Recently, there have been incredibly strong winds in the northern hemisphere, more specifically, in Greenland. These powerful winds are blowing over the ice sheets in Greenland, and are eroding the soil in the nearby Tundra. These winds are exacerbating the problem of Soil Erosion in the Tundra; causing a loss of productive and fertile land for animals to graze on or live on. Fertile  soil that supports animals in the northern hemisphere is already scarce, the soil erosion taking place is only making the problem worse.

The above Article carefully points out that soil erosion is not just a problem faced by farmers, it is also a serious problem for the animals that habitat these lands. Animals and plants/vegetation are losing land to inhabit, effectively reducing the carrying capacity for organisms in these regions. Global warming and climate change is most likely at the heart of these problems, if humans take more steps to limit their carbon footprint, there most likely be a reduction in the amount of soil Erosion.

 

Greenland ice sheet’s winds driving tundra soil erosion, study finds. (2015, August 12).

Retrieved August 23, 2015, from

http://phys.org/news/2015-08-greenland-ice-sheet-tundra-soil.html

Nebraska Farmers are facing the severe problem of soil erosion, despite taking precautionary measures to halt the destructive process. After a season of heavy rainfall, many farmers in the Midwest are facing unusually extreme cases of soil erosion. Soil erosion is caused when soil is exposed to lots of wind or water, which takes the nutrients out of the soil, creating unproductive farmland. To reduce the effects of soil erosion, the NRCS, or the Natural Resources Conservation Service, has implemented a policy to reduce the tilling of land, and have begun to use new fertilizing tactics to improve the productivity of the farmland.

This article is shows that the effects of Soil Erosion are far-reaching, and can have a major impact on the agriculture in the US. Soil Erosion is leading to a depletion in productive farmland; causing a decrease in agricultural production, and a lack of resources. There must be steps taken to mitigate the effects of Soil Erosion, if there are no measures taken, humans will lose the capacity to grow enough crops to provide for the constantly growing population. The possibility of running out of resources, or land, to produce food is real, and could lead to a famine in the US.

 

Derickson, C. (2015, August 11). Soil erosion is costly; look at these numbers. Retrieved August

23, 2015, from

http://www.kearneyhub.com/opinions/kearneyview/soil-erosion-is-costly-look-at-these-numbers/article_4f716f34-403d-11e5-ab41-a32ed5aa0f95.html