Russia’s invasion could cause long-term harm to Ukraine’s prized soil
A team works to destroy an unexploded missile in a field near Hryhorivka, Ukraine. War damage done to the country’s fertile soil could affect agriculture for years.
Chernozem (shown) is nutrient-rich dark soil that is essential for agriculture in Ukraine.
Shelling left a deep crater in a field on the outskirts of Kharkiv, Ukraine. This type of damage can change vegetation growth.
Outside Kharkiv, a destroyed Russian tank sits in a field. Tanks can pack down the fluffy chernozem soil and that compaction can cut crop yields.
Potentially toxic metals can leach out of munitions, such as this rocket a team is working to remove from a field in Borodianka, Ukraine. Ridding the country of this weaponry could take decades.
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/ukraine-russia-war-soil-agriculture-crops
