Let us have a detailed look at the causes, effects and prevention of soil erosion. Control measures must consider the cause of the increased flow of water. Soil conservation from wikipedia, the free encyclopedia this article needs additional citations for verification. Soil pollution causes, effects and what to do about it. Soil erosion is a naturally occurring and slow process that refers to loss of fields. This natural process is caused by the dynamic activity of erosive agents, that is, water, ice glaciers, snow, air wind, plants, animals, and humans.
The causes and effects of soil erosion, and how to prevent. Soil erosion is a continuous process that occurs either slowly or at an alarming rate. This factsheet looks at the causes and effects of water, wind and tillage erosion on agricultural land. There are many harmful effects of soil erosion it affects the quality of the soil and reduces the productivity of soil to a great extent. There are ways to mitigate the impact that agriculture has on soil erosion rates. The top soil is loaded with nutrients and organic matter critical for crop growth. We offer free technical assistance for erosion and other issues in rural areas of our district our district is comprised of all multnomah county east of the willamette river. Various agents, like wind, water, deforestation, overgrazing by cattle, etc. Vegeta tion can regenerate from a degraded state as long as the seed stock remains viable and there is soil for seeds to germinate and grow in. Causes, effects, and solutions of soil erosion conserve energy.
Too much of soil erosion causes serious loss of topsoil and also reduces crop production potential, lower surface water quality, and damaged. Extensive erosion also minimizes the depth of soil available for water storage and rooting. Causes of soil erosion water and wind erosion causes. Climate change is likely to affect soil erosion by water through its effect on.
In this course well examine the causes and effects of wind erosion and common methods to control it. Plant roots hold the soil in position and prevent it from being blown or washed away. Some soil erosion is natural, but accelerated erosion is not. The raw material for soil formation is provided bythe rocks. Soil erosion was a big problem in the midwestern united states in the 1930s dust bowl. Soil erosion occurs when soil is removed through the action of wind and water at a greater rate than it is formed soil the soil covering the surface of the earth has taken millions of years to form and we must learn to respect it. Pdf rising population and decreasing cultivable land pose a great challenge to modern agriculture. The removal of topsoil by the natural forces is known as soil erosion. Gravity erosion movement of soil occurs on steep slopes under the influence of gravity. Soil erosion occurs when natural forces, such as wind and water, act on the soil. Ways to prevent soil erosion which method will you choose. The velocity increases as the distance above the surface increases. Economic research service report agriculture soil erosion.
Soil is not immune to erosion, and like rocks along a coastline, soil can erode due to the effects of forces, such as water, wind and farming practices. In forested areas, a minimum of 60% forest cover is necessary to prevent serious. It has been recognized as a major problem since the 1930s and, although there has been some 70 years of research into the causes and processes, it is still increasing and of. Soil erosion is the washing or blowing away by water or wind of the top layer of soil dirt.
Soil erosion is harmful and useful at the same time. Causes, effects and types of erosion water, wind, glacier. Soil erosion is a process that involves the wearing away of the topsoil. The greatest challenge for sustainable soil management. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. These include chemical ph, soc, texture, free iron oxides, caco3 and. Soil erosion is the most serious precursor of soil degradation that comes with global implications. Water and wind erosion are the two primary causes of land degradation.
Soil erosion occurs when soil is removed through the action of wind and water at. Although soil erosion is a natural occurrence on all land, there are certain factors that call accelerate erosion making it more noticeable and problematic. As soil erodes, it loses nutrients, clogs rivers with dirt, and eventually turns the area into a desert. Erosion prevention is one of the main aspects in the reduction of site damage and. Ways to prevent soil erosion simple solutions to prevent soil erosion. Read this article to learn about the meaning, factors, effects, types, causes and prevention of soil erosion. Raindrops hit exposed soil with great energy and easily dislodge the soil particles from the surface. They should move herds of sheep and cattle around so that grasses will have time to grow back and help keep the soil free. Magnitude and the impacts of soil erosion on productivity depend on soil. Prevention and remediation of soil erosion and degradation the most effective method to prevent erosion is to increase the vegetation cover on soil, thus preventing wind and water erosion.
Flowing water, rainwater, and the wind are the prime agents which cause a significant amount of soil loss each year. The amount of soil they can carry away is influenced by two related factors. Approximately 90 percent of cropland in the united states is currently losing soil above the sustainable rate. Tillage erosion causes the thinning of soils on upper slope areas and can result in. This is not only a good deal for the farmer, but for the whole community. Causes and types of soil erosion the movement of water over the soil surface causes about threefifths of the estimated erosion on u. Soil erosion causes ecosystem damage, loss of soil and receives water sedimentation, which. Deforestation has even been caused by extensive warthroughout history fire has often been used to deprive the enemy of necessary resources. Soil erosion is defined as the process of removal of soil from one surface, due to factors like rain, wind or others, and its disposition in some other areas. Soil erosion has been considered as the primary cause of soil degradation because. Jared explains why erosion occurs more slowly when soil is paired with leaf debris or plants, in this simple demonstration you can try at home or in class. The advantage of both practices includes prevention of erosion on steep slopes and they do not require special equipment or materials. Our reactions on these parameters are also very strong because we see the damages and changes occurred by them in our daily lives with very clear and it is a common nature of human beings in believing the things which. Erosion is the moving of sediments like topsoil, rocks, pebbles by water and wind.
