Free Essay

Soil Erosion

In:

Submitted By grandmawanda13
Words 373
Pages 2
Soil Erosion
Environmental Science
Wanda Black
2/12/15

Soil is solid material of geological and biological origin that is changed by chemical, biological and physical processes. This gives the soil the ability to support plant growth. Erosion is the process of soil and humus particles being picked up and carried away by water or wind. Erosion follows when soil is bared and exposed to the elements. This is how soil erosion happens as well as when there are no plants or trees and soil getting swept into the river.
The negative impacts of soil erosion, is overgrazing, over cultivation and deforestation. Overgrazing is grassland that is constantly plowed and crops grown on it. The grasslands don’t get enough rain to support cultivated crops or are too steep for cropping and for grazing livestock. It reduces the ability of plants to grow and water to not penetrate the land. Overgrazing can be prevented by farmers getting information from the U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). They do testing and analysis of soil. The NRSC have helped decrease soil erosion from 2.1 billion tons in 1992 to 1.7 billion tons in 2007 and made consequences of improved conversion practices such as windbreaks, grassed waterways and field border strips of perineal vegetation. If the land is left untreated it could cause a problem with the food chain. Overcultivation is when the soil has been plowed to control weeds and the soil is exposed to wind and water. The soil may remain bare for a considerable time after planting and again after harvest. Farmers can abandon rotation, degradation and erosion to exceed regenerative processes and the result would be a decline in the quality of soil. Fertilizers should be reduced in order to keep inorganic fertilizer farmers apply, from polluting waterways after soil has loosened its nutrients-holding capacity. Deforestation is the process of removing trees and other vegetation covering soil and converting the forest to another land use, that may lead to erosion and loss of soil fertility. To prevent this, trees should not be cut down and a business should use a building that is already developed.
References
Wright, R.T., D.F. (2011). Environmental Science, Toward a Sustainable Future 11e

Similar Documents

Free Essay

Soil Erosion

...Solutions of Soil Erosion Renfang(Alice) Liao Academic Skills 300-1 Professor Smithwick Aug 17, 2012 Introduction Soil erosion is a global issue troubling most of the countries. China ranked 129 among the 142 environmental suspensibility evaluated countries; one of the reasons is the serious soil erosion. 19% of China's land is affected by soil erosion, which is one of the highest rates (Liu& Diamond, 2005: 1181). The statistics are thought-provoking, and the effects of soil erosion are significant. In fact, soil erosion is a part of a vicious circle. Scientists and technicians around the world are working hard to find out the better and more efficient ways to monitor and control soil erosion. Soil erosion is a progress in which soil particles are carried away by force such as water ,wind and gravity. Water and wind erosion are the most important erosion types classified by the erosive agents (Toy, Foster, and Renard, 2002: 55). In this report, the vicious circle of soil erosion, reduction of vegetations and sediments in river is discussed. Among the technologies applied in soil management, the one suitable for local condition is the best. Discussion Soil Erosion and Vegetation Soil Erosion's effects on Vegetation Plants absorb what they need from soil with roots. The topsoil provides the best environment for plants' roots with loose structure, enough air, and rich organisms, but it is removed firstly through soil erosion (Plaster, 1992:...

Words: 922 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Soil Erosion

...1.0 Introduction Soil erosion has been accelerated in many areas of the world especially Australia. It becomes a biggest problem in Australia which leads Australians have to confront it. Soil erosion means the removal or disappearance of soil by water or wind. It may due to the poor cultivation, overgrazing and stripping of the land. Today, soil erosion is one of the most critical environmental problems in Australia which threatening farmlands, streams and village.  This report below is concentrate on the types, causes and preventing of soil erosion. 2.0 Types of soil erosion There have various types of soil erosion but the two major types of soil erosion that often occur in Australia which is water erosion and wind erosion. 2.1 Water erosion Water erosion is the most widespread erosion in Australia. There have several types of water erosion which is sheet, rill and gully erosion. Firstly, Raindrop can be a main problem for farmers when they strike bare soil. Rain can washes away seed and splashes soil into the air. If the fields are on a slope the soil is splashed downhill which causes deterioration of soil structure (Sydenham & Thomas, 2008). Hence, soil that has been separated by raindrops is more easily moved than soil that has not been separated. Sheet erosion is caused by raindrops whereas rill erosion and gully erosion caused by rainfall. Sheet erosion is defined as the uniform removal of soil in thin layers from sloping land. When rains run off the slope, without...

