Soil erosion

Soil is the earth’s fragile skin that anchors all life on Earth. It is comprised of countless species that create a dynamic and complex ecosystem and is among the most precious resources to humans. Increased demand for agriculture commodities generates incentives to convert forests and grasslands to farm fields and pastures. The transition to agriculture from natural vegetation often cannot hold onto the soil and many of these plants, such as coffee, cotton, palm oil, soybean and wheat, can actually increase soil erosion beyond the soil’s ability to maintain itself. Half of the topsoil on the planet has been lost in the last 150 years. In addition to erosion, soil quality is affected by other aspects of agriculture. These impacts include compaction, loss of soil structure, nutrient degradation, and soil salinity. These are very real and at times severe issues. The effects of soil erosion go beyond the loss of fertile land. It has led to increased pollution and sedimentation in streams and rivers, clogging these waterways and causing declines in fish and other species. And degraded lands are also often less able to hold onto water, which can worsen flooding. Sustainable land use can help to reduce the impacts of agriculture and livestock, preventing soil degradation and erosion and the loss of valuable land to desertification. The health of soil is a primary concern to farmers and the global community whose livelihoods depend on well managed agriculture that starts with the...

Soil is the biologically active and porous medium that has developed in the uppermost layer of Earth’s crust. It serves as the reservoir of water and nutrients and a medium for the filtration and breakdown of injurious wastes. It also helps in the cycling of carbon and other elements through the global ecosystem. Soils have a unique structural characteristic that distinguishes them from mere earth materials: a vertical sequence of layers produced by the combined actions of percolating waters and living organisms. These layers are called horizons and are designated A horizon, B horizon, C horizon, E horizon, O horizon, and R horizon. soil, the biologically active, Since the rise of bce, there has also arisen by necessity a practical awareness of soils and their management. In the 18th and 19th centuries the Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Below the A and B horizons is the These simple letter table of soil horizon letter designations). First, two additional horizons are defined. Litter and decomposed organic matter (for example, plant and animal remains) that typically lie exposed on the ex, “out,” and lavere, “to wash”). The development of E horizons is favoured by high rainfall and sandy parent material, two factors that help to ensure extensive water percolation. The solid particles lost through il, “in,” and lavere). Soil horizon letter designations Base symbols for surface horizons O organic horizon containing litter and decom...

J. Croke, in Encyclopedia of Forest Sciences, 2004 Introduction Soil erosion control in managed forests is undertaken, and best achieved, for two main reasons. The first relates to soil protection for the sustainable productivity of the forest resource. The second relates to the protection of valuable water resources located in forested catchments. The potential impacts of increased soil erosion and the subsequent delivery of this material off-site, include a general reduction in water quality, adverse health effects on aquatic species, and an increase in the delivery of nutrients and sorbed chemicals to watercourses. This article discusses soil erosion control in managed forests from this twofold perspective. It uses a conceptual framework that emphasizes the link between on-site erosion and the subsequent delivery of this material off-site to the stream channel. The importance of adopting erosion control practices that encourage the reduction of surface runoff, and thereby off-site sediment delivery, is emphasized. The role and effectiveness of selected best management practices used in the control of soil loss and sediment delivery in forestry environments is also discussed within this framework. D.K. McCool, J.D. Williams, in Encyclopedia of Ecology, 2008 Soil erosion by water is the wearing away of the earth’s surface by the force of water and gravity, and consists of soil particle dislodgement, entrainment, transport, and deposition. This sequence of events occurs ov...

Soil Erosion Experiment In this experiment, the student will create a simple model of the soil with and without vegetation. Observations on how it erodes when water is introduced to the system are then carried out. The effect of soil orientation to the degree of erosion will also be investigated. The materials, procedure and assessment of the activity is described in the next section. (Note: Adult supervision is necessary when kids are performing the experiment) Materials • Plywood • 4 plastic bottles (1 liter capacity) • Strong-hold glue • Measuring cup • 2 soil samples (with grass and plain soil respectively) Setup Procedure Part 1: Horizontal Orientation • Use a sturdy table and place a piece of plywood on it. • Lay down 2 plastic bottles on the plywood and make sure that the bottles are spaced equally apart from the other with their necks protruding a little over the edge (see setup). These bottles will serve as the container of the soil. • Once the bottles have been arranged, attach them to the plywood using a strong-hold glue and leave them to dry. • Cut out the exposed part of the bottle as illustrated in the figure above. This will serve as the opening to put the soil and introduce water to the system. • Take the remaining bottles and cut it crosswise. Tie the base that you've cut to the outlet of the container as illustrated above. • From your backyard, take out a considerable amount of soil and spread it evenly in the first container just enough to fill it up to ...