Causes of erosion erosion occurs when soil is left exposed to rain or wind energy. Although erosion happens naturally, human activities can make it much worse. Conservation tillage eliminates or restricts tilling in traditional tilling, surface soil is inverted, plant residue buried bare soil. Soil erosion is the movement and transport of soil by various agents, particularly water, wind, and mass movement. Where land has been lost by gullying, or severe sheet erosion has removed the soil clown to a gravelly residue, degradation is clearly irreversible. A longer exposure to radioactive radiations can damage the dna cells that results in cancer, genetic defects for the generations to come and even death.
This causes them to collide with, and dislodge, other particles. Soil erosion and sediment control a pdh online course. Soil is the most fundamental and basic natural resource for all life to survive. An ismail eroding rill on an intensivelyfarmed field in eastern germany. Home blog the causes and effects of soil erosion, and how to prevent it. So the average forward velocity near the soil surface is lower than in the free stream.
A free powerpoint ppt presentation displayed as a flash slide show on id. Soil erosion is the displacement of the upper layer of soil, it is one form of soil degradation. Nearly 10 million hectares of arable land are lost to erosion and other forms of soil degradation every year 1 countries all over the world are battling with worrisome sight of deepening gullies crisscrossing the landscape and barren fields stripped of the fertile topsoil. Pdf soil is the most fundamental and basic natural resource for all life to survive. While there are many different factors that can cause soil erosion, most can be broken down into two main categories. By applying some relatively simple steps, you can control and prevent soil erosion. When strong winds blow, the topsoil along with the organic matter is carried away by the wind. Pdf soil erosion and management strategies researchgate. The process involves the loosening of the soil particles, blowing or washing away of the soil particles, and either ends up in the valley and faraway lands or washed away to the oceans by rivers and streams. In forested areas, a minimum of 60% forest cover is necessary to prevent serious soil. Soil erosion rates in asia, africa, and south america are estimated to be twice as high as those in the united states. Water and wind are the two main mechanisms by which soil is eroded and transported.
Pdf soil erosion is a natural process in which particles of soil are moved by wind and water, and displaced to another location. They are intended for temporary erosion control until a slope is stabilized with vegetation andor practices. These effects make it harder for water to wash away the soil note that plants can also help block wind, and therefore prevent wind erosion, but this project will test water erosion only. Soil erosion can be a slow process that continues relatively unnoticed or can occur at an alarming rate, causing serious loss of topsoil. It hurts the land and people where it takes place, so also the land and people where it gets deposited. Soil erosion is caused, when there are no trees to prevent the top layer of the soil from being transported by different agents of nature like water and air. Soil erosion reduces cropland productivity and contributes to the pollution of adjacent watercourses, wetlands and lakes. Soil erosion occurs when soil is removed through the action of wind and water at a.
The increase of mining on tropical forests is furthering. In this study, the diverse factors that cause soil erosion are evaluated. Leaving unploughed land strips between ploughed ones, known as strip cropping, also help reduce erosion. Surface creep in a wind erosion event, large particles ranging from 0. Learn more about its causes, effects and solutions. The cost of erosion prevention is far lower than the price of land restoration and. If theyre not reforested, they inevitably end up as wastelands directly from soil erosion and desertification. For those areas where soil erosion is predominantly caused by. Soil pollution is caused by manmade, harmful chemicals penetrating the earth and causing deterioration. The radiations destroy the cells in human body and causes cancer. Dregne soil erosion is the main reason why desertification is irreversible.
Soil erosion and sediment control john poullain, p. Effects of nuclear pollution the effects vary from organism to organism and from level of radioactivity of nuclear isotopes. It results in a continuous loss of topsoil, ecological degradation, soil collapse, etc. Ppt soil erosion powerpoint presentation free to view. Causes of soil erosion wind and water are the main agents of soil erosion. Water and wind erosion are two main agents that degrade soils. Farmers need to protect farmland from the wind by planting windbreaks around their land.
If the soil has eroded, the crops that make food will not grow very well. Bullock, in encyclopedia of soils in the environment, 2005. In the case of soil erosion, some of the effects may appear to be reversible, through checking further erosion by soil conservation programmes and restoring lost nutrients and organic master. The four most common soil erosion prevention methods are vegetation, geotextiles, mulch, and retaining walls. The key to controlling soil erosion by water is maintenance of a protective cover e.
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