In tropical areas, rainfall and water flow are the main reasons causing soil erosion, whereas on the Loess Plateau of China, water erosion is a great problem. Near construction sites, dirt, picked up by the wind, is often in the air. Figure 6. Wind causes erosion of rock particles driven by soil and sand particles that are not tightly glued together and not insulated by vegetation. … Soil erosion decreases soil fertility, which can negatively affect crop yields. The water quality of various streams, rivers, and coastal areas has also been deteriorated as a result of soil erosion, eventually affecting the health of the local communities. The carrying away of dry soil and loose sand particles is known as deflation. Erosion will often occur after rock has been disintegrated or altered through weathering. Some of the dust particles may contain harmful and toxic particles such as petroleum and pesticides that can pose a severe health hazard when inhaled or ingested. Trees and vegetation cover help to hold the soil particles together thereby reduces the erosive effects of erosion caused by rainfall and flooding. It is this layer of soil that is endangered by wind and water erosion. Logging removes trees that protect the ground from soil erosion. What are some human activities that increase the likelihood that soil will be eroded? But, before we go into how to prevent soil erosion, you first need to understand what causes it. What is a Habitat and Reasons For Habitat Loss and Destruction? Distribution of rainfall and landscape: If the ground surface is such that rainfall distributes evenly, … Water runs off the parking lot onto nearby lands and speeds up erosion in those areas. Water and wind moving across the surface of the soil always carry away some of the soil.If the erosion processes remove top-soil only as rapidly as top-soils formed from the parent material beneath, no harm results. The problem may become so severe that the land can no longer be cultivated and must be abandoned. Soil erosion is as natural as any other type of erosion, but human activities have greatly accelerated soil erosion. When she is not writing, she loves watching sci-fi movies on Netflix. This usually leads to loss of biodiversity, alteration of ecosystems, land degradation, and huge economic losses. The accumulation of soil sediments in dams/drainages and along embankments can reduce their operational lifetime and efficiency. For instance, clay soils tend to be more resistant to soil erosion compared to sandy or loose silt soils. Thus, soil erosion is a continuous process and may occur either at a relatively unnoticed rate or an alarming rate contributing to copious loss of the topsoil. Erosion is a process that causes the soil surface to wear out; geological erosion is caused naturally by water, wind or gravity, and accelerated erosion is caused by human use of land. They also churn up the ground with their hooves. Water ways may also be blocked, and it may affect water quality. Depending on the type of force, erosion can happen quickly or take thousands of years. In some delicate habitats, even hikers’ boots can disturb the ground, so it’s important to stay on the trail (Figure 7). The removal of topsoil by wind and water is called soil erosion. Up and down field tillage practices as well create pathways for surface water runoff and can speed up the soil erosion process. Accumulated sediments can also cause clogging of water ways and raises the water level leading to flooding. Soil erosion is the washing away of the topsoil from one place to another by erosional agents like wind, water, animals, and glaciers. Soil erosion is the geological process wherein soil particles are detached and transported by various agents of erosion, namely water, wind, glaciers, and gravity. 3. Because of soil erosion, most of the soil characteristics that support agriculture have been lost, causing ecological collapse and mass starvation. The transformations are worsened by the destructive use of the land and deforestation that leaves the soil naked and open to erosion. The agents of soil erosion are the same as of other types of erosion: water, ice, wind, and gravity. While the slash and burn technique of deforestation introduces significant volumes of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere it has become popular due to its speed and cost-effectiveness at clearing an area. Overstocking and overgrazing has led to reduced ground cover and break down of the soil particles, giving room for erosion and accelerating the erosive effects by wind and rain. Many of the tropical forests that remain are currently the site of logging because North America and Europe have already harvested many of their trees (Figure 4). This is geological erosion.. Why are National Parks Important and How Do They Help the Environment? The flow of rivers and streams causes valley erosion. Agriculture is the main way humans cause soil erosion. These occur more often when the land is not covered with grass or plants. Geologists estimate that 70 percent of soil erosion is caused by human activities like excessive construction, agriculture, surface mining and forestry. Recreational activities may accelerate soil erosion. Soils eroded from agricultural lands carry pesticides, heavy metals, and fertilizers which are washed into streams and major water ways. Silt can smother the breeding grounds of fish and equally lessens their food supply since the siltation reduces the biodiversity of algal life and beneficial aquatic plants. Soil deterioration and low water quality due to erosion and surface runoff have become severe problems worldwide. The process is triggered by various phenomena taking place on the planet, ranging from slow-moving ice bodies in the glacial mountains, to landslides caused by earthquakes. Soil erosion can affect infrastructural projects such as dams, drainages, and embankments. (And Which Foods to Avoid), Can Squirrels Eat Raisins? Farming activities such as tillage also significantly contribute to soil erosion. Water and wind erosion are two main agents that degrade soils. (a) ATVs churn up the soil, accelerating erosion. (And Do They Mate With Other Species). Logging results in the loss