Organic Farming as a solution for the Industrial Agriculture

<br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxsCRpK14ULwJhiFaAfV0U3NuRcLKmZ-LW1epSxK8REHmNjHsQopcIHHbzUJ697n6qTNBTIGhflCpbjmTkYyISoVhBBAgxB0CCH6cccGDg8qD-taobHL4KpcB7_C9qZtgCV4oOltCUrxcW/s1600/farming.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="organic farming, towards to organic farming" border="0" data-original-height="449" data-original-width="732" height="392" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxsCRpK14ULwJhiFaAfV0U3NuRcLKmZ-LW1epSxK8REHmNjHsQopcIHHbzUJ697n6qTNBTIGhflCpbjmTkYyISoVhBBAgxB0CCH6cccGDg8qD-taobHL4KpcB7_C9qZtgCV4oOltCUrxcW/s640/farming.PNG" title="Why do the farmers need to move towards the organic farming" width="640" /></a></div> <div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><br /></span></span></b></div> <div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"> <!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">    </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Why do the farmers need to move towards the organic farming?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">At present, the conventional farming involves use of lots of synthesized chemicals as herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, and fertilizers and use heavy machineries for the land preparation in order to gain maximum crop production. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">People in the developed countries more concern about their diet and they do not like to force a threat to survival of people, and environment in the rest of the world. So, they tends to buy the sustainably grown products with minimum impacts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span><o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGwV70G7VHlanNVeHGvXpf0cLSOZk0nHMyd26BabBT2ux7ycrq0cKuBDkv1KIur0dwAW-ygPRFV6xGKHJCCW7voDZOula2sWA4hjOSOwdSk0L9JYdtHm_jb877669RHOE9H3k90QM9rx1K/s1600/sada.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="what is organic framing, organic framing " border="0" data-original-height="342" data-original-width="596" height="364" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGwV70G7VHlanNVeHGvXpf0cLSOZk0nHMyd26BabBT2ux7ycrq0cKuBDkv1KIur0dwAW-ygPRFV6xGKHJCCW7voDZOula2sWA4hjOSOwdSk0L9JYdtHm_jb877669RHOE9H3k90QM9rx1K/s640/sada.PNG" title="what is organic framing" width="640" /></a></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div> <div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"> <!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">    </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">What is organic farming?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Organic farming is defined by USDA as “organic farming is a system which avoids or largely excludes the use of synthetic inputs (such as fertilizers, pesticides, hormones, feed additives etc) and to the maximum extent feasible rely upon crop rotations, crop residues, animal manures, off-farm organic waste, mineral grade rock additives and biological system of nutrient mobilization and plant protection”.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The organic farming concept emerged in 20th century as a solution for the problems coming under the conventional farming. At present, it accounts for 1-2% of crop cultivation all over the world. However, its extent grows annually. Austria, Italy, and </span><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Czech</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> Republic <span style="color: black;">are the major organic food producers in the world.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"> <!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">    </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Organic farming certification<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">It is a process of certification of producers of organically grown crop products. Farmers have to strictly follow the guidelines of the certification body from the land preparation to transport of the products.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Farmers are beneficial from the certification of their organically cultivated products. Because, the world’s demand for the organic foods increases day by day and most of people are ready to pay extra to purchase the healthy vegetables, spices and fruits for their nourishment.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: .75in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"> <!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">    </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Techniques involve in organic farming <o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Most of the environmental problems associated with conventional farming can be addressed by using the techniques and methods in the organic farming. Thereby, it helps to continue the farming in the same land for years.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Crop rotation:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> It is the practice of growing different type’s crop species in the same land area in different seasons. This farming techniques help the crop species with different nutrient requirement to flourish in different season. Thereby, the depletion of same group of nutrients is avoided in the farm land. So, it reduces the nourishment of the land with the excessive use of fertilizers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span><o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Use of green manure:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> Simply the green manure crops can be grown among crops in the farm land or parts of such crops grown elsewhere can be incorporated into the cultivation. Numerous species <b>of grasses, legumes and non-legumes</b> are functioned as the green manure. Legumes like peas, beans, peanuts, cloves, and tamarind can be grown as cover crops next to the raw crops. These nitrogen fixing bacteria in the legumes may releases nitrate into the soil. Application of tender leaves, twigs and branches of non-legume plant species like <i>Albizia lebbeck</i>,sunflower, and <i>Azardirachta indica </i>releases the essential nutrients and organic matter into the soil.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Application of compost</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">: The compost results from the degradation of plant materials should be applied as <b>a soil stabilizer and an enhancer </b>rather than a fertilizer. Because nutrients availability in the compost is very less compare to the fertilizers and green manure. The organic matter content in the compost provides extra cation and anion exchange sites for the soil. Thereby, it increases the availability of the soil. Furthermore, the organic matter accelerates the binding and formation of the soil aggregations. Thereby, the compost help to improve the structure of the soil. The microorganisms in the compost has the ability kill the plant pathogens in the soil.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Mitigation of the soil erosion</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">: Instead of growing mono cultures, cultivation of the mix cultivation facilitate the growth of crops with dense foliage and deep root systems. In addition, bushes with fibrous root system like lemon grasses can be planted in spaces of the lands. The organic matter results from the degradation of plant materials of them and their abundance roots system help to form soil aggregates. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their canopy prevents the direct contacts of rain droplets with the soil particles.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Biological pest control methods:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> One strategy of natural control of pests is the use of the <b>relationship of predator-prey</b>. The natural enemies of the pests can be attracted to the farm lands. Frogs and birds are often insectivores and they feed on the insects pests attracting to the crops.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Another strategy for the pest control is use of plants. Plants like Chrysanthemums have <b>unique scent</b> that has ability to repel the agricultural pest out of the lands. Extracts from some herbal species like turmeric and <i>Azardirachta indica </i>can be sprayed over the land to get rid of the pests.