The main agents of erosion are water, wind and gravity. Soil is the upper weathering layer of the solid earth surface in which plants growand is a mixture of minerals, organic matter humus, air, and water figure 1. Soil erosion is a natural or artificial process where the top layers of soil are blown or washed away from wind or water. The rills can usually be removed with farm machinery. Wind erosion happens when wind gusts blow away unsecured soil. In this book we collected a series of papers on erosion, not focusing on. Rill erosion can be reduced by reducing the volume and speed of surface water with grassed waterways and filter strips, ripped mulch lines, and contour drains. Choose from 500 different sets of soil erosion flashcards on quizlet. It can be serious on soils that have a slope gradient of only 1 or 2 percent. Otherwise, it can reduce productive farmland and pose a threat to the structural.
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 science fundamentals exam performance objectives. Topsoil, which is high in organic matter, fertility and soil life, is relocated elsewhere onsite where it builds up over time. Types of soil erosion soil erosion is a natural process that wears away the earths surface. The erosionreducing effectiveness of plant andor crop residues depends on the type. There are different types of soil erosion like rainwater erosion splash erosion, sheet erosion, hill erosion and gully erosion, landslide erosion earthquakes, heavy.
Although the process of soil erosion is imperceptibly slow and it can scarcely be detected, the loss over periods of time is indeed very great. An onsite loss of agricultural potential an offsite effect of downstream movement of sediment, causing flooding and the silting up of reservoirs. Soil and water conservation is the basis of such a program, and also helps improve land impoverished by erosion and overusemakes it more productive so that it can support more people. Rainfall, and the surface runoff which may result from rainfall, produces four main types of soil erosion. Soil science is a science that deals with the manipulation and betterment of soil conditions for the growth of plants.
Texture is the principal factor affecting kfact, but structure, organic matter, and permeability also contribute. The problem may become so severe that the land can no longer be cultivated and must be abandoned. Soil can be classified into 3 primary types based on its texture sand, silt, and clay. Iqvnittpmtx\wpixm\pmtivlivlicmk\\pm types of living things found in a region. Pesticides and other chemicals can get trapped in soil, polluting streams and rivers as the soil breaks apart. Soil erosion and control measures on the loess plateau, china. The problem may become so severe that the land can no longer be cultivated and must. Topsoil, which is high in organic matter, fertility and soil life, is relocated elsewhere onsite where it builds up over time or is carried. Programs to control erosion in queensland began in the 1950s and have been very successful.
Water erosion water erosion causes two sets of problems. Erosion and changes in the form of river banks may be measured by inserting metal rods into the bank and marking the position of the bank surface along the rods at different times. The soil erosion site the processes of soil erosion. Types of soil sandy soil, clay soil, silt soil, and loamy soil. There are places and situations where erosion rates are much higher than this limit, even as high as 100 t ha. Once the surface was reshaped by bulldozers, some of this. Sheet erosion soil erosion is characterised by the downslope removal of soil particles within a thin sheet of water. For better and proper crop yield, good soil conditions are necessary. While there are many types of erosion, all have the same basic process the removal of topsoil by wind or water. Soil erosion usda natural resources conservation service april 1996 what is erosion. In that case, the colorado river eroded the canyon over a period of five to six million years, forming the entire canyon gorge. The principal types of soil erosion by water are splash erosion, sheet erosion, interrill erosion, rill erosion, gully erosion, landslides, and stream erosion. Geospatial characterization and conservation potential for abr 70 subin k jose 2012 rainfall, stream bank erosion torrential rains in hilly areas causes flooding of rivers.
The soil erosion process begins by water falling as raindrops and flowing on the soil surface. Erosion is a natural process but is often intensified by human land use practices. Like other types of erosion, bank erosion needs to be managed. On a construction site, the erosion process is accelerated because the soil is left bare and unprotected by vegetation. Soil quality information sheet soil quality resource concerns. Tolerable erosion rates policy process to decide but soil loss 1 thayr accelerated over natural rate.
