The soil erosion site the processes of soil erosion. Whyte 1957 while commenting on the problem of soil erosion of kashmir himalayas, mentioned, control of fluctuating grazing was made the responsibility of forest department in 1939 but this appears to have little effect and the problem is as acute as ever. Universal soil erosion equation beginning 10,000 years ago, during a period called the neolithic, people started farming in jordan. Weathering and soil section 3 soil erosion flashcards.
The carrying away of dry soil and loose sand particles is known as deflation. Soil erosion is the wearing away of the land surface by physical forces such as rainfall, flowing water, wind, ice, temperature change, gravity or other natural or anthropogenic agents that abrade, detach and remove soil or geological material from one point on the earths surface to be deposited elsewhere. Types and forms of erosion by water and by wind anne x 1 1. My problem question asked which type of soil erodes the most when affected by water. But, before we go into how to prevent soil erosion, you first need to understand what causes it. Soil erosion control and veld rehabilitation rehabilitation efforts should not attempt to restore the ecosystem to some particular condition. Soil erosion occurs when upper layers of soil are removed from their original location in the process that is either slow and goes unnoticed for long periods of time or can be sudden and cause immediate damage for example. Put simply, it is when topsoil, which is the uppermost layer of the ground, is moved from one spot to another. Large groups of people lived together in lowland and hillside landscapes that they had cleared of trees and. Soil erosion mostly affects practically all kinds of lands such as the forest lands, agricultural lands, arid and semiarid lands, surface mines, roads, construction sites, coastal areas etc.
Soil erosion is the washing or blowing away by water or wind of the top layer of soil dirt this is a serious problem for farmers. Soil erosion is a major environmental problem confronting land and water resources in south africa. Learn vocabulary, terms, and more with flashcards, games, and other study tools. Classic gullies are characterized by headward migration and enlargement through a combination of headcut erosion and gravitational slumping, as well as the tractive stress of concentrated flows. Erosion and sediment control national management measures to control nonpoint pollution from agriculture 491 to crops, and are farmed around. The choice of works suggested in the act janasheee causes of chronic poverty like drought, deforestation, soil erosion, so that the process of employment generation is on a sustainable basisworks suggested in the act addresses causes of chronic poverty like drought, deforestation and soil erosion, so that the process of employment generation is. Thermal erosion is the result of melting and weakening permafrost due to moving water. In order to understand the ongoing erosion processes causes and effects scientific research is needed.
Soil is made up of small pieces of broken rock and decaying plants called organic matter. The forces that wear away at the land are considered part of natural erosion. Causes of erosion erosion occurs when soil is left exposed to rain or wind energy. Causes, effects and types of erosion water, wind, glacier. Soil erosion in south africa its nature and distribution. Erosion is dependent on the amount, duration, intensity and frequency of rainfall. Erosion and sedimentation, the major effects of soil loss, are widespread and can be devastating. Erosion preceded by the destruction of the crumb structure due to the impact of falling raindrop on the surface of soil is termed as splash erosion. Soil degradation is a global environmental problem which started since the innovation of agriculture by human kind.
What are the most important and dangerous causes and. Erosion measurement techniques for scientific erosion research are more accurate and aim at causes and effects of erosion. While soil erosion is natural, it can cause serious problems for human. Human activity causes 10 times more erosion of continental surfaces than all natural processes combined, an analysis by a university of michigan geologist shows. Environment agency thinksoils factors that influence erosion and runoff soil surface roughness factors that influence erosion and runoff soil surface roughness 3 ploughed land provides surface storage of rainwater soil surface roughness soil surface roughness rough surfaces e. As water erodes soil out of the pipes, the soil above the pipe is no longer supported. 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.
Large quantities of valuable soil are eroded by flowing water and moving wind. A case study in the denku microwatershed oromia region, submitted for the masters degree in human ecology to the college of agriculture and environmental sciences. Soil erosion is a natural process which occur when there is loss of or removal of top layer of soil to due to rain, wind, deforestation or any other human activity. The finest particles are transported by the wind, while the heavier particles are blown across the surface causing abrasion. Soil quality information sheet soil quality resource concerns.
Examine how human activities can accelerate soil erosion and methods used to prevent this soil is a nonrenewable resource that once it is eroded it is not renewed. When they are gone, the winds and water, blow and wash the soil away. Tolerable erosion rates policy process to decide but soil loss 1 thayr accelerated over natural rate. It is the fairly uniform removal of soil in thin layers from the land surface, often. How soil erosion contributes to desertification and dust storms disappearance of topsoil causes desert expansion and crop reduction in regions across the world.
