Which planting practice helps reduce nutrient loss?

Which planting practice helps reduce nutrient loss?

• A. Adding sand
• B. Wetting soil
• C. Terracing
• D. More tilling

Answer: (C)

Terracing helps reduce nutrient loss by curbing runoff on sloped ground. The level steps break a slope into smaller flat surfaces, slowing the speed of water as it moves across the soil and giving it more time to infiltrate rather than washing soil and dissolved nutrients away. This keeps more nutrients in the root zone where plants can use them and prevents valuable fertility from being carried downhill. The other options don’t tackle runoff in the same way: adding sand changes soil texture but doesn’t stop water from moving across the surface; wetting soil can increase moisture without reducing erosion; and more tilling tends to loosen soil and actually enhance erosion and nutrient loss.

Terracing helps reduce nutrient loss by curbing runoff on sloped ground. The level steps break a slope into smaller flat surfaces, slowing the speed of water as it moves across the soil and giving it more time to infiltrate rather than washing soil and dissolved nutrients away. This keeps more nutrients in the root zone where plants can use them and prevents valuable fertility from being carried downhill. The other options don’t tackle runoff in the same way: adding sand changes soil texture but doesn’t stop water from moving across the surface; wetting soil can increase moisture without reducing erosion; and more tilling tends to loosen soil and actually enhance erosion and nutrient loss.