Sustainable Agriculture Literature Review - Boulder County

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! !! "#$%&!'())!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!E=!*D.1!F2#1-&! 5.1 Overview of Soils in Boulder County Improving soil quality is considered to be a key element of a sustainable agriculture production system since soil quality often directly and indirectly influences a variety of other farm practices. 331 In agriculture, soil has three principal functions of significance; it is a medium for crop and biological production, a buffer or filter to mitigate environmental contaminants and pathogens, and a promoter of plant, animal, and ultimately human health. The functions of soil quality, as they relate to sustaining crop production, improving land management, and the quality of the agricultural ecosystem, are best evaluated at the local farm and field level. 332 There are 23 main soil combinations in Boulder County that sustain a variety of native grasslands, shrublands, wetlands, and forests, serving important functions for both plants and animals. 333 Together, these soils also support a variety of land uses including agricultural croplands, livestock grazing lands, and recreational opportunities. 334 5.2 Soil Conservation Top soil has been reduced and its quality has been degraded worldwide due to past mismanagement of agricultural land and other ecosystems. 335, 336, 337 Heavy mechanical cultivation and the continuous production of row crops have resulted in soil displacement through erosion and significant decreases in soil organic matter content. 338, 339 Healthy soil is key to reducing its susceptibility to erosion and other processes that lead to soil loss. As highlighted by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), management tools such as tillage, fertilizer, livestock, and pesticides can be used to improve soil health, however, they can significantly damage the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soil if they are not applied correctly. 340 Common practices for preserving or increasing soil quantity include minimizing soil disturbance, keeping the soil covered, maintaining suitable habitat for biological activity, and building soil organic matter. 341 Soil Erosion Soil erosion has detrimental effects on soil productivity, reducing the ability of soil to buffer and filter pollutants, manage nutrient and chemical cycles, and provide adequate habitat to support plants. 342, 343 Soil erosion is a complex process influenced by multiple factors, including soil properties, ground slope, vegetation, land use, and rainfall. 344 Changes in land use, such as conversion of native grasslands to agriculture or livestock grazing, are widely recognized as capable of greatly accelerating soil erosion. If soil erosion rates are in excess of soil production, agricultural potential and productivity will 345, 346 eventually decrease. Some estimates have placed topsoil erosion in the U.S. at a rate ten times greater than topsoil production. The two biggest contributors to the loss of fertile topsoil on agricultural lands are wind and water erosion, representing about 84 percent (Graph 7). 347, 348 Wind is the primary soil erosion force in Boulder County. ! "&'" !*+,-#./#012!34$.%+1-+$2! 5.-2$#-+$2!627.28!
! !! "#$%&!'())!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!E=!*D.1!F2#1-&! ! Graph 7: Common Causes of Soil Degradation on Agricultural Lands in the U.S. 349 When topsoil is eroded, 50-75 percent of the decrease in soil productivity is due to the soil’s loss of nutrients and organic matter, and consequently, its water-holding capacity. 350 Soil removed by erosion typically contains about three times more nutrients than the soil left behind and is 1.5 to 5 times richer in organic matter. 351 When water and wind erosion occurs at a rate of 7.6 tons/acre/year it costs $40/acre/year to replace the lost nutrients with fertilizer, and around $17/acre/year to pump irrigation water to make up for the decreased water holding capacity of that soil. 352 According to the USDA Natural Resource Conservation Services, erosion-caused losses in productivity on pastureland and cropland in the U.S. are approaching $27 billion per year in 1999 dollars. 353 "&(" !*+,-#./#012!34$.%+1-+$2! 5.-2$#-+$2!627.28!
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SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE LITERATURE
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Sustainable Agriculture Literature Review - Boulder County

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