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Control of weeds:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> The growth of weeds in the organic farming can be discouraged in various ways. Attaining a vigorous crop growth is important to eliminate the weeds though the competition. Selection of seeds with good inherent characteristics, good soil quality, well-drained soil, and optimal land preparation techniques help the crops to sustain and retard the growth of the weeds. The growth of weeds is also controlled by growing the crops species with <b><span style="background: white;">allelopathy</span></b></span><b><span style="background: white; color: #666666; font-family: "Helvetica",sans-serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> </span></b><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">effects</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">. Allelopathic plants like wheat and sunflowers release toxic chemicals and cause detrimental effects to weeds and their emerging seedlings. When selecting the crops for the cultivation, it is better to select <b>crops with relatively dense canopy</b>. Because, canopy interrupts the light penetration to floor. So, it discourages the growth of weeds.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Encourage natural pollination</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">: As the use of synthesized pesticides, herbicides and fungicides is avoided, the pollinators like honey bees, butterflies and flies come to the crops for forage. The attraction of the pollinators can be increased to the farm by providing their requirements. Wildflowers with red, yellow and white colors can be planted at the edge of the farm. Small, shallow water tanks can be placed in farm for their drinking and bathing.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">             </span>5) <b>Advantages of organic farming</b><o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">1) Reduce the cost of farming<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">In organic farming, expenses associated with the crop cultivation is drastically reduced. Because, the use of synthesized fertilizers, growth hormones, pesticides, fungicides and herbicides is avoided. Capital, operational and maintain costs of use of the heavy machineries are also cut down. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">2) Increase the taste and minimize the chemicals residues in the vegetables and </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">fruits: The binding of <b><span style="background: white; color: black;">flavonoids</span></b><span style="background: white; color: black;"> with sugar in the plants are responsible for the taste of foods. In the food harvested from conventional farming, these flavonoids are destroyed due to exposure to excessive amount of synthesized pesticides. As the organically grown foods are not exposed to chemicals like conventional farming, high availability of flavonoids in them increase the taste of the foods. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The chemical substances or byproducts is rarely found in the organic foods as they are not exposed to chemicals. Therefore, organic foods are healthier than the food growing in convention framing systems.</span><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">3) Increase the job opportunities<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">As the most of the works in the organic cultivation are done manually, it generates more job opportunities for the villagers. The land preparation, seed, application of fertilizers, removal of weeds, and harvesting are done by the hands.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">4) Increase the biodiversity<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">As the all practices in organic farming are done in environmental friendly way, it encourages the visiting and establishments of animals through giving their basic requirements and proving them micro habitats. The reduction of usage of synthesized chemicals in the agricultural fields provides an ideal feeding ground and habitats for the pollinators like honey bees and butterflies, pest control animals like frogs, and Greater Coucal, and soil structure enhancers like earth worms.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">In addition to maintaining the animal diversity, as the cover crops, green manure crops, nitrogen fixing crops, and wild varieties of crops are grown in the organic farms, it also help to increase the diversity of plants as well. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">5) Regulate the climate change</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The massive scale greenhouse gas emission results from the conventional farming is minimized in the organic farming. Because, as the use of heavy machineries is prevented, the burning of fossil fuels is also cut down.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Soil preparation works are also done with a minimum disturbance to the soil. The loss of top soil layers by the soil erosion is also minimized. This actions preserve the carbon sequestration potential of the soil. And also, cultivation of various types of crop within a single land increases the carbon sequestration potential in the living biomass of the lands.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">6) Preserve the health of workers<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Unlike the conventional farming, the health of the workers employed in organic farming is not get affected. Because, the chronic and acute exposure to synthesized pesticides causes serious illness in the workers. Most of the workers do not follow the guidelines and take necessary to minimize their exposure to the chemicals. People involved in spraying pesticides often reluctant to Wearing personal protection equipment like gloves, boots, goggles, protective suits, and respirators which help them to prevent acute exposure. Irregular disposal of pesticides into nearby water bodies contaminates the drinking water sources of the workers and causes chronic exposure to these chemicals and their byproducts in the environments. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">7) Minimize the ground water pollution<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Deep percolation and leeching of nutrients like nitrate and phosphate and heavy metals is minimized due the prevention of the excess use of fertilizers and pesticides. The improved soil quality and soil structure assist the soil particles to hold the nutrients and heavy metals onto their cations and anion exchange sites. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">8) Enhanced water quality of adjacent surface water bodies<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">As the organic farming pays special attention towards the controlling the soil erosion, majority of soil particles from the nutrients rich top soil layers do not wash away by the runoff. As the degree of the sedimentation is reduced, water quality and aquatic life are also minimally affected.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">9) As a tourist destination:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> People live in big cities with busy life style and highly polluted environments love to visit the rural area and spend few days there. There is a growing trend of tourists visiting the organic farm and doing some brain relaxing works while tasting the foods prepared from the farms. It is a good opportunity for the owner of these farmers to transfer the knowledge on organic farming, traditions and culture of local people. It generate new income for the farm and surrounding people are also benefited.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">           </span>6) Disadvantages of organic farming<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">1) Harvest from the organic farming is relatively less compare to conventional farming. Because, unlike conventional farming, the inputs including fertilizers to organic farming is low.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">2) Due to inability to produce foods in large quantities, organic farming alone cannot feed all the world’s populations. So, most of the people still have to rely on food production from the conventional farming techniques.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">3) Organically grown foods are unaffordable for the people with low income. Because, organic foods are sold at high prices compare to the foods coming from conventional farming.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">4) Producers find difficulty to sell their products in the markets. Because, the marketing of the organically cultivated foods is not successful due to its small scale production.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <br />