of leaf litter, or dead leaves, bark, and branches on the forest floor. Because most crops grow only in spring and summer, the land lies fallow during the winter. Plant roots firmly hold the soil particles together. Soils eroded from logged forests clog rivers and lakes, fill estuaries, and bury coral reefs. Tillage action moves soil to convergent areas of a field where surface water runoff concentrates. © 2020 . (b) Hiking trails may become eroded. Rapidly moving stormwater, flashfloods, and flooding may also occur because of excess surface water runoff, thus, causing extreme local erosion by plucking bed rocks, forming rock cut-basins, creating potholes, and washing away the loosened soil particles. How do Rainbows Form? This reduces soil quality and agricultural productivity. http://www.ck12.org/earth-science/Soil-Erosion/lesson/Soil-Erosion-HS-ES/?referrer=featured_content. Also Read: What is Soil? It is likely that most of the cultivated areas around the globe are vulnerable to soil erosion. Although soil erosion is a natural process, human activities have greatly accelerated it. Some Other Causes of Soil Erosion: 1. Causes of Soil Erosion: Soil erosion is also referred to as the creeping death. Figure 5. Figure 1. Grazing animals (Figure 2) wander over large areas of pasture or natural grasslands eating grasses and shrubs. (And Can They Choke on Raisins), Can Squirrels Eat Popcorn? Put simply, the causes of soil erosion are somewhat inevitable. Here are few of the major causes of soil erosion. The wearing away of the topsoil is driven by erosion agents including the natural physical forces of wind and water, each contributing a substantial quantity of soil loss annually. Activities that remove vegetation, disturb the ground, or allow the ground to dry are activities that increase erosion. If too many animals graze the same land area, the animals’ hooves pull plants out by their roots. This erosive activity is evident in most rivers or streams especially during heavy rainfall and rapid river channel movement. Soil erosion is incredibly problematic, but it is also preventable and reducible when you take the right steps. It gradually transforms a habitable land and the ASAL regions into deserts. (a) Disturbed land at a coal mine pit in Germany. Erosion by Water Water is the main cause of erosion on Earth. In other words, soil erosion is the removal of the most fertile top layer of soil through water, wind and tillage. What are Natural Resources, Types and Threats to Natural Resources. Erosion, physical process in which soil, rock, and other surface material are removed from one location and transported to another. Bank erosion happens when bodies of water sap away the topsoil near its shores. This is because mass movements aids in the breakdown of the soil particles that makes them venerable to water and wind erosion. Hence, wind erosion is a major source of soil degradation and desertification. A land is overgrazed if too many animals are living there. The consequences of soil erosion are primarily centered on reduced agricultural productivity as well as soil quality. In some locations, native landscapes, such as forest and grassland, are cleared, exposing the surface to erosion (in some locations the land that will be built on is farmland). Rain and Rainwater Runoff The transformation of natural ecosystems to pasture lands has largely contributed to increased rates of soil erosion and the loss of soil nutrients and the top soil. Deforestation and urbanization are some of the human actions that have continued the cycle of soil loss. The leaves and canopy of big, tall trees protects the soil from wind and rain. Dust plumes from the deserts or dry areas can cause large and widespread air pollution as the winds move. Completed construction can also contribute to erosion (Figure 6). Grazing animals can cause erosion if they are allowed to overgraze and remove too much or all of the vegetation in a pasture. These types of erosions are caused by the impacts of raindrops on the soil surface that break down and disperse the soil particles, which are then washed away by the stormwater runoff. All soils undergo soil erosion, but some are more vulnerable than others due to human activities and other natural causal factors. (Albinism), Can Squirrels Eat Almonds? What Is Soil Erosion? Tractor tires make deep grooves, which are natural pathways for water. Erodibility of soil. As a result, the lack of land cover causes increased rates of soil erosion. The soil that is most likely to erode is the nutrient-rich topsoil, which degrades the farmland. This leads to water pollution and damage to marine and freshwater habitats. This technique in parti… Water is the most common cause of soil erosion. Why Do White Rabbits Have Red Eyes? Although soil erosion is a natural occurrence on all land, there are certain factors that call accelerate erosion making it more noticeable and problematic. It also sends soil-laden water downstream, which can create heavy layers of sediment that prevent streams and … Even deforestation or reduced vegetation caused by things like forest fires are sometimes unavoidable. Did you have an idea for improving this content? (b) Slash-and-burn agriculture leaves land open for soil erosion and is one of the leading causes of soil erosion in the world. Runoff washes away the soil particles from sloping and bare lands while wind blows … Starting with the minor soil disruption caused by the impact of falling raindrops, splash erosion moves around small particles in the upper soil layer. Soil erosion usually happens in overly disturbed soil systems especially with unfavorable weather conditions. Rainstorm produces four major types of soil erosion including rill erosion, gully erosion, sheet erosion, and splash erosion. (a) The bare areas of farmland are especially vulnerable to erosion. The tree roots hold the soil together and the tree canopy protects the soil from hard falling rain. Over time, repeated rainfall can lead to significant amounts of soil loss. Running water is one of the main cause of soil erosion. Atvs churn up the ground, or dead leaves, bark, and gravity directly related to,. 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