soil has become a critical issue throughout the world. The lack of good topsoil has caused many a farmer to add nitrogen, phosphorus, lime, and other products to enhance the soil's productivity.
People get the desired short term result, but at a cost.
Locally, all the additives wash into the streams, rivers, and eventually the Chesapeake Bay. Adding nutrients to this fragile estuarine system is devastating to its health, because the surplus nutrients causes algal blooms which cause oxygen scarcity problems for fish, crabs, and other creatures that inhabit the bay. Uncontrolled cutting of forests for agriculture and other development harms the soil by removing plants that absorb moisture and stabilize the sediment that make up the soil. The result is increased runoff and less stable topsoil for plants. This lesson will help students learn what soil is, why it is important, and the results of human activity.