Organic Farming as a solution for the Industrial Agriculture

1)     Why do the farmers need to move towards the organic farming? At present, the conventional farming involves use of lots of syn...

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Honey Bees: The companion of the farmers

<br /> <div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"> <!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">    </span></span></b></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6TnCO9zmv-kvdfVvwG5SrpYi3ZVf-VG2O6VIwKnKsXrXYqUD1dkprpK2YL-S_kgfc0_LwP7r-P5QFee1BD5H6gx6n6hzGak-oa9KgvJeMgwUiuO7_BpeSfnDzyopIwAV4d5QFSXbHKuuP/s1600/beee.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="honey, bees, honey bees, pollination, cross pollination, self pollination, pollinators, climate change" border="0" data-original-height="537" data-original-width="967" height="354" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6TnCO9zmv-kvdfVvwG5SrpYi3ZVf-VG2O6VIwKnKsXrXYqUD1dkprpK2YL-S_kgfc0_LwP7r-P5QFee1BD5H6gx6n6hzGak-oa9KgvJeMgwUiuO7_BpeSfnDzyopIwAV4d5QFSXbHKuuP/s640/beee.PNG" title="Honey Bees: The companion of the farmers" width="640" /></a></b></div> <br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div> <b>      </b><br /> <div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">    1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">     </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">What is the pollination?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Flowers function as the reproductive organ of the flowering plants. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The stamen which act as the male part of the flowers is comprised of anther and filament. The function of filament is bearing the anther. The anther produce large amount of pollen grains which carry the male gametes of flowering plants.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The pistil which acts as female part in the flowers consists of stigma, style, and ovary. Stigma in the pistil collects the pollen grains. Then, pollen are transferred from stigma to ovaries through the style. Ovaries produce the female gametes called ovules. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"> <!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">      </span></span></b></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <b><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqhYtgyzhbshqKlz4Q76FGCYhjYJLxwtq8sZS3W7CuYbHxil5yfBkp7YnmIHbQXuj2-FCjqOTlTE9hbnhwSjm2RS1sEtW8aqa4V2ipGK81dfXjQwg6_t6wn_yV2wtVfwdFQSDYF-FVP1H2/s1600/pollinators.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="359" data-original-width="624" height="368" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqhYtgyzhbshqKlz4Q76FGCYhjYJLxwtq8sZS3W7CuYbHxil5yfBkp7YnmIHbQXuj2-FCjqOTlTE9hbnhwSjm2RS1sEtW8aqa4V2ipGK81dfXjQwg6_t6wn_yV2wtVfwdFQSDYF-FVP1H2/s640/pollinators.PNG" width="640" /></a></b></div> <br /> <div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">      2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">     </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><span style="line-height: 150%;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>What are the forms of </b></span><span style="font-size: 18.6667px;"><b>pollination</b></span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><b>?<o:p></o:p></b></span></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The pollination is defined as the transferring the pollen grains from the anther to the stigma of flowers. When the pollen grains are moved to stigma from anther of the same flower or stigma of another flower in the same plant is called as <b>“self-pollination”.</b> If the pollen grain from anther is moved to stigma of flower in another plant is named as <b>“cross pollination”.</b><o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">       3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">     </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Who are the pollinators?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The flowers cannot pollinate themselves without a help of external agent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Wind, water, and animals such as insects, birds and bats act as the pollinating agents of the flowering plants. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Pollinators are the group of animals that transfer the pollen grains from anther to stigma of flowers. Among the animals, insects like honey bee, bumble bee, wasp, beetles, ants, flies and butterflies, birds like Humming birds and mammals like bats involve in the plant pollination.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Pollination is an unintended act of these animals. They do pollination because of the reward they receive from the flowers. The flowers offer food resources like nectar, oil and mineral rich pollens and non- food sources like floral oil for the pollinators. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Apart from the other pollinating agent such wind and water, pollinators alone are responsible for the more than 80% of the pollination of flowering plants in the world. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"> <!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">   </span></span></b></div> <div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">      4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">     </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The role of Honey Bees as the pollinators<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Honey bees are identified as one of social insect in the world. Their colony is comprised of queen, female workers and drones. Only the queen has the ability to undergo reproduction and produce the new generation of bees. The major function of drones is the mating and fertilizing the eggs of queens. Workers females are the most important members of the bees’ colony and only they are responsible for the pollination of plants during their forage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span><o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The honey bees are the most important group of pollinators as they contribute to pollination of a third of world’s crop plants. A typical honey bee visits more than 50 flower within one collection trip. And also, within one trip they feed only one species of flowering plants until the last crop of the cultivation and then shift to another flowering species. Thereby, they assist for the cross pollination among the flowering plants. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The flower offers nectar and pollens as reward for the honey bees visiting them. Nectar is rich in carbohydrates and later it is converted into honey by the bees. As a major part of honey bees’ diet, the pollens offer essential nutrients like carbohydrates, proteins, oil, and minerals for them. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Not all the honey bees that visit the flower do not carry the pollens. Only small number of bees transfer pollen and carry honey in a single trip. They transfer pollen from one flower to another flower by attaching the pollen into specified hairy organs called as <b>“corbicula”</b> in their hind legs. One honey bee can carry a pollen load more than 50% of its body weight.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Farmers are directly benefited by the action of pollination of bees. As a result of this volunteer action of honey bees, the cost of the farming is reduced. Because, if the pollination cannot be performed by the pollinators like bees, farmers have to spend money on that. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Even though the crops plant are pollinated by the bees, these types of crops are indirectly advantaged by the bees as they help to increase the diversity among the crops. Because, pollination of cover crops and other companion crops are able to stimulate the growth of crops.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"> <!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">     5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">     </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Other functions of honey bees<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"> <!