Experts say Planet Earth is quickly losing its topsoil layer
- 5 years ago
EARTH — Earth's topmost layer is slowly eroding away due to the effects of overgrazing and conventional farming methods.
According to the Guardian, nearly half of the world's topsoil has already disappeared.
The lack of cover crops, over-tilling, and the use of pesticides have all contributed to soil degradation. This has caused farmlands to be stripped of important nutrients, minerals, and organisms which typically help in plant growth.
This layer is essential to food production, as the Guardian reports that 95 percent of food on our planet is grown on topsoil.
According to estimates from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, earth could run out of topsoil as quickly as 60 years from now.
It could take around 500 years for healthy topsoil to cultivate but it could take less than a century for it to degrade, according to The Guardian.
If the topsoil does disappear, vegetables and other foods grown in the soil could possibly contain lower vital nutrients.
Healthy topsoil will be a necessity in order to feed a growing population, as the world's population is set to reach around 9 billion people by 2050.
According to the Guardian, nearly half of the world's topsoil has already disappeared.
The lack of cover crops, over-tilling, and the use of pesticides have all contributed to soil degradation. This has caused farmlands to be stripped of important nutrients, minerals, and organisms which typically help in plant growth.
This layer is essential to food production, as the Guardian reports that 95 percent of food on our planet is grown on topsoil.
According to estimates from the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, earth could run out of topsoil as quickly as 60 years from now.
It could take around 500 years for healthy topsoil to cultivate but it could take less than a century for it to degrade, according to The Guardian.
If the topsoil does disappear, vegetables and other foods grown in the soil could possibly contain lower vital nutrients.
Healthy topsoil will be a necessity in order to feed a growing population, as the world's population is set to reach around 9 billion people by 2050.