Words: 459 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Essay On Soil Erosion

...Soil erosion poses a significant threat to the environment and agriculture. The repeated loss of fertile topsoil negatively affects the long term sustainability of natural systems. Agricultural productivity faces a significant decline as a result of soil erosion Kusimi et al., (2015). Agricultural land across the world has either been lost or is rapidly experiencing degradation as a result of soil erosion. According to Arekhi et al., (2012), close to 40% of the world’s agricultural land is degraded, this includes 65% for Africa, 74% and 45% for North and South America respectively. Notable is that soil loss by erosion is an ongoing process, it was earlier reported by (Dudal 1981) that, across the globe , approximately 6,000,000 ha of fertile...

Words: 1022 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Disaster Management

...every year during the wet monsoon . These normal floods are considered a blessing for Bangladesh-providing vital moisture and fertility to the soil through the alluvial silt deposition. Only abnormal floods are considered disastrous, i.e., the high-magnitude events that inundate large areas, and cause widespread damage to crops and properties. During the peak flow season (July, August and September), most of the rivers overflow their banks, and deposit silt on the flood plains providing vital moisture and fertility to the soil. Thus, the normal floods are considered a blessing for Bangladesh. Only abnormal floods are considered disastrous, i.e., the high-magnitude events that inundate large areas. Causes of Devastating Floods · Excessive rainfall in the catchment area · Synchronization of the peak water levels of all the major rivers of Bangladesh. · Sometimes solar eclipse retards the outflow of water drainage by raising the tidal level. · Earthquakes cause tectonic anomaly in the Himalayan region and the Bay of Bengal. · Infrastructure development without adequate drainage EXTENT OF BANK-EROSION AND DISPLACEMENT Rivers constantly alter their course, changing shape and depth, trying to find a balance between the sediment transport capacity of the water and the sediment supply. This process, called riverine erosion or riverbank erosion, is usually seen as the wearing away of riverbanks...

Words: 2081 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Long Island Case Study Geography

...Long Island took more than 450 million years to develop into the geography we inhabit present day. Long Island’s geologic history began when future North America (known as Laurentia) collided with continental fragments, resulting in a foundation of consolidated hard rock. Several hundred million years of continental collisions and separations formed the Appalachian Mountains, whose eroding streams delivered Long Island’s sedimentary layer of sand, silt and clay. Over the next 63 million years, erosion continues to carve out valleys that will eventually become the Long Island Sound and bays off the North Shore. The next stage of growth is a result of approximately 4 Glaciers delivering the top layers of Long Island over thousands of years....

Words: 566 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Michigan Geography Research Paper

...very flat with a few hilly areas and glacial moraines which is when soil and rocks are left behind by retreating glaciers. The upper peninsula is fairly mountainous. The porcupine mountains are some of the oldest mountains in North America and have an altitude of 2,000 feet above sea level (newworldencyclopedia.org). Michigan is a unique state not...

Words: 1704 - Pages: 7

Premium Essay

Sci245 R6 Sedimentary Rock Worksheet

...table to describe and distinguish between the effects of weathering and erosion. Each response must be at least 200 words. |Effects of Weathering |Effects of Erosion |What are the Differences? | |Through mechanical and chemical weathering |Erosion is a term that describe the |Weathering involves two processes that | |of exposed rocks on Earth's surface chunks |transport of regolith from one place to |often work in concert to decompose rocks. | |of once embedded in bedrock are now exposed|another as oppose to weathering which |Both processes occur in place. No movement | |to the elements and over time they break |happens in place. Both processes can |is involved in weathering. Chemical | |down. Feldspar crystals in granite break |happen at the same time where weathering |weathering involves a chemical change in at| |down to form clay minerals. Other materials|can cause and rock to break down and then |least some of the minerals within a rock. | |such as quartz break down into sand which |materials from that are then transported |Mechanical weathering involves physically | |varies in grain sizes. "Seditment with |elsewhere by the wind in an erosion |breaking rocks into fragments without | |grain sizes between those of sand and clay |process. Fluids that cause the most erosion|changing the chemical make-up of the | |is called silt." One of...