--[if !supportLists]--><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">      1)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">    </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">As biological indicator</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The honey bees have been used as a biological indicators of heavy metal analysis in the environmental studies since 1972. Honey bees are used as a biological indicator in two ways. Mortality rate of honey bees is observed after expose them to the toxic chemicals containing pesticides or availability of less toxic substances containing pesticides and heavy metals is analyzed in the residue in the pollen, honey and their larvae.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">2) Mitigation of global Climate change <o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The pollination acts as the foremost step of the plants reproduction. This action by honey bees help the production of thousands of saplings of flowering plants around the world. By increasing number of trees, bees help to regulate the climate change by enhancing the carbon sequestration opportunities. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">3) As a solution for Human Elephant Conflict<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Colonies of honey bees can be established in the margin of villages near the forests instead of electric fences. When elephant come towards the village and touch the honey bee colonies, bees are disturbed and they start to attack the elephants. It causes the elephants to go back to their native forests. Meanwhile, nectar from the honey bee colonies provides an alternative income for the villagers.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">4) Honey as an essential ingredient <o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Honey extracted from the honey bee colony has huge demand from the ancient times. Honey is used as the ingredient in the preparation of foods and drinks. But due to the high amount of sugar contain, intake of honey in large quantities should be avoided. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Honey is used as remedy for the treatment in indigenous medicine because it has antibacterial properties due to its high acidity. So, it has been believed that honey as ability to cure the sore throats and cough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span><o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Honey acts as good preservative agent for foods under the right conditions. Its high concentration of sugar prevent the growth of yeast and bacteria in the foods through the osmosis. In ancient Sri Lanka, indigenous people used honey as preservative agent for their meat. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Honey is used as essential constituent in the manufacturing of cosmetics and personal care products like facial and eye packs, bathing soaps, perfumes, and sun screen products in the world.</span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"> <!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">    6.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">     </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Threats for honey bees<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">1) Excessive use of pesticides<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">As Farmers have shifted towards profit oriented farming. So, they are tying maximize the crop yield by increasing inputs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>As a result, the farmers tend to spray synthesized pesticides in large quantities. Even though these innocent creatures are not targeted by application of these pesticides, but this excess use of pesticides negatively effects the honey bees as they are intolerance organisms to chemicals. As the constituents of the pesticides are persistent in the environment, they tend to stay for long period of time and cause death of more and more of honey bees. Thereby, it leads to local extinction of honey bees. So, farmers have to find alternatives for the pollination of their crops. They have to hire the bees from the bee keepers or do the pollination by employing labors. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">2) Deforestation and habitat loss<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Major threat for existence of honey bees is the loss of habitats. Forest provides the habitats for most of flowering plants as well as nesting sites for the honey bees. Intensified agriculture, pasture lands, construction of roads, buildings, power plants, and expanding human settlements acts as drivers of deforestation. Due to the busy life style and lack of enough space, residents in the urban areas are not interested in growing flowering plants for the attracting bees. Moreover, deteriorated<b> </b>environmental conditions like air pollution do not allow for bees to survive and flourish. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">3) Pest attacks<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Similar to other organisms, bees are also subjected to infectious diseases originating from certain bacteria, viruses, and fungi. But, the risk for the infections in bees are increased, as their immunity get weaken by the exposure to synthesized chemicals and unfavorable environmental conditions.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: "Gotham SSm B",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The viruses transmitted through attack of varroa mite is recognized as a major thereat for the existence of the honey bees all over the world.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">4) Climate change <o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">As a results of adverse effects of climate change, frequency and intensity of natural disasters have been increased and seasonality is also altered in the temperate countries. Consequently, flowering season of some flowering plants has changed. And also, most of flowering plants are died due to the extreme temperature results from the prolonged droughts. Thereby, honey bees are unable find their forage on time before the winter. The insufficient nutrition leads to the decline the bee population globally.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">5) Spread of invasive plants <o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Although honey bees cannot extract nectar and pollen grain from most of invasive plants because invasive plants are lack of morphological modifications to enable the access of the honey bee for the extraction. However, bees still can forage on some invasive plants. Unfortunately, the substances including proteins and in the pollen and nectar are detrimental to the bees. Furthermore, the invasion of the invasive plant species causes the decline of the population of flowering plants. It results in the loss of the forage of the honey bees.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"> <!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">7.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">     </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Attraction of honey bee to farm lands and backyards<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Wildflowers with bright colors like sun flowers should be planted among the crops. Because, honey bees forage naturally on the wildflowers than introduced ones. So, higher the number of wildflower plants, higher number of bees can be attracted and beneficiated by the garden.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span><o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">When selecting the crops species for the cultivation, vegetables and fruit crops with fragrance and attractive flowers should be planted. Pumpkins, cucumber, water melons, straw berries and black barriers are the examples for the crops bearing bright color flowers.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">In addition to offering flowers for the bees, shallow tanks or ponds should be constructed for supplying water for drinking and bathing and trees should be grown for proving shades for the coming bees.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Furthermore, the use of synthesized chemicals containing pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides must be minimized or avoided. <b>Biological pest control methods</b> should be attempted. Flowering plants like Chrysanthemums were grown in the crops lands to repel the harmful insects in Sri Lanka. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <br />

