Question

explain the causes and ptevention of soil erosion.​

Answer 1

Answer:

Soil erosion is the wearing away of topsoil. It is caused by factors such as water, wind and tillage of farm fields. . One of the best ways to prevent soil erosion is to increase vegetation, which locks in the soil particles and breaks up damaging winds.

Explanation:

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Answer 2

What is Soil Erosion?
In this process, the soil particles are loosened or washed away in the valleys, oceans, rivers, streams or far away lands. This has been worsening due to human activities such as agriculture and deforestation.

Soil erosion is a continuous process that occurs either slowly or at an alarming rate. It results in a continuous loss of topsoil, ecological degradation, soil collapse, etc.

Let us have a detailed look at the causes, effects and prevention of soil erosion.

Also Read: What is Soil?

Causes of Soil Erosion
Following are the important causes of soil erosion:

Rainfall and Flooding

Higher intensity of rainstorm is the main cause of soil erosion. Four types of soil erosion are caused by rainfall:

Rill erosion
Gully erosion
Sheet erosion
Splash erosion
The raindrops disperse the soil, which is then washed away into the nearby streams and rivers. Regions with very heavy and frequent rainfall face a large amount of soil loss. The flowing water during floods also erodes a lot of soil by creating potholes, rock-cut basins, etc.

Agriculture

The farming practices are the major cause of soil erosion. The agricultural activities disturb the ground. The trees are cleared and the land is ploughed to sow new seeds. Since most of the crops are grown during the spring season, the land lies fallow during winters. Most of the soil is eroded during winters.

Also, the tyres of tractors make grooves on the land, making a natural pathway for water. Fine soil particles are eroded by wind.

Grazing

The grazing animals feed on the grasses and remove the vegetation from the land. Their hooves churn up the soil. They also pull out plants by their roots. This loosens the soil and makes it more prone to erosion.

Logging and Mining

A large number of trees are cut down to carry out the logging process. Trees hold the soil firmly. The canopy of the trees protects the soil from heavy rainfall. The leaf litter that protects the soil from erosion, is also lost during logging.

Mining activities also disturb the land and leave the soil more prone to erosion.

Construction

The construction of roads and buildings exposes the soil to erosion. The forests and grasslands are cleared for construction purposes, which exposes the soil making it vulnerable to erosion.

Rivers and Streams

The flowing rivers and streams carry away the soil particles leading to a V-shaped erosion activity.

Heavy Winds

During dry weather or in the semi-arid regions, the minute soil particles are carried away by the wind to faraway lands. This degrades the soil and results in desertification.

Also Read: Types of Pollution

Effects of Soil Erosion
The major effects of soil erosion include:

Loss of Arable Land

Soil erosion removes the top fertile layer of the soil. This layer is rich in the essential nutrients required by the plants and the soil. The degraded soil does not support crop production and leads to low crop productivity.

Clogging of Waterways

The agricultural soil contains pesticides, insecticides, fertilizers, and several other chemicals. This pollutes the water bodies where the soil flows.

The sediments accumulate in the water and raise the water levels resulting in flooding.

Soil Erosion Prevention
Soil erosion is a serious environmental issue. Steps should be taken to curb this problem. Following are some of the methods of soil erosion prevention:

Plant trees on barren lands to limit erosion of soil.
Add mulch and rocks to prevent the plants and grass underneath to prevent soil erosion.
Mulch matting can be used to reduce erosion on the slopes.
Put a series of fibre logs to prevent any water or soil from washing away.
A wall at the base of the slope can help in preventing the soil from eroding.
Every household should have a proper drainage system so that water flows down into proper water collecting systems.
Key Points Of Soil Erosion
It is the natural process of wearing away of the topsoil, but human activities have accelerated the process.
It is usually caused due to the removal of vegetation, or any activity that renders the ground dry.
Farming, grazing, mining, construction and recreational activities are some of the causes of soil erosion.
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