Words: 942 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Glg 220 Week 5 Dqs

...This document of GLG 220 Week 3 Discussion Questions shows the Solutions to the following problems: DQ 1: Answer in 200-300 word count. Choose one question below and title your answer with Reply. 1. Describe the hydrologic cycle. How does this cycle affect the earth? 2. What is the potential danger due to mass wasting in your state or region? What is the effort spent to minimize the impact of mass wasting? 3. What is the impact of soil erosion on farmland? What are the tools that could be utilized to minimize the loss of farmland to soil erosion? DQ 2: Answer in 200-300 word count. Choose one question below and title your answer with Reply. 256 1. Based on your reading, do you believe that we are in a period of glacial or interglacial stage? Why or why not? What are the current factors that might cause the acceleration of one stage over the other? 2. One philosophy about pollution of water is that water can always be cleaned (e.g. by the use of distillation). Is this a viable solution? Why or why not? 3. What are the different sources of water in the United States? Which source of water is mostly used in your region? How could we protect the sources of our water from drying up and contamination? General Questions - General General Questions Resource: Ch. 9 of Geoscience Laboratory Complete University of Phoenix Material: Week Two Earthquakes Lab Report and University of Phoenix Material: Week Two Lab Report Worksheet by answering the following questions in Ch...

Words: 435 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Solutions That Will Reduce Pollution, Erosion & Ecosystem Degradation of Jamaica Bay

...Solutions that will reduce pollution, erosion & ecosystem degradation of Jamaica Bay Climate change has affected many specimens and their habitats all around the world. Many have impacted ecosystems as well as societies in endless amounts of ways. This can include many results, such as frequent severe storms with greater damage, an increase in floods or droughts, rising sea levels, oceans becoming acidic, increase or decrease in rain fall, altering ecosystems, damaging wetlands, economic problems and many more. There are local governments and organizations in which are currently working towards preparing the impacts of climate change through sustainable developments, laws, and policies. My research project with be consisted of identifying solutions that will reduce pollution, erosion, and ecosystem degradation of Jamaica Bay. In addition, Jamaica bay is one of the largest areas of open space with New York City. This serves as a significant natural area within one of the nation’s most populous urban centers. Due to this, it is located within the circumference of a heavily populated region and is acceptable to receive modifications from humanity. The Jamaica Bay is one of the primary components to The Gateway National Recreation Area (Gateway NRA), whereas it is a large body of water which drains portions of Queens, Brooklyn, and Nassau counties of New York, and discharges into the Atlantic Ocean. The Jamaica Bay Unit is approximately 6,500 hectares (16,000 acres)...

Words: 734 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Natty Ds

...oscillations from very cold to very ward Importance of Studying Climate Change A.) Effect on sea level- * If current glaciers were to melt, that water would drain into oceans and cause sea levels to rise (result in flooding) Alternatively if glaciers were to become much larger, water from oceans gets transferred to ice on leand and reduces sea level B.) Large Change in Climate- * If significant global warming occurs, some areas will become much drier (others wetter) causing deserts and also possibly worse severe weather and greater disease. If glaciers advance over large areas, it will force some people to migrate C.) Glaciers’ effect on landscapes/floods- * formed great lakes, flattens landscapes in other areas, rich soil of Midwest due to deposition of glacial debris. Can cause catastrophic floods. D.) Predict Future Climate- * Understand geologic past to help predict future (Inverse uniformitarianism) * Gas by abundance * Nitrogen, Oxygen, Argon, Carbon Dioxide, Others * All objects emit e-m radiation, nature of which depends on their temperature. With > temperature, object emits > amount of radiation (> intensity) with shorter wavelength. Sun (surface temperature = 6,000°C) emits much of its energy as visible light. Earth is much cooler and emits much less radiation (lower intensity), ~ entirely as longer wavelength infrared radiation *...

Words: 1186 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Unit 3: Outdoor and Adventurous Activities(A3)

...from natural meanings. In that case I will be looking specifically at Long Mynd as it is a great example how human can live in harmony with nature, but there will be also some visible places where people left their track after them. Long Mynd has an area of over 22 square kilometres (8.5 sq mi), most of which takes the form of a heathland plateau and has a long history that stretches to bronze age. Erosion play a significant role at Long Mynd as we can see that in the past, many houses and other structures have been build by stones that were present there and over history, if the place wouldn’t be touched by human hand, it may could look differently shaped and formulate naturally, but it didn’t. Today’s modern houses that are built on those lands are made from different resources and aren’t necessarily taken from the land itself but from somewhere else; like quarries. Long Mynd doesn’t consists of many types of rocks and today the steep and narrow valleys are covered in a thin layer of soil, with a low pH, able to support only strong grasses, rushes, and heathers. Beneath the soil the evidence of the ancient and chequered past can be seen, and the rocky outcrops and scree slopes are excellent places to view the different layers of ancient rock. Wildlife at Long Mynd doesn’t have as much variety as Yellowstone park and doesn’t thrives with breath taking beautiful animals, but some life is present there and the only animals that live there are ponies, sheep, bats and wild birds...

