give any three reasons of soil erosion and their type
Answers
Answer:
Rainfall and Flooding. Higher intensity of rainstorm is the main cause of soil erosion. ...
Agriculture. The farming practices are the major cause of soil erosion. ...
Grazing. ...
Logging and Mining. ...
Construction. ...
Rivers and Streams. ...
Heavy Winds. ...
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
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.