A natural process affected by human activities, erosion causes soil or layers of soil to be moved or worn away. What are the causes, consequences, and solutions of soil erosion. Value 1 this form of erosion is no longer visible after cultivation ploughing, hoeing etc. The earths surface has stayed the same for thousands of years false the earths surface is always changing. Pdf assessment and reporting on soil erosion researchgate. Water and wind erosion are two main agents that degrade soils. These rates of erosion would greatly increase on uncovered land. Soil erosion can be a slow process that continues relatively unnoticed or can occur at an alarming rate, causing serious loss of topsoil. While there are many different factors that can cause soil erosion, most can be broken down into two main categories. Soil erosion is the permanent change of the main characteristics of soil that could see it lose its fertility, ph, colour, humus content or structure. This can especially be a problem when pipes become clogged with soil eroded from inside and pressure builds up behind the clog. Soil erosion reduces cropland productivity and contributes to the pollution of adjacent watercourses, wetlands and lakes. Soil erosion is the wearing away of dirt and soil by water, wind, and human actions.
Lussenhop and teeri 2000 found that in highn soil with twiceambient co2. Threats to sustainability of soil functions in central. Maybe you made mud pies, working hard to get the consistency just right. Pdf the land surface of southwestern australia has been subjected to long and complex. Runoff washes away the soil particles from sloping and bare lands while wind blows away loose and detached soil particles from flat and unprotected lands. The lighter textured soils sands and loams in the low rainfall lands of queenslands southwest are the most susceptible to wind erosion. The zipfiles bold combine all data and metadata within one topic, with an individual doi.
One third of the worlds agricultural soils, or roughly 2 billion hectares of land, was reported as being affected by soil. Erosion by the action of water, wind, and ice has produced some of the most spectacular landscapes we know. A read is counted each time someone views a publication summary such as the title, abstract, and list of authors, clicks on a figure, or views or downloads the fulltext. Soil erosion is a natural process that contributes to the formation of fertile soils e. Global soil status, processes and trends food and agriculture.
People cause more soil erosion than all natural processes. The process may be natural or accelerated by human activity. Soil erosion is incredibly problematic, but it is also preventable and reducible when you take the right steps. The amount of soil they can carry away is influenced by two related factors. Weathered rock material will be removed from its original site and transported away by a natural agent. It hurts the land and people where it takes place, so also the land and people where it gets deposited. Soil is the most fundamental and basic natural resource for all life to survive. Certainly, there are costs to society for cleanup and repair from soil and its constituents polluting the water and air. Erosion and changes in the form of river banks may be measured by inserting metal rods into the bank and marking the position of the bank surface along the rods at different times.
In the 1930s, soil conservation service, operated a soil conservation demonstration project on the coon creek watershed of southwest wisconsin. Erosion also happens when too many trees are cut down. Water and wind are the two main mechanisms by which soil is eroded and transported. With both processes often operating simultaneously, the best way to distinguish erosion from weathering is by observing the transportation of material. Soil erosion is the displacement of the upper layer of soil, it is one form of soil degradation. Although soil erosion is a natural process, it is often accelerated by human activities, for example by the clearing of vegetation, soil tillage or overgrazing. Workshop on common criteria for risk area identification in.
Soil erosion by water increases as the slope length increases due to the greater accumulation of runoff. Erosion removes the best, most fertile part of the soil, the topsoil where most of the plant nutrients and soil carbon are found. This process begins when the raindrops break down the soil making it vulnerable to movement. Jan 16, 2014 causes of soil erosion wind and water are the main agents of soil erosion. Soil erosion soil erosion is the washing or blowing away by wind or water of the top layer of soil dirt. If the soil has eroded, the crops that make food will not grow very well soil erosion was a big problem in the midwestern united states in the 1930s dust bowl erosion also leaves large sinkholes in the ground, which can weaken buildings and even cause them. If the texture is loose that is the soil contains more of small grains and of open structure erodes faster. On the other hand, conservation systems combine tillage and. It is the fairly uniform removal of soil in thin layers from the land surface, often scarcely perceptible, especially when caused by wind. Rill erosion and sheet erosion are two types of soil erosion. Soil erosion of these types mainly takes place by two methods. Agencies or the energy sources involved in the process of soil erosion are.
T value tolerable erosion equilibrium between soil gains and losses. Frye department of agronomy almost all people recognize that erosion is harmful, but few realize how harmful. Sep 11, 2017 erosion causes filling of dams, reservoirs, waterways. Excess tillage can contribute to the breakdown of soil. But even much smaller soil pipes can cause problems. The outcomes of soil erosion are reduced agricultural productivity, ecological collapse, soil degradation, and the possibility of desertification.