DCL We are losing 1% of our topsoil per year. You may think that this problem is confined to farmers and that they are going to have to be the ones that deal with it, but erosion affects everyone, especially if you are a gardener or a lawn enthusiast. Luckily, most lawn erosion problems are preventable. 9 ways to Prevent Erosion 1. Employ a rain barrel or other form of 2. Plant trees and shrubbery especially near slopes and shorelines. These plants can ( 3. Grow plants on slopes. Grass does not stop erosion on slopes. 4. Plant a rain garden to soak up excess moisture and stop runoff. 5. 6. Bald spots in your yard or garden are bad news. Cover them with mulch and get something growing there ASAP. 7. Build terraces or a retaining wall. Any mid-yard structure will do a good job of stopping water and soil from leaving your yard. 8. Plant

The agents of soil erosion are the same as the agents of all types of erosion: water, wind, ice, or gravity. Running water is the leading cause of soil erosion, because water is abundant and has a lot of power. Wind is also a leading cause of soil erosion because wind can pick up soil and blow it far away. Activities that remove vegetation, disturb the ground, or allow the ground to dry are activities that increase erosion. What are some human activities that increase the likelihood that soil will be eroded? Farming Agriculture is probably the most significant activity that accelerates soil erosion because of the amount of land that is farmed and how much farming practices disturb the ground (Figure 1). Farmers remove native vegetation and then plow the land to plant new seeds. Because most crops grow only in spring and summer, the land lies fallow during the winter. Of course, winter is also the stormy season in many locations, so wind and rain are available to wash soil away. Tractor tires make deep grooves, which are natural pathways for water. Fine soil is blown away by wind. The soil that is most likely to erode is the nutrient-rich topsoil, which degrades the farmland. Grazing Grazing animals (Figure 2) wander over large areas of pasture or natural grasslands eating grasses and shrubs. Grazers expose soil by removing the plant cover for an area. They also churn up the ground with their hooves. If too many animals graze the same land area, the animals’ hooves pull pla...

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• Recent • Spaces • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Style • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Houses • • • • • • • • • • • Software • • • • • • • • • Plans • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Improvement • • • • • • • • • • • News 34 shares • Pinterest • Facebook • Flipboard Soil erosion is a form of soil degradation where the upper layer of the soil is displaced. This can be caused by all sorts of erosive agents such as wind, water, ice, snow, humans, animals, and plants. Soil erosion can be a slow process that sometimes goes unnoticed, but it can occur at alarming rates in some cases. The loss of the soil can hinder crop production, damage drainage networks, and lower the quality of water. Human activity has increased the On-site erosion can affect ecological and agricultural collapse. This is due to the loss of the nutrient-rich upper soil layers. Off-site erosion can cause water bodies and waterways to develop sediment or damage. This can lead to a lot of damage to the land and organisms in the area. Wind and water erosion cause around 84%of all land degradation but human activity has continued to expose the land to them. Deforestation, unsustainable agricultural practices, roads, climate change, and urban sprawl have led to a significant increase in soil erosion. This is why it is important to study all the different types of soil ero...

Soil erosion is the denudation or wearing away of the Human activities have increased by 10–50 times the rate at which erosion is occurring world-wide. Excessive (or accelerated) erosion causes both "on-site" and "off-site" problems. On-site impacts include decreases in Physical processes [ ] Rainfall and surface runoff [ ] splash erosion, sheet erosion, rill erosion, and gully erosion. Splash erosion is generally seen as the first and least severe stage in the soil erosion process, which is followed by sheet erosion, then rill erosion and finally gully erosion (the most severe of the four). In splash erosion, the If Sheet erosion is the transport of loosened soil particles by overland flow. Valley or stream erosion occurs with continued water flow along a linear feature. The erosion is both V cross-section and the stream gradient is relatively steep. When some traction. Bank erosion is the wearing away of the banks of a scour. Erosion and Thermal erosion is the result of melting and weakening Floods [ ] At extremely high flows, Wind erosion [ ] Mass movement is an important part of the erosional process, and is often the first stage in the breakdown and transport of weathered materials in mountainous areas. Surface creep is the slow movement of soil and rock debris by gravity which is usually not perceptible except through extended observation. However, the term can also describe the rolling of dislodged soil particles 0.5 to 1.0mm (0.02 to 0.04in) in diameter by wind alo...

Soil erosion is the denudation or wearing away of the Human activities have increased by 10–50 times the rate at which erosion is occurring world-wide. Excessive (or accelerated) erosion causes both "on-site" and "off-site" problems. On-site impacts include decreases in Physical processes [ ] Rainfall and surface runoff [ ] splash erosion, sheet erosion, rill erosion, and gully erosion. Splash erosion is generally seen as the first and least severe stage in the soil erosion process, which is followed by sheet erosion, then rill erosion and finally gully erosion (the most severe of the four). In splash erosion, the If Sheet erosion is the transport of loosened soil particles by overland flow. Valley or stream erosion occurs with continued water flow along a linear feature. The erosion is both V cross-section and the stream gradient is relatively steep. When some traction. Bank erosion is the wearing away of the banks of a scour. Erosion and Thermal erosion is the result of melting and weakening Floods [ ] At extremely high flows, Wind erosion [ ] Mass movement is an important part of the erosional process, and is often the first stage in the breakdown and transport of weathered materials in mountainous areas. Surface creep is the slow movement of soil and rock debris by gravity which is usually not perceptible except through extended observation. However, the term can also describe the rolling of dislodged soil particles 0.5 to 1.0mm (0.02 to 0.04in) in diameter by wind alo...