In accordance with these agents, erosion is sometimes divided into water erosion, glacial. Erosion control in humid tropical areas like hawaii and puerto rico may present special problems. Most soil erosion is caused by natural sources like wind and rain. The following terms are used to describe different types of water erosion. Soil erosion is the physical wearing of the earths surface by the action of water or wind.
Erosion occurs when the topsoil that many plants need to grow gets blown or washed away. Rain splash only occurs if the rain falls with high intensity. This leaflet explains the different types of erosion on the north coast. Soil erosion processes soil erosion is the physical movement of soil particles from one location to another, primarily due to forces of water or wind. Soil erosion by water 9sheet erosion soil is eroded uniformly across a slope 9rill erosion numerous tiny gullies rills randomly occur 9gully erosion with increased rainfall duration and intensity, runoff volumes increase and concentrate in small ravines. Loess soils fine dust are very prone to this kind of erosion, especially on banks peninsula and in marlborough. 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. Soil erosion and water shortage are main problems on loess plateau. Sep 21, 2017 the movement and relocation of topsoil by water is water erosion. Dec 22, 2015 soil erosion is wearing away of soil particle due to action of erosion agents such as moving water, ice and wind. The north coasts high rainfall makes the regions soils vulnerable to water. It is the fairly uniform removal of soil in thin layers from the land surface, often. As one of the major types of land degradation on the earth surface, soil erosion caused by water has induced largescale environmental deterioration and widespread declines in land productivity, which threatens the sustainability of humanearth systems. In the case of storage and bufferi ng, t hese consequences.
Since topsoil takes so long to build back up through natural processes, erosion damage is almost irreversible. Water erosion is the most prevalent kind of erosion. Lussenhop and teeri 2000 found that in highn soil with twiceambient co2. Soil erosion is the washing or blowing away by water or wind of the top layer of the soil. Soil particles are detached eroded, transported as sediment and deposited sedimentation by wind, water, ice or gravity.
Every 1% increase in total rainfall, erosion rate would increase only by 0. However, the percentage of these can vary, resulting in more compound types of soil such as loamy sand, sandy clay, silty clay, etc. Information and translations of soil erosion in the most comprehensive dictionary definitions resource on the web. Erosion control measures and techniques have made a great progress on erosion control and promoted socialeconomic.
Areas where loose, shallow topsoil overlies compact soil are most susceptible to sheet erosion. Soil erosion is the process by which soil is moved. The land management in areas affected by soil erosion is a relevant issue for landscape and ecosystems preservation. Students use evidence to explain the process of weathering and erosion. For effective conservation of soil and water, we must treat and use the various kinds of land according to their capability and need. Soil erosion affects a large part of the earth surface, and accelerated soil erosion is recognized as one of the main soil threats, compromising soil productive and protective functions. In this system, soil properties can be used to estimate the degree of acceler. Rain splash erosion happens when raindrops move the soil. Soil deterioration and low water quality due to erosion and surface runoff have become severe problems worldwide. Sheet erosion is less apparent, particularly in its early stages, than other types of erosion.
Here, earth is defined as the crust of the planet and its biproducts. Otherwise, it can reduce productive farmland and pose a threat to the structural integrity of roads or bridges located near the waterway. Therefore, we can talk of two types of soil erosion viz. Soils, soil characteristics and factors affecting management. Preventing and managing erosion environment, land and. T value tolerable erosion equilibrium between soil gains and losses. Results suggest that a significant area almost 41% faces soil erosion at a rate of 022.
Water, ice, students describe how natural weather events like wind and rain contribute to changes in earth s surface. The book fundamentals of soil science covers the agricultural field of soil science. Soil loss by water erosion may be drastically higher than in temperate regions, especially in areas of steep slopes elswaify and cooley, 1980. The construction of roads, parking lots, and buildings are examples of this problem. Soil erosion involves three distinct actions soil detachment, movement and deposition. Soil erosion is a process of detachment and transportation of soil by natural agencies of water and wind. When soil is eroded, it slideshare uses cookies to improve functionality and performance, and to provide you with relevant advertising.