Excessive soil erosion in india combined with consequent high rate of sedimentation in reservoirs and decreased soil fertility has led to grave environmental problems. My hypothesis stated that the potting soil would erode the most and have the most water runoff. A food and environmental threat david pimentel1 1college of agriculture and life sciences. The impact that erosion has on productivity and the environment is another weak point of inventories. This can prevent future generations of plants from growing in eroded areas. Accelerated soil erosion is a significant threat to soil quality and impacts agriculture, infrastructure, and the environment. Much damage is also done oy wind erosion, but this phase of the problem is not treated here. Natural erosion the landscape of new zealand has been shaped by wind, water, volcanoes and glaciers over at least 25 million years. State conservation engineer usda natural resources conservation service. Natural erosion occurs primarily on a geologic time scale, but when mans activities alter the landscape, the erosion process can be greatly accelerated. Gullies can be caused by soil pipe collapse or by surface erosion. How human activities can accelerate soil erosion leaving. From the study the major causes of soil erosion within the study area were narrowed down to human interference, climatic factors rainfall, poor geology, undulating topography and soil nature while control measures such as cultivation of vegetative cover, proper soil and water conservation practices.
Soil erosion is a natural or artificial process where the top layers of soil are blown or washed away from wind or water. Workshop on common criteria for risk area identification. Although runoff causes water erosion and is therefore. Erosion causes infertile soils that are subject to erosion. The action of wind continues until that time when the power and momentum. Depending on the local landscape and weather conditions, erosion may be very slow or very rapid. Soil erosion and conservation in india geography and you. Ppt soil erosion powerpoint presentation free to view. Soil degradation and sedimentation due to transportation. Erosion is a potential environmental issue because it usually washes away nutrientrich topsoil from lands. Processes and principles of erosion and sedimentation. Although erosion is a natural process it is accelerated by practices such as land clearing, overgrazing, some cultivations and poorly constructed farm roads and dams.
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. Soil erosion usda natural resources conservation service april 1996 what is erosion. With more water in the bank, the soil becomes heavier, it is more likely to break apart, and it is more prone to erosion and failure. Soil erosion soil erosion is the detachment and movement of soil material. Soil present in a steeper slope more than the soil present at a plane level of the ground.
For this reason, some navigable waters become useless. The effects of vegetation on stream bank erosion vtechworks. Over time, rain rain and other weather events cause small particles to break loose from the larger rocks. The steeper and longer the slope of a field, the higher the risk for erosion. Factors, types, causes and effects in india riya kapoor soil erosion, soil erosion is a process of detachment and transportation of soil by natural agencies of water and wind. How soil erosion contributes to desertification mother. Soil erosion is the most serious precursor of soil degradation that comes with global implications. Most soil erosion is caused by natural sources like wind and rain. The earths surface has stayed the same for thousands of years 2. 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. 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. Soil loss is caused by a variety of factors, including erosion from wind and water, mechanical tilling, logging, agricultural practices, and poor water management. Soil erosion is harmful and useful at the same time. Soil surfaces that are not rough offer little resistance to wind erosion.
Soil compaction, low organic matter, loss of soil structure, poor internal drainage, salinisation and soil acidity problems are other serious soil degradation conditions that can accelerate the soil erosion process. The 10year or 30year extreme would, of course, produce situations of substantial erosion higher than the values suggested above. Soil erosion and conservation te ara encyclopedia of. Although soil erosion is a natural occurrence on all land, there are certain factors that call accelerate erosion making it more noticeable and problematic. Wind causes erosion of rock particles driven by soil and sand particles that are not tightly glued together and not insulated by vegetation. Many of these processes cause land abandonment which, in turn, may. Running water is one of the main cause of soil erosion. Wind or water erosion is the physical wearing of the earths surface. Erosion also leaves large holes in the earth, which can weaken buildings and even cause them to collapse. Soil erosion by water causes and mitigation jerry j. Causes of soil erosion water and wind erosion causes.
By the action of dashing rain drops on soil, soil granules are loosened, detached and separated into fine particles. The presence of organic matter in the soil is vital for good water retention and growth of flora. Soil erosion is a discontinuous process which explodes in years of extreme weather conditions, eg record rainfall after record drought. Climate the two most important climatic factors having a direct effect on erosion are.
Erosion will often occur after rock has been disintegrated or altered through weathering. Raindrops hit exposed soil with great energy and easily dislodge the soil particles from the surface. The lighter soil aggregates like silt, fine sand, clay and organic matter are then easily carried away by the moving water. The details of all publications are in the researchgate in full text pdf forms. The degradation of an overutilized area occurs mainly. 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. This natural process is caused by the dynamic activity of erosive agents, that is, water, ice, snow, air, plants, animals, and humans. Land use humans play a major role in soil erosion through their use and abuse of natural resources, examples are deforestation, grazing, faulty farming systems, high crop intensity, housing construction, mining etc. I hereby declare that the dissertation, soil erosion, deforestation and rural livelihoods in the central rift valley area of ethiopia. The pipe can then collapse, leading to gullies, landslides, or stream bank failure.
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