What is soil erosion and its causes
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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.
1.Soil texture:
Small grain and open structure soil erodes more than the larger grain and closed structure soil.
2. Ground Slope:
Steeper slope ground erodes more than the ground having mild slope due to increased speed of run off than infiltration.
3. Intensity and amount of rainfall:
More the intensity of rainfall more will be the soil erosion.
Hope it helps you....
1.Soil texture:
Small grain and open structure soil erodes more than the larger grain and closed structure soil.
2. Ground Slope:
Steeper slope ground erodes more than the ground having mild slope due to increased speed of run off than infiltration.
3. Intensity and amount of rainfall:
More the intensity of rainfall more will be the soil erosion.
Hope it helps you....
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2
Soil Erosion
The top layer of soil is very light which is easily carried away by wind and water. The removal of topsoil by the natural forces is known as soil erosion.
Causes of Soil Erosion
Various agents, like wind, water, deforestation, overgrazing by cattle, etc., cause soil erosion. The various factors of soil erosion are:
1. Wind
When strong winds blow, the topsoil along with the organic matter is carried away by the wind. This happens more often when the land is not covered with grass or plants. Such conditions are very common in desert and semi-desert regions where strong winds blow very frequently.
2. Water
When it rains in the hilly areas, the soil gets washed away towards the plains. The running water deposits the mineral-rich soil in the riverbed and over the years this deposition of soil can change the course of the river. This can lead to floods which cause the destruction of life and property. Water erosion leads to loss of agriculture potential.
3. Overgrazing
When cattle are allowed to graze on the same field repeatedly, all the available grass, including the roots are eaten by them. This makes the topsoil vulnerable to wind and flowing water, leading to soil erosion.
4. Deforestation
Humans have taken land from the forest to cultivate in order to feed the ever-increasing population and to build houses, industries, etc. Cutting down of trees on a large scale for these purposes is deforestation. The roots of trees hold the soil together, thus preventing the soil from getting uprooted. When large areas of the forest are cleared, the topsoil gets eroded by wind and flowing water.
The top layer of soil is very light which is easily carried away by wind and water. The removal of topsoil by the natural forces is known as soil erosion.
Causes of Soil Erosion
Various agents, like wind, water, deforestation, overgrazing by cattle, etc., cause soil erosion. The various factors of soil erosion are:
1. Wind
When strong winds blow, the topsoil along with the organic matter is carried away by the wind. This happens more often when the land is not covered with grass or plants. Such conditions are very common in desert and semi-desert regions where strong winds blow very frequently.
2. Water
When it rains in the hilly areas, the soil gets washed away towards the plains. The running water deposits the mineral-rich soil in the riverbed and over the years this deposition of soil can change the course of the river. This can lead to floods which cause the destruction of life and property. Water erosion leads to loss of agriculture potential.
3. Overgrazing
When cattle are allowed to graze on the same field repeatedly, all the available grass, including the roots are eaten by them. This makes the topsoil vulnerable to wind and flowing water, leading to soil erosion.
4. Deforestation
Humans have taken land from the forest to cultivate in order to feed the ever-increasing population and to build houses, industries, etc. Cutting down of trees on a large scale for these purposes is deforestation. The roots of trees hold the soil together, thus preventing the soil from getting uprooted. When large areas of the forest are cleared, the topsoil gets eroded by wind and flowing water.
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