Honey Bees: The companion of the farmers

               1.      What is the pollination? Flowers function as the reproductive organ of the flowering plants. The stamen...

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Industrial agriculture as a threat to the environment, economy and the society

<br /> <div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"> <!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">   </span></span></b><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvCGz7tjkC50lur0M0TKYz1Ewh0Eje7ZSZzEr68RaMPD92OQToDEYV3RRmort-Syi2D827Ks6jwAb2NVPmHe5QX9Y6ggjc-p3iEQGv1ExF-KVr-0QFiwM3pDbc-DR7h5pjkYm-_8Q2tfMB/s1600/23131.PNG" imageanchor="1"><img alt="industrial agriculture , environment threat , biggest environmental threats, " border="0" data-original-height="584" data-original-width="962" height="388" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvCGz7tjkC50lur0M0TKYz1Ewh0Eje7ZSZzEr68RaMPD92OQToDEYV3RRmort-Syi2D827Ks6jwAb2NVPmHe5QX9Y6ggjc-p3iEQGv1ExF-KVr-0QFiwM3pDbc-DR7h5pjkYm-_8Q2tfMB/s640/23131.PNG" title="Industrial agriculture as a threat to the environment, economy and the society" width="640" /></a></span></span></b></div> <b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> </span></span></b></div> <div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"> <b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><br /></span></span></b></div> <div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"> <b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">   </span></span></b><br /> <div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"> <!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">    1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">     </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Context before the Green Revolution<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">     Following with the technical modification results from the industrialization, green revolution emerged during middle of 20^th century in order to fulfill the food requirements of growing population in the world. Because, a significant fraction of people in the developing world died annually due to the hunger. Even the countries with strong economy had to spend so much money on the exporting foods. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"> <!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">    2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">     </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Commencement of the Green Revolution<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">     Before 1940s, Mexico was unable to produce sufficient yield of wheat for feeding its population. At the beginning of the 1940s, a scientist called Norman Borlaug started doing research to find a whet variety with high yield. As a result of the combination of naval techniques together with the new wheat varieties, Mexico produced the wheat yield more than nation’s requirements. Thereby, Mexico became the first wheat importing country in the world. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">     With success of the green revolution in Mexico, it spread into other countries as well. The countries in the developing world also shifted their traditional crop production system into high yield harvesting methods. So, these countries neglected the biological pest control methods, natural fertilizers like green manure and cow dungs, and wild varieties of crops.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">       New pesticides were innovated to control the pests interfere with the farming lands more effectively. Artificial fertilizers were started to produce in large scale to enhance the yield of the crop lands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span><o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">      New cropping methods were also introduced to the world. Wild verities of crops were domesticated to develop high yield crops which are capable of producing high yields.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Mono culture which involve cultivation of single crop species over large land area was converted to multiple cropping which grow more than one crop species in a single farm yield. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">      With the innovation of novel farming techniques and machines, the world moves towards the large scale food production few years after the green revolution.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"> <!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">     3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">     </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Industrial agriculture<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">. <o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">    The industrial agriculture is defined as the increase of the input and output per area of agricultural land. So the inputs are increased in order to gain the maximum yield from the crops. The increase in the production and application of synthesized pesticides, fertilizers, growth hormones, and modern irrigation methods, machines, and land preparation techniques have increased the world’s food production by two folds.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">    Another recent trend was arose with the innovation of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) in the agricultural sector. GMOs are developed with higher resistance to pests by inserting certain genes from other organisms. Some GMOs offer essential nutrients that cannot obtained other way for humans.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"> <!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">    4.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">     </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Disadvantages of industrial agriculture <o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">    Conventional farming practices produce a large amount of crop yields annually and even in some years the yields exceeds the world’s requirements. As the most of these farming are not carried out in a sustainable way, they force an extreme threat for the well-being of environment and the humans.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">    1) Eutrophication and algal blooming:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> Generally, fertilizers must be applied for the crop lands after an appropriate analysis of the amount available nutrients. But, fertilizers are purposely added than the requirements to increase the yields by two or three times than previous. Unfortunately, plants do not intake the nutrients than the required amount. So, the excess remain in the soil and act as harmful for the environment. Runoff through the agricultural land carry out the excess nutrients bound to soil particles to adjacent water bodies and cause eutrophication and algal blooming. Leakage of excess nutrients through the deep percolation of soil pollute the ground water sources. