Vocab 6.3

2. A farming method where farmers plow following the natural curves of the land. This slows water down when it rains and helps stop soil from being carried away downhill.
4. Planting two or more different crops close together in the same field. This method keeps the soil healthy, reduces erosion, and makes it harder for pests to destroy all the plants.
7. Adding too much fertilizer (plant food) to crops. This can hurt the soil, damage plants, and cause chemicals to flow into rivers and lakes, polluting the water.
8. A way of farming where the soil is not dug or turned over too much. This keeps the soil structure strong, helps it hold water, and prevents erosion by keeping plant roots and leftover crop parts on the ground.
10. Wide, flat steps cut into hillsides where crops can be planted. These steps slow down water and stop it from washing away the soil. Terraces are used in places with steep land.
11. The cutting down of too many trees in a forest. This can lead to soil erosion, flooding, and changes in rainfall. Forests also provide homes for many animals and help clean the air.
12. occurs when salt builds up in the soil, usually because of too much irrigation or poor drainage. Salty soil makes it hard for most plants to grow.
13. The growth of cities with buildings, streets, and parking lots. It covers natural land with concrete and asphalt, stopping rainwater from entering the soil and harming the environment.

1. occurs when once-healthy land becomes dry, cracked, and unable to grow plants. It happens when people overland, cutting down too many trees, overgrazing, or using too much water.
3. Rows of trees or tall plants planted in lines to block the wind. These protect the soil from being blown away and also help keep moisture in the soil.
5. Changing the type of crop planted in a field each season or year. This helps keep the soil full of nutrients because different crops use and return different things to the soil. It also helps prevent pests and plant diseases.
6. occurs when too many animals eat grass in the same place for too long. The grass can't grow back, and the soil becomes bare, weak and more likely to blow or wash away.
9. Bringing water to crops using pipes, sprinklers, or canals, especially in dry areWhileHile helpful, too much irrigation can lead to water waste or damage the soil.