Dirt: The Erosion Of Civilizations Summary

The book Dirt: the Erosion of Civilizations, by David R. Montgomery is both entertaining, and an informative read. He expresses how soil is one of the most underappreciated resources, and how humans over time have been a prime factor of soil degradation. This book primarily talks about how human infiltration has gradually continued to raise the rate of soil degradation through deforestation, agriculture, poor erosion control, and disinterest in the subject presented. Agricultural soil loss is not because humanity farms but arises from how they farm. Montgomery is a geomorphologist who studies how topography evolves, and how landscapes change throughout geologic time. He compares modern studies to his own hypothesis of soil degradation to see if soil erosion can affect the lifespan of human civilizations. Soil cultivation is extremely important in the lives of humans, and his main message is that soil conservation is necessary for the well being of mankind.
Montgomery gives basic explanations of the earth’s natural processes, and soil awareness; which leads to more in depth meaning of how soil must be conserved to aid the population of human population. He explains how soil is formed into …show more content…
Montgomery’s overall message is to promote the use of alternative agriculture. This approach includes soil conservation techniques in modern farming to prevent eroding soil. Not all erosion is due to human farming, but natural processes like glacial ice in Iceland which resulted in the loss of 60% of its vegetation, and 96% of its tree cover (Montgomery pg. 227). Montgomery highlights the lifespan of future civilizations, which will depend on how on how we conserve the soil in the present. Not only are we responsible for understanding how important soil is in our existence, but it’s our responsibility on finding ways to slow down the process of keeping our most sacred resource,