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">    2)  Bioaccumulation of pesticides: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The substances use in the pesticides are persistent, highly water soluble, and highly volatile. In developed countries, pesticides are sprayed over a large land area by using sophisticated <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">   </span>technologies. Most of them are got evaporated before reach the land and carry away into the remote areas by the prevailing winds. Health of people are even hundreds meters away from farms affected by the volatile compounds of the pesticides. These chemicals that end up with aquatic bodies tend to undergo the bioaccumulation in fishes and other edible aquatic animals and plants. Intake of contaminated aquatic foods cause serious illness in human and other animals. Consequently, the use of <b>DDT in agricultural activities</b> have banned since 1972 in the USA.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">     3) Loss of the support form the nature:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> Excessive use of pesticides, fungicides, and herbicides also affects beneficial organisms of the farmers rather than the targeted pests and weeds. It causes the disappearing of the pollinators like bees and butterflies, biological pest controllers like frogs and, and soil structures builders like earthworms. These organisms are very sensitive to the chemicals and are killed soon after the expose to the pesticides. When the farmers lost the assistance from nature for their cultivation, they have to increase the effort and inputs for the farming. In China, the pollination by hand is found as a solution for the local extinction of bees.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">     4) Reduction in crop diversity:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> Introduction of new crop varieties encourages the elimination of wild and local varieties of crops. Pollination among the introduced crop species and wild crop spices causes the development new crop varieties. Thereby, it reduces the diversity among the food crops. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">     5) Depletion of the natural resource:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> The conventional farming involves the <b>unsustainable extraction of natural resources </b>like water, and minerals from the natural deposits for production of fertilizers. As an example, <b>Aral Sea in Kazakhstan</b> was dried up by 2014 because the rivers that nourished the Aral Sea were diverted to feed the massive cultivation of cotton in the Russian valleys. . As a result of this uncontrolled resource extraction, its inhabited fauna, flora and other organisms were vanished and the planet lost one of its valuable marine ecosystem.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">     6) Soil erosion:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> Conventional land preparation methods of soil preparation including plowing, harrowing and leveling using heavy machines and monoculture increases the susceptibility of the land for the soil erosion. The nutrient rich top soil layer is carried by the runoff. So, the availability of the nutrients and organic matter in the soil deceases. As a results farmers have to increase the input into the farm lands.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">     7) Reduction in arable lands:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> The area of the world’s arable land is gradually decreasing as a results of lowering the ground water table, salinization, soil erosion, deterioration and degradation of soil by excessive use of fertilizers and pesticides, and depletion of water resources. As a consequently, farmers tend to explore new areas for cultivation and cut down forests. It leads to reduce the extent of worldwide forests and extinction of the earth animals and plants. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">     8) Deforestation: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The agriculture is<b> the leading driver</b> of the deforestation around the world. Large areas of forests are cut down to establish the plantation of wheat, oil palm, coffee, soy, tea, rice, maize and cacao. Once the forest ecosystem is gone, its associated fauna and flora are also wiped out. Most of abandoned the agricultural lands are left as it is and these lands continue as infertile lands over time. They are often not upgraded into previous forest ecosystem through the appropriate reforestation methods like analog forest or village forests.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">     9) Enhance climate change effects:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"> The green house emission of large scale due to use of heavy machineries, loss of sequestered carbon due to disturbance to soil and living biomass of the forest ecosystems and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>reduction in the carbon sequestration capacity of land have accelerated the climate change. According to reports of the European Union’s scientific Advice Mechanism in 2020, agriculture alone is responsible for nearly 37% of total greenhouse gas emission in the world. The enhanced climate change may also effects adversely on the agriculture by increasing temperature, reducing precipitation and increasing frequency flood occurrence.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">                 </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"> <!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">    5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">     </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Solutions for the industrial agriculture<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;">    Sustainable agriculture is a type of agricultural system that meets the present food requirements of people without comprising the ability of future generations to fulfill their own needs. This agricultural method ensures the well-being of the economy, society, and environment. It involves the lots of techniques to preserve the quality of soil, ground water, surface water and air and conserve the biodiversity.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div> </div>

