Soil as you pointed out is formed from some parent material either in situ or is transported. But it just that simple in weathering and transportation climate is involved. However, climate is involved in soil formation in many different ways. Soil is not the name of mass or a sheet of sediments clay, sand or silt particles with minerals, climate allows bacteria and other soil organism to reside in it and giving it needed nutrients from the disintegration of their flesh and bones and enzymes. Soil, thus, is prepared for vegetation which goes on adding humus etc. Now, the layer of sediments becomes soil to support human life by cultivating and improving it. Of course. Yes soil is eroded by air and water but as Cristina has pointed out, it is resilient resource. If completely washed out from the slopes of hills due to deforestation or shifting cultivation destroys vegetation cover, it may take thousands of years of weathering and ecological succession to rebuild, in plain and humid conditions it may take few decades to rebuild or at least 200 or so years to regenerate itself. Therefore, as far as parent material is available, and soil forming exist on the planet, the process of degradation and rebuild will continue. In the case of changing and varying environmental conditions, the rate of destruction and rebuilding will change or vary accordingly.

Soil as you pointed out is formed from some parent material either in situ or is transported. But it just that simple in weathering and transportation climate is involved. However, climate is involved in soil formation in many different ways. Soil is not the name of mass or a sheet of sediments clay, sand or silt particles with minerals, climate allows bacteria and other soil organism to reside in it and giving it needed nutrients from the disintegration of their flesh and bones and enzymes. Soil, thus, is prepared for vegetation which goes on adding humus etc. Now, the layer of sediments becomes soil to support human life by cultivating and improving it. Of course. Yes soil is eroded by air and water but as Cristina has pointed out, it is resilient resource. If completely washed out from the slopes of hills due to deforestation or shifting cultivation destroys vegetation cover, it may take thousands of years of weathering and ecological succession to rebuild, in plain and humid conditions it may take few decades to rebuild or at least 200 or so years to regenerate itself. Therefore, as far as parent material is available, and soil forming exist on the planet, the process of degradation and rebuild will continue. In the case of changing and varying environmental conditions, the rate of destruction and rebuilding will change or vary accordingly.

The idea seems to be new to me. Thanks with that.

Its true Khan that soil is continually formed by nature and by natural processes that occurs simultaneously or instantaneously. That is the reason why is it that it wont gone for many centuries or millennium. However, with the extent of nature destruction where soil formation is unbalanced to soil degradation/ soil loss, then it can be possible that loss of fertile soil will take place and eventually lead to loss of biodiversity and loss of life. Meanwhile, with soil resilience, its true that it prevents the soil to gone soon, yet that property will change into a scale not favorable for soil environment to let it stay soon.

However, its actually the activity of nature. It may be insignificant to our results and findings, yet there are more unfounded reasons that truly reveals why these certain events takes place and the scientific community continues to find what could it be.

Dernie,

You are right in your assessment of human potential of destruction as well as in your apprehensions. However, it will be wrong to think of humans as simply a destructive force. I don't know whether it is scientific appreciation of farmers of vulnerability of soil to the natural agents as well as of his doings or it is simply survival instinct of them that farmer have always tended to care for the soil of their fields. It is another matter to what extent they have been successful. But, it is fact use of heavy machinery and chemical fertilisers are that soil are becoming sterile at a pace that in future it would go beyond efforts of recovery. It is not nature at work, it is our greed.

Dear Khan,

Thanks for the idea you have shared to me. These are important especially with the current settings we have in our country. I can used these well. Thanks again. Meanwhile, can I have a favor Khan, do you have any other available literature just current about desertification? If its ok, can I ask some copy. Thanks in advance.

Best Regards,

Dernie

Dear Dernie: This I feel is a subject of general consensus that soil degradation is happening globally, and happening at much faster rate than ever before in human history. As regards your specific question whether this is a natural process, I would like to assert that NATURE BY ITS VERY NATURE IS NEVER INVOLVED IN ANY DEGRADATION OR DESTRUCTION PROCESS. Creation, not the degradation, is the function of nature, and certainly so when it comes to such an important natural resource for human survival that the SOIL is. It is undoubtedly the human greed, human stupidity, or to be less harsh, human mismanagement that is causing soil degradation at an unacceptably high rate. Let us accept this fact first, and work towards conservation and improvement of this most important natural resource before it gets too late.