Question

Soils are dynamic systems. What changes might result when a virgin deciduous forest is cut down and replaced by crops that are harvested each year?

Answer 1

In deciduous forests, soils are rich in humus and organic matter. The leaves and other remains from trees fall on ground (soil), which are acted upon by soil microbes mainly bacteria & fungi, which convert plant litter and other dead organic matter into humus which enriches the nutrient content and fertility of soil. However, when such a forest is converted into agricultural land, then due to harvesting each year, portion of nutrients would be lost from soil. Thus, to achieve continued production, external inputs would be required. Deciduous trees have larger roots than agricultural crops, and thus rate of soil erosion would increase if deciduous tree land (forest) is converted to agricultural cropland. In agricultural soils, the water holding capacity would also be lemurs comparatively. Apart from these: soil pH, soil air, soil water, would also be impacted.