Words: 1832 - Pages: 8

Free Essay

Geography Sba

...What Processes Have Affected the Features on the Stretch of Coastline at Archer’s Bay, St. Lucy, Barbados? Name: Shawana Harris School: Harrison College Candidate Number: 00300141645 Table of Contents Page * Aim of Study......................................................................3 * Location of Study .............................................................4 * Methodology ...................................................................6 * Presentation of Data and Analysis...................................7 * Conclusion...................................................................... 16 * Bibliography ...................................................................17 * Appendix ........................................................................18 Aim of Study This study aims to examine what processes have affected the features on the stretch of the coastline at Archer’s Bay, St. Lucy, Barbados. Location of Study Fig 1 A Sketch Map of Barbados Fig 1.2 A Sketch Map of Archer’s Bay St. Lucy Fig 2 A Sketch Map of Archer’s Bay St. Lucy Barbados Methodology: Methodology On Wednesday, 5th November, 2014, a group of geography students from Harrison College visited Archer’s Bay, St. Lucy Barbados to study the influence of wave action on the visited coastal landforms. The data was collected between 10:00 am and1:30pm.The...

Words: 2170 - Pages: 9

Free Essay

Yes Ico Concern

...4.0 ISSUES, CORCERN, AND OPPORTUNITY (ICO) There are the issues, concerns and opportunities in Perlis State Park that relate to distinctive features and characteristics of the Perlis State Park area and the relationship of the area with the elements that existing including stakeholders related to Perlis State Park. An opportunity class defines the resource, social and managerial conditions considered desirable and appropriate within the Perlis State Park. There are a few issues, concerns and opportunities that we found in Perlis State Park that divide by two zoning, that are zone A for rural and zone B for roaded natural. Zoning | Places | Items | Issues | Concern | Opportunities | ZONE A(Rural) | 1. FELCRA KAMPUNG LUBUK SIREH 2. PEKAN KAKI BUKIT 3. KAMPUNG WANG KELIAN 4. KAMPUNG BATU 15 5. KAMPUNG BATU 15 6. TASIK MERANTI 7. GUA KELAM | MANAGERIAL | Accessibility ProblemNo transportation provided for their event. | No participate from local community to increase the value of PSP. | To give opportunities of local community to participate in activities and benefits to PSP. | | | SOCIAL | Recreational activities not be emphasizedNo periodically activity is performed. | Residents cannot take advantage of facilities and interaction with natural environment at the PSP. | Resident will get opportunities and the variety of recreation activities and can fulfil their satisfaction as well. | | | | No Interaction with VisitorNo communication and attractions...

Words: 554 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Geography Coasts

...down of something slowly, especially by chemical action. Mass Movement – is the movement of surface material caused by gravity. Landslides and rock falls are examples of very sudden movements of this type. Physical Weathering – any of the various weathering processes that cause physical disintegration of exposed rock without any change in the chemical composition of the rock. Biological Weathering – is the weakening and subsequent disintegration of rock by plants, animals and microbes. Growing plant roots can exert stress or pressure on rock. Chemical Weathering – the erosion or disintegration of rocks, building materials, etc., caused by chemical reactions (chiefly with water and substances dissolved in it) rather than by mechanical processes. Freeze Thaw – The Weathering of rocks which occurs when water which has penetrated joints and cracks freezes and expands. Slumping – The mass movement where rock and soil move downward along a concave face. Sub Aerial Processes – Weathering – Cliff Foot Processes...

Words: 289 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Landslides

...Landslides have been occurring as a natural phenomenon since ancient times causing devastation and altering the geographical landscape. It has only been in recent years however that human causes have begun to have an effect on how landslides occur, their frequency and severity. Although there are many causes that have been assessed to be a contributing factor in the causation of landslides there are always two intrinsic factors that are present in all landslides that “are all results of a failure of the soil and rock materials that make up the hill-slope and they are driven by gravity” (Geoscience Australia, 2012). A landslide is defined as “the movement of rock, debris or earth down a slope. They result from the failure of the materials, which make up the hill slope and are driven by the force of gravity. Landslides are known also as landslips, slumps or slope failure.” (Geoscience Australia, 2012). The purpose of this report is to evaluate four key factors that are primary to landslide research. This report will examine the causes and range of impacts of landslides on the population and the environment, the spatial distribution and temporal distribution of landslides. This report will look at The Thredbo landslide as a key example in the causes and impacts of landslides. After attempting to define key terms, the spatial and temporal distributions of landslides will then be addressed more generally (“Commentary on Guideline for Landslide Susceptibility, Hazard and Risk Zoning...

Words: 1399 - Pages: 6