Repeating field operations mean more expenses are added to previous failed operations. Soil degradation is a global environmental problem which started since the innovation of agriculture by human kind. It results in a continuous loss of topsoil, ecological degradation, soil collapse, etc. Flowing water, rainwater, and the wind are the prime agents which cause a significant amount of soil loss each year. Soil erosion is a continuous process that occurs either slowly or at an alarming rate. The soil is a complex mixture, covering most of the land surface ranging from few centimeters to several meters deep. Ecological imbalance and imbalance in flora and fauna further increases. Soil erosion is the displacement of the upper layer of soil, it is one form of soil degradation.
Effects of soil erosion on soil properties as related to crop productivity and classification w. Soil erosion reduces cropland productivity and contributes to the pollution of adjacent watercourses, wetlands and lakes. Soil degradation is a serious global environmental problem and may be exacerbated by climate change. Due to soil erosion, the soil becomes less fertile. There are several serious effects of soil erosion which are as follows. The high postfire values indicate the fires devastating effects on vegetation loss and soil erosion. Repeated erosion reduces water infiltration into the soil, which may result to withering of crops.
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 soil is always changing as water comes and goes. Soil erosion is the main reason why desertification is irreversible. Deforestation is the commonest factor which is responsible for soil erosion. Pesticides and other chemicals can get trapped in soil, polluting streams and rivers as the soil breaks apart. Bullock, in encyclopedia of soils in the environment, 2005. In spite of heavy investments in research and development, the global rates of accelerated erosion are now presumbly higher than ever before. Introduction soil erosion is one form of soil degradation along with soil compaction, low organic matter, loss of soil structure, poor internal drainage, salinization, and soil acidity problems. Erosion can lead to loss of pesticides, fertilizers, seeds, and seedlings. Soil erosion is the most serious and least reversible signifier of land debasement lal, 1977. If the soil has eroded, the crops that make food will not grow very well. Generally, rates of soil formation are very low, with profiles developing at a rate of about 1 cm every 100400 years.
Wind blows loose soil off flat or sloping land known as wind erosion. Problems in urban areas like clogging in drains, the release of gases, foul smells, and problems in wastewater management. Soil is the most fundamental and basic natural resource for all life to survive. Jan 16, 2014 causes of soil erosion wind and water are the main agents of soil erosion. Soil compaction, low organic matter, loss of soil structure, poor internal. But even though the soil changes occur, but the composition of soil layers remain almost the same in a human. In addition to erosion, soil quality is affected by other aspects of agriculture.
Sort the causes and effects to sort the causes and effects of soil erosion, i initially held up two situations and asked which was the cause and which was the effect. That is, water erosion is the most destructive erosion type worldwide, causing serious land degradation and environmental deterioration. The effects of soil erosion go beyond the loss of fertile land. Effects of soil erosion on soil properties as related to crop. 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. 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. The topsoil is lost by erosion which is the most fertile section, having evolved over centuries of soilforming processes. Various agents, like wind, water, deforestation, overgrazing by cattle, etc. Natural erosion has sculptured landforms on the uplands and built landforms on the lowlands. Let us have a detailed look at the causes, effects and prevention of soil erosion. Soil erosion was a big problem in the midwestern united states in the 1930s dust bowl. Removal of vegetation cover, which binds the soil together, causes more soil available for surface runoff.
Soil erosion can also lead to mudslides and floods, negatively affecting the structural integrity of buildings and roadways. Young plants may fail to make it to maturity due to being blasted by particles flown around by wind. Land degradation, soil erosion and soil conservation pmf ias. Depending on the local landscape and weather conditions, erosion may be very slow or very rapid. Soil erosion is a major environmental issue because it can lead to water pollution.
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. Deforestation can increase erosion rates due to exposure of mineral soil and removal of humus and litter layers. Soil erosion is a process that involves the wearing away of the topsoil. Soil erosion occurs when the rate of removal of soil by water andor wind exceeds the rate of soil formation.
Water and wind erosion are two main agents that degrade soils. The amount of soil they can carry away is influenced by two related factors. Vegetation 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. For most areas of iowa, the loss of 1 inch per acre of. The major causes and effects of soil erosion on people and the environment can.
While there are many different factors that can cause soil erosion, most can be broken down into two main categories. 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. Aug 24, 2018 soil erosion is an ongoing process that affects each site in a different way. Farmers need to protect farmland from the wind by planting windbreaks around their land.
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 growing concern. Causes of soil erosion water and wind erosion causes. The causes of soil erosion can be natural or manmade. Soil erosion is a growing problem and constitutes a threat to soil quality and to the ability of soils to provide environmental services. In accordance with these agents, erosion is sometimes divided into water erosion, glacial.