Industrial agriculture as a threat to the environment, economy and the society

            1.      Context before the Green Revolution      Following with the technical modification results from the indust...

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5 Facts you need to know about the soil erosion

<br /> <div style="line-height: 150%;"> <b>^{<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 30.0pt; line-height: 150%;">  5 facts you need to know about the soil erosion</span>}</b></div> <div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"> <!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">   </span></span></b></div> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWpJRGJPQtbkBA4Vgo2bzWqqrLkHrJ8XH2pODgo-XDCSIaMltchCUsv-ieF7hiV8Rxo1eDn0Brn_UrrqwzLR2pqmph_6JcLnEvHxeeoqTDCIGSQH3oEGpA8nHTRp8zvhHWv8eVzuA2oWj/s1600/soil.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="soil, soil erosion, soil layer, water, wind" border="0" data-original-height="598" data-original-width="970" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYWpJRGJPQtbkBA4Vgo2bzWqqrLkHrJ8XH2pODgo-XDCSIaMltchCUsv-ieF7hiV8Rxo1eDn0Brn_UrrqwzLR2pqmph_6JcLnEvHxeeoqTDCIGSQH3oEGpA8nHTRp8zvhHWv8eVzuA2oWj/s1600/soil.PNG" title="5 Facts you need to know about the soil erosion" /></a></div> <div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">    1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">      </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Why top soil layer of the planet is important?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Generally, five layers are found in the soil profile of the earth. Besides, top soil layer is considered as the most important layer of the soil. It functions as the life sustaining layer of the earth as its contain lots of nutrients results from the degradation of plant materials, dead bodies of animal, and<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>animal’s fecal matter. Moreover, the most parts of the nutrients cycles also process in the top soil layer. Thereby, its nutrient supply and microclimatic conditions like high moisture content and optimal temperature together provides ideal growing medium for the Earth’s plants.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoListParagraph" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"> <!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">    2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">      </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">What is soil erosion?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The soil erosion is defined as the dislodgement of the soil particles from the top soil layer. Soils in the surface soil layer is too light and are easily displaced by natural agents like wind and water.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Although it is a natural phenomenon and it happens occasionally at a slow rate, uncontrolled anthropogenic activities have intensified the rate and frequency of the soil erosion. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 150%; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"> <!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">      </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">What are the causes of soil erosion?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Soil erosion is caused and enhanced by both natural agents as well as man induced factors.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 0in; mso-add-space: auto;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Natural agents<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">1) Wind<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Strong winds blowing across the uncovered areas of the Earth like deserts are able to carry away the soil particles and organic matter in the top soil layer. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">2) Water<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Rains along the mountains or over the slope areas causes dislodging and washing away the top soil layers. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Extreme rainfall events are enough to loss of significant area of the land mass by the massive forms of soil erosions like gully or rill erosion.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Human induced activities<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">1) Intensified agriculture<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Conversion of a forest ecosystem into large farm areas results in the loss of its valuable top soil layer. Generally, forest ecosystem is comprised of a large number of trees with deep roots, grasses, and shrubs with shallow roots system. The deep root system of trees help to hold the soil particles in the region. In addition, organic matters results from decaying plants and animals and dead root improve the soil structure by increasing the formation of the soil aggregations. In addition, plant materials in the forest floor acts as natural mulch that prevent the direct contact of rain droplets with soil particles. Tress have extensive canopy that spread over a large area. The branches and leaves of large trees reduce the speed of rain droplets coming towards the floor. Thereby, the natural ecosystem are built up in a way that minimize the soil erosion even by the natural agents.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Crops are grown in a certain distance in order to optimize their growth and management. And also, they have relatively shallow root system. This conditions cannot support to hold the soil particles together. As the crops does not produce extent canopy, they cannot slow down the water flow through them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>Since a significant fraction of mulch lost during the land preparation for the farming and these crops does not produce much organic matter, most of the land area expose directly to wind and rain. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Furthermore, the conventional farming practices like tillage also intensify the soil erosion by disturbing and exposing land areas. Crop cultivation in unsuitable environments like along steep areas also leads to displacement of a large amount of soil particles in those areas.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">2) Deforestation<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Deforestation is a side effect associated with many human activities like construction and expanding of roads, buildings and power plants, establishment of human settlements, and intensive crop cultivation.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Cutting down larges forests and human activities without appropriate measures to control the soil erosion leads to loss of a large amount of Earths valuable soils.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">3) Overgrazing<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Long-term uncontrolled grazing over a same grassland also increase the magnitude of the soil erosion of the area. It removes the surface plant cover and lead to formation of bear land. The hooves of animals are also capable of uprooting the grasses.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">                </span>4.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">  </span>What effects of soil erosion?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">1) Reduce productivity of agricultural lands <o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">During past few decades, nearly half of planet’s surface soil layers have been lost. Nutrients attach to the positive and negative ion exchange sites of soil particles. Loss of soil particles also causes the loss of nutrients bound to them. Consequently, soil of arable lands become less fertile and no longer support for the growth of plants. Because, after washing away of the top soil layers, sub soil layers expose to the environment. These sub surface soil layers are often poor in nutrients and unable to attain optimize plant growth.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">2) Frequent floods<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The loss of top soil alone with its organic matter reduces the soil aggregations. It decreases the infiltration capacity of the degraded soils. Consequently, it increases the surface runoff and increases local flooding incidents. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">3) Pollution of water ways<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Accumulation of the soil particles coming from the soil erosion in the uplands negatively effects adjacent water bodies. Settling down in the light soil particles within the water column decreases the light penetration and increases the turbidly. Deposition of soil particles on aquatic animals like shellfishes, destroying their habitats and breeding ground threats the life of aquatic life. The capacity of reservoirs also decrease due to accumulation of sediments at the bottom of water body. Consequently, frequency and intensity of flooding in the area increases. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The nutrients like nitrogen, and phosphorous also reach into the water body alone with the soil particles. It increases the availability of nutrients for aquatic plants and algae. The excess nutrients enhance the growth of these plants and algae and results in the development of algal blooms. With time algal blooms alone are responsible for the transforming the living aquatic ecosystem into a dead ecosystem by killing all living beings.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 76.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;"> <!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">      </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">What are preventive and controlling measures of soil erosion?<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"> <!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">      </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Crop rotation<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-add-space: auto;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Fellow time of a land is referred to as the time between harvesting and uprooting existing crops and starting next cropping. During this period, crops are not grown in the land and allow the natural vegetation regrow and sustain the lands. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It help to increases the organic matter content in the soil and improve the soil structure. Thereby, plants in the fellow period reduce the soil erosion of the land.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-add-space: auto;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"> <!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">      </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Agroforestry system<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-add-space: auto;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Rather than growing mono culture, agroforestry system can be established to overcome the most of the problems associated with the conventional farming system. Because, the agroforestry involve the planting crops with tree species alternatively. It allows for the establishment of deep root system in the farming lands. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-add-space: auto;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"> <!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">      </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Use of mulch<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-add-space: auto;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The surface of agricultural areas should be covered by using appropriate type of mulch. A thick layer of mulch should be spread over the surface of the land to form a mat. It prevents the direct contacts of soil particles by the rain. When soil become too dry, soil particles are easily detached away by the winds. So application of mulch helps to keeps the moisture in the soil and minimize the transpiration. Saw dusts, straws and leaves are used as the natural mulch. In addition to protecting soil moisture content, natural mulch also provides nutrients for the growing plants. Artificial mulch made of synthesized materials are used for the farming.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-add-space: auto;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"> <!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">      </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Wind barriers<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-add-space: auto;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">A belt of trees should be grown around or existing trees around the cultivation land should not be removed. It can break the speed of the strong wind prevailing across the land. As a results, weak winds cannot dislodge soil particles as much as the strong winds do.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-add-space: auto;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"> <!--[if !supportLists]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5)<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">      </span></span></span></b><!--[endif]--><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Trace farming<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="line-height: 150%; margin-left: 24.0pt; mso-add-space: auto;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Instead of cultivation along the slopes, plants are grown in the steps cutting down along the slope. It help to slow down the water flow across the land and minimize the carrying soil particles through runoff by retaining soil particles in the steps. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <br />

