Author : Nouraldin Almahdi Ibrahim Basha

Soil pollution refers to anything that causes contamination of soil and degrades the soil quality. It occurs when the pollutants causing the pollution reduce the quality of the soil and convert the soil inhabitable for microorganisms and macro organisms living in the soil. Soil contamination or soil pollution can occur either because of human activities or because of natural processes. However, mostly it is due to human activities. The soil contamination can occur due to the presence of chemicals such as pesticides, herbicides, ammonia, petroleum hydrocarbons, lead, nitrate, mercury, naphthalene, etc in an excess amount. Soil quality indicators are physical, chemical, and biological properties, processes, and characteristics that can be measured to monitor changes in the soil. Soil quality indicators are important to: focus conservation efforts on maintaining and improving the condition of the soil; evaluate soil management practices and techniques; relate soil quality to that of other resources; collect the necessary information to determine trends; determine trends in the health of the Nation’s soils; guide land manager decisions. Objectives of this paper are to review current efforts to define soil quality to discuss factors and processes which influence soil quality, to identify, soil and crop management practices that affect processes influencing soil quality, and to demonstrate a method for evaluating soil quality. A common focus among all proposed soil quality definitions is that the soil must reflect its ability to “function” in numerous ways at the present time and in the future. Soil and crop management practices that add or maintain soil carbon appear to be among the most important for restoring, maintaining, or improving soil quality.

Keywords: Soil Pollution, Soil health indicator, Herbicides, Soil effect & cause, Environment.