Value 1 this form of erosion is no longer visible after cultivation ploughing, hoeing etc. Wither hills near blenheim had many severe tunnel gullies in the mid1950s. High annual rainfall and the energy of intense storms often result in high. An ideal soil is about 50% solids consisting of mineral and organic material. Effects of soil erosion on soil properties as related to crop. Also, detachment and movement of soil or rock fragments by water, wind, ice, or gravity. Erosion the wearing away of the land surface by running water, wind, ice, or other geological agents, including such processes as gravitational creep. Soil erosion by water can have negati ve consequences for a soil s capacity for sto rage, filtering, buffering and transformation. Soil erosion responds both to the total amount of rainfall and to differences in rainfall intensity, however, the dominant variable appears to be rainfall intensity and energy rather than rainfall amount alone. While some erosion is natural, the university of michigan warns that humans often remove plants that cover soil and, therefore, speed up erosion. Rill erosion is often described as the intermediate. Soil moves a few inches and usually is redistributed back over the surface soil. Processes and principles of erosion and sedimentation nc.
Soil erosion is wearing away of soil particle due to action of erosion agents such as moving water, ice and wind. For one soil, k factor is the rate of erosion per unit erosion index from a standard plot. There are many factors which influence the process of soil erosion. Once the surface was reshaped by bulldozers, some of this land has been used for growing grapes and olives.
Some types of rocks broke down faster than others, which led to the interesting shapes of the remaining rock formations. Thermal erosion is the result of melting and weakening permafrost due to moving water. Geological soil erosion happens at the same rate as soil is formed. 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. Wind or water erosion is the physical wearing of the earths surface. In this book we collected a series of papers on erosion, not focusing on agronomic. Types of erosion te ara encyclopedia of new zealand.
Soil erosion can be avoided by using land within its capability. Soil erosion and control measures on the loess plateau. The term soil erosion covers a wide range of physical and chemical actions, such as removal of soluble matters, chemical changes, disintegration by frost or by rapid changes of temperature, attrition by dust charged wind, scouring by silt laden currents, alternate impact and succession by storm waves, landslides and so on fox 1950. Types and forms of erosion by water and by wind anne x 1 1. Learn soil erosion with free interactive flashcards. Types of soil sandy soil, clay soil, silt soil, and. Although the rate of erosion from construction sites may range from 20 to 500 thayr, erosion associated with construc. While soil erosion is natural, it can cause serious problems for human. Gulf coast erosion, alabama coastal erosion in pacifica, california. Part of this is through lost production and nutrients. Effects of soil erosion on soil properties as related to. Workshop on common criteria for risk area identification in.
Soil erosion is the displacement of the upper layer of soil, it is one form of soil degradation. The word erosion is derived from the latin rodere meaning to gnaw, the same root that gives us the word rodent. Soil erosion factsheets department of primary industries. In geology there are five major types of errosion of earth. Workshop on common criteria for risk area identification. Water and wind erosion are two main agents that degrade soils. Environment agency thinksoils factors that influence erosion and runoff soil surface roughness factors that influence erosion and runoff soil surface roughness 3 ploughed land provides surface storage of rainwater soil surface roughness soil surface roughness rough surfaces e. The three main phases of soil erosion are detachment, transport and deposition. The world requirement of food is fulfilled by agriculture. There are several types of water erosion that can cause difficulties for topsoil. The lands position, soil type and slope determine how vulnerable it will be to.
Precipitation is the most forceful factor causing erosion. Soil features and impact of erosion te ara encyclopedia. A standard description classification of the soil types is necessary for. Erosion removes surface soil material topsoil, reduces levels of soil organic matter, and. Soil erosion can also lead to mudslides and floods, negatively affecting the structural integrity of buildings and roadways. It has been occurring for some 450 million years, since the first land plants formed the first soil. Pdf relation of runoff and soil erosion to weather types. Soil erosion is the weathering away of topsoil caused by water, wind or tillage. Soil quality information sheet soil quality resource. So, rational use of water resources, erosion control and socialeconomic development for local farmers are most important things we must to do. Erosion control treatment selection guide usda forest service. Soil erosion is a gradual process that occurs when the impact of water or wind detaches and removes soil particles, causing the soil to deteriorate.