5 Facts you need to know about the soil erosion

  5 facts you need to know about the soil erosion         1.       Why top soil layer of the planet is important? Generally, fiv...

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Catastrophic Forest Fires

<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN6Hx48ZBhgnGYNjlC4tMLq3agAGlhIRepHGV_BIhZRcLrHjdCHFmHpPTBt3IMDlNxQDkfY2nbkEqTO6x5P7JDsMgTPRY7L3jeSAEBrB128eQVY5NUDn-5YgIrTeuWi06Y4B79STkavsJj/s1600/Catastrophic+Forest+Fires.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="forest fire, natural fire, prevent fire , nature fire" border="0" data-original-height="530" data-original-width="986" height="344" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhN6Hx48ZBhgnGYNjlC4tMLq3agAGlhIRepHGV_BIhZRcLrHjdCHFmHpPTBt3IMDlNxQDkfY2nbkEqTO6x5P7JDsMgTPRY7L3jeSAEBrB128eQVY5NUDn-5YgIrTeuWi06Y4B79STkavsJj/s640/Catastrophic+Forest+Fires.PNG" title="Catastrophic Forest Fires" width="640" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr> </tbody></table> <br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Forest fires or wildfires are defined as the uncontrolled burring of wooded lands. It may last within several minutes or may even continue for few months. Single event of forest fire can wipe out the whole ecosystem within a few minutes. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Three basic requirements such as heat, oxygen and a source of fuel should be fulfilled in order to generate a forest fire. Generally, decaying materials like fallen branches and leaves in the forest floor provide the fuel for the emerging fire. Lighting supplies the heat for the burning forest biomass. Heat is required for the fuel to reach its ignition point. The prevailing windy conditions can increase the availability of oxygen over the forests.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">There are two types of forest fires.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <br /><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAtnbOuI4EruCYbgl-jBWFaP4Q9WcE_HtnOpCB2-sXimjdygg-9x1b0r-opeX1ArUon3PUqdnK2Y3Vb2ALBOjhUUzVsjFWvbwOXsqU2PjGx2iOZHZr36bWZgwzB8rqrNmOnhONxtXznnS2/s1600/natural+fires.PNG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="natural fire, forest fire, prevent fire " border="0" data-original-height="565" data-original-width="864" height="418" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAtnbOuI4EruCYbgl-jBWFaP4Q9WcE_HtnOpCB2-sXimjdygg-9x1b0r-opeX1ArUon3PUqdnK2Y3Vb2ALBOjhUUzVsjFWvbwOXsqU2PjGx2iOZHZr36bWZgwzB8rqrNmOnhONxtXznnS2/s640/natural+fires.PNG" title="natural forest fire" width="640" /></a></div> <br /> <br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Natural forest fires<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The forest fire is a natural phenomenon in the temperate forests during the summer. It helps to regenerate the vegetation time to time. It does not act as a massive event and only burn out small portion of the forests.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">But, high temperature result of the global warming and climate change has intensified this natural phenomena and which does not last even after a few days and spread and damage a large patch of forests.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Long lasting droughts due to the climate change also increases frequency and intensity of natural wild fire and spread into a larger area and make them are unable to control even by the fire fighters.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <br /><br /> <br /> <br /> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Man induced forest fires<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Forest fire are not naturally occurred in the forests in the topical regions. Here, man induced forest fires are becoming so common due to the regular human activities.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">People’s careless actions like throwing away the last portion of cigarette have ability create a large prevalent fire in forests during droughts. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Intentional human activities like intensified slash and burn agriculture and setting fires to catch wild animals leads to development of uncontrolled fires in the forests. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Under the rehabilitation programs of damaged forests or the establishment of the commercial forest plantation, nations in tropical regions have decided to grow the fire prone forest plant species like <i>Acacia</i> species which are native to temperate region. Generally, leaves of this types of forest trees have low amount of moisture content. Furthermore, leaves of such trees make a non-decayed mat in the forest floor and provides the fuel for the burning. Thereby, these trees produce ideal conditions for the regular events of forest fire in their inhabitant ecosystems.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Long lasting droughts due to the climate change also increases frequency and intensity of natural wild fire and spread into a larger area and make them are unable to control even by the fire fighters.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%; tab-stops: 81.0pt;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;">                           </span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Effects of forest fires<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Even though occasional natural fire events may help to regenerate the ecosystem, the massive fire hazard cause severe damage to the forest ecosystem. Even one adverse fire event is enough to disappear the whole ecosystem and convert the previous forest ecosystem into a desert. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;"><br /></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">1) Loss of carbon storage<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">The forests play an important role in the storing the atmospheric carbon that release from both anthropogenic and natural activities. The loss of carbon dioxide from the sinks in the forest is very low compare to other sinks unless there is a disturbance event.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Generally, two types of carbon pools are found in the forests.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Soil and dead trees acts as the non-living carbon pools while living trees and shrubs in the under-story layers functions as the living pools in the forests. Forest soil is considered as the largest carbon pool in the terrestrial environment.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">So, a disturbance event like wild fire can vanish these carbon pools and release a large amount of sequestered carbon dioxide within a little time. Usually, the complete when only there is enough amount of oxygen, organic materials are burnt completely and result in carbon dioxide. But with time, the continuous supply of oxygen decrease to burning of forests. So, incomplete burning of forest materials leads to the production of toxic gases like carbon monoxide (CO), methane (CH₄) and nitrogen oxides (NOᵪ). In addition to these two gases, excess amount of particle matters, sulfur dioxide also release from this event.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Emission of the toxic gases cause the health problems in wild animals as well as in surrounding people. The sudden release of excusive amount of particles matters produces photochemical smog onsite which turn in result reduction of the visibility and significant temperature reduction in remote areas. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">2) Extinction of flora and fauna<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">One catastrophic event is capable of destroying the entire population of point endemic fauna and flora and cause the extinction of such species. Generally, endemic species are fragile and highly adopted to their local environment. So, a massive disturbance event like forest fires can wipe out them from the entire planet. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">3) Invasion of the disturbed wooden land by invasive plants and animals<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Disturbance to natural ecosystem make them more vulnerable for the growth of invasive plants and animals. Infertile soil, high amount of sunlight and zero shade may create ideal conditions for the invasive plants. The development of invasive vegetation retreads the growth of emerging seedling of natural vegetation from the underneath seed bank. And they also make the environment unfavorable for the regrowth of previous vegetation by decreasing the availability of nutrients and water and killing beneficial microorganisms in the soils.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">4) Soil erosion<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Forest fire remove the surface cover of the forest soils. Roots of the trees and shrubs and natural mulch including decaying plant materials protects the soil against the erosion by avoiding the direct contact of rain droplets with the soil. However, a rain receive after a massive wild fire results in soil erosion in the degraded ecosystem. The rain droplets fall directly into forest soil and cause the dislodging and washing away of large amount of soil particles into nearby water streams. This process interferes with aquatic through the sedimentation and water pollution. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <br /></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Prevention of forest fires<o:p></o:p></span></b></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Awareness Programmed should conducted to people inhabiting around forests ecosystems and tourists to transfer the knowledge on the importance of forest ecosystems, and prevention and control of forest fires.<o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Buffer zones with fire resistant plant should be established around the forests. Forest plants species with higher amount of moisture content or muscular leaves and low amount of volatile compounds are able to discourage the spread of fire beyond them. But, even this type of plants are useless when the fire continuous for hours and cause them to loss their moisture. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">It is important to avoid the planting fire prone forest plant species in the degraded forest ecosystems. So, natural plant species of the ecosystems should be replanted despite of their slow growth rates under the reforestation programs. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 150%;"> <span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 150%;">Existing laws regarding the wild fauna and flora should be strengthen or new laws should be enforced to punish the people setting fires in the wooded areas. <o:p></o:p></span></div> <br />

Catastrophic Forest Fires

Forest fires or wildfires are defined as the uncontrolled burring of wooded lands. It may last within several minutes or may even cont...

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