Geology

Biography

Biography: Markus Anda

Abstract

Limited attempt has been made to implement voluminous basic science in geochemistry, mineralogy, petrology and volcanology to overcome very low nutrients of many soils worldwide. It is well known that the fresh rocks experience weathering processes to release their nutrient constituent into the soils but naturally need very long time (e.g. 1 cm soil need 100-150 years). The breakthrough technology is needed to change the natural rocks and volcanic ash as potential soil amelioration. Success to do this will result a great impact at a world level to increase soil fertility since many soils have low fertility associated with advanced weathering stages. The weathering processes could be mimicked and accelerated by making powder of rocks and ash volcanic materials to speed up dissolution of elemental compositions of minerals in rocks. The released elements as nutrients for crops may replenish the losses of nutrient from soils which have been uptaken by plants or leached out of the soils. The application of finely ground powder rocks in alleviating soil acidity, increasing various soil nutrients and increasing crop yields has been reported under tropical conditions, where intensive agricultural practice and high leaching of nutrients occurred owing to high rainfall. Success in rejuvenating poor infertile soil using finely ground rocks or freshly volcanic eruption as sources of various crop nutrients could increase soil productivity with the implication to increase food availability to feed many hungry people (serious world problems) especially in many less developed countries worldwide. Application of finely ground rocks or freshly volcanic eruption to generate fertile soils is firm scientific bases to increase agricultural productions and avoid or reduce chemical fertilizers that results negative impact in environmental quality.