Soil Degradation and the Human Condition, Including the Pandemic, Interactions, Causes, Impacts, Control Measures and Likely Future Prospects
Leonard Chimaobi Agim, Mildred Chioma Ahukaemere, Ifenyinwa Uzoh, Stanley Uche Onwudike, A. F. Osisi, Ememngamha Emmanuel Ihem, Ugochukwu Nkwopara
Abstract
The global spread of soil degradation threatens the sustainability of human life. The review focused on soil degradation beyond global pandemic, causes, impacts, control and prospects. The work majorly concentrated on developing countries like Nigeria while giving a global view of soil degradation. In this work we attempted to show the critical nature of soil degradation, requiring serious attention like the current global pandemic known as corona virus or covid 19. We show that the causes of soil erosion are associated with the degradation of key physical and chemical soil properties. Notable physical soil property reductions are caused by water and wind erosion, including surface crust formation, and the chemical soil property reductions are associated with soil fertility decline, salinization, sodification, and other processes. Each cause of soil degradation may be traced to land management. This review notes that addressing soil degradation is important to meeting the 2015 United Nation sustainable development goals.