Soil erosion is a natural process that is enhanced by human activity richter, 1998 and occurs in all landscapes and under different land uses. The flow of rivers and streams causes valley erosion. Soil erosion and conservation effects of soil erosion. Socioeconomic factors in soil erosion and conservation. This time, i heard more correct causes and effects. When soil erosion is severe, soil erodes faster than it can be renewed. The top soil is lost by erosion which is the most fertile section, having evolved over centuries of soil forming processes. Soil erosion and the effects of soil erosion on crop productivity have become emotional issues and have attracted the attention of agriculturists, environmentalists, and the public in general. Soil erosion is the washing or blowing away by water or wind of the top layer of soil dirt.
The removal of topsoil by the natural forces is known as soil erosion. The water flowing in the rivers and streams tend to eat away the soils along the water systems leading to a vshaped erosive activity. Water, the wind, and gravity move in an out of the soil particles. Soil and water conservation soil erosion free course. The causes of soil erosion have been intensively discussed during the past 40 years. Soil and water conservation soil erosion free course alison. 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. This natural process is caused by the dynamic activity of erosive agents, that is, water, ice glaciers, snow, air wind, plants, animals, and humans. Soil erosion can be a slow process that continues relatively unnoticed or can occur at an alarming rate, causing serious loss of topsoil. You will first learn about soil erosion from the mechanics, causes and types of soil erosion, as well as various factors affecting soil erosion and the. Students cut apart the causes and effects and matched them up. One third of the worlds agricultural soils, or roughly 2 billion hectares of land, was reported as being affected by soil. Since rapid soil erosion results in a loss of topsoil, it can have a detrimental effect on plants. When strong winds blow, the topsoil along with the organic matter is carried away by the wind.
The impact of raindrops will break up the soil and water buildup will create runoff, taking sediment with it. Most agriculture activities, especially on sloping landscapes, increase the potential for soil erosion. Although students could tell which was which, i missed a key component keep reading to find out what that was. These impacts include compaction, loss of soil structure, nutrient degradation, and soil salinity. Soil erosion soil erosion is the washing or blowing away by wind or water of the top layer of soil dirt. Test your understanding of soil erosion and its causes. In the iowa cooperative soil survey program, erosion classes are defined quantitatively. Too much of soil erosion causes serious loss of topsoil and also reduces crop production potential, lower surface water quality, and damaged. Sometimes water flows as a sheet over large areas down a slope. The top soil is loaded with nutrients and organic matter critical for crop growth. The free online course, soil and water conservation engineering introduction to soil erosion, will give you a better understanding of soil and water conservation practices and problems. These other forms of soil degradation, serious in themselves, usually contribute to accelerated soil erosion.
Soil erosion is the weathering away of topsoil caused by water, wind or tillage. Soil eroding and dirt loss, harmonizing to lal 1990 have inauspicious effects on agribusiness because they deplete the dirt s productiveness and decrease the resourse base. The process may be natural or accelerated by human activity. Extensive erosion also minimizes the depth of soil available for water storage and rooting. The top layer of soil is very light which is easily carried away by wind and water.
It is the fairly uniform removal of soil in thin layers from the land surface, often. Erosion also leaves large holes in the earth, which can weaken buildings and even cause them to collapse. Although soil erosion is a natural occurrence on all land, there are certain factors that call accelerate erosion making it more noticeable and problematic. Causes of erosion erosion occurs when soil is left exposed to rain or wind energy. Pollution, whenever we talk about pollution then the major things we get in our mind is water pollution and air pollution.
These layers absorb the impact of raindrops and form a protective mat over the soil. Pdf socioeconomic factors in soil erosion and conservation. Effects of soil erosion on soil properties as related to. 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. Due to uprooting of trees the shortage of timber and fuel wood results. It encompasses physical soil erosion, chemical salinity and alkalinity, pollution and biological deterioration pollution and. Little or no mixing of the subsoil with the plow layer. Trees are also crucial for our local water cycles as they assist in returning water. It is the fairly uniform removal of soil in thin layers from the land surface, often scarcely perceptible, especially when caused by wind. Land degradation soil degradation is the decline in soil quality caused by its improper use, usually for agricultural, pastoral, industrial or urban purposes.
Either way, soil erosion has a negative impact on agriculture and on the environment. Dregne soil erosion is the main reason why desertification is irreversible. 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 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. Essay on soil erosion environment environmental pollution. Cause and effects of soil erosion environmental sciences. Excessive grazing, deforestation, undesirable forest biota, and mechanical practices by man are important factors which cause soil erosion. Without trees to secure fertile soil, erosion often occurs and sweeps sacred land into nearby rivers. Soil erosion is the movement and transport of soil by various agents, particularly water, wind, and mass movement. But did you know that soil erosion also can seriously impair crop productivity. When the rivers and streams are full of soil deposits due to sedimentation and the valley levels up with the surface. 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.
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. After i felt confident that students could express the cause and effect relationship of soil erosion, we sat down at our seats and did our notebook activity. 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. Water and wind are the two main mechanisms by which soil is eroded and transported.