All information on soil erosion A project?

Answer 1

Soil is one of our most precious resources. The loss of this resource, through land degradation processes such as wind and water erosion, is one of the most serious environmental problems we are faced with as it is destroying the means of producing our food. Soil erosion is a natural process and has occurred throughout geological history. Human activities, particularly agriculture and deforestation, however, have increased erosion rates, as they tend to remove the protective vegetation and reduce the stability of the soil. This human influenced process is termed accelerated erosion. Since 1950 accelerated erosion has resulted in the loss of 1/5 of the topsoil from the worlds agricultural land and 1/5 of the topsoil from tropical forests. Wind and water erosion remove the nutrient-rich topsoil, therefore one of the most significant effects they have is a reduction in agricultural productivity. Erosion not only damages the immediate area where it occurs but has negative effects on the surrounding environment. Soil and nutrients, especially phosphorus and nitrogen from agricultural fertilizers, that are transported in estuaries, rivers, lakes and dams cause the most off-site damage, for example:- * Water quality problems,which result in increased treatment costs for drinking water * Silt clogging dams, reducing water storage capacity and increasing maintenance costs * Silt clogging rivers, resulting in an increase in flood risk * Algal blooms, caused by the enrichment of water systems with agricultural fertilisers Soil erosion can be caused by natural processes or human action. Cutting down forests often causes soil erosion. Without trees, the land can't absorb as much rainwater and the soil is washed away. Water erosion results from the action of rainfall on the soil surface - either from the direct impact of raindrops or from the flow of water across the ground (called runoff). The severity of water erosion is affected by the condition of the soil surface, the slope of the land and how much vegetation covers the soil surface. Vegetation cover is the most significant factor determining the severity of water erosion. Therefore, any human activity that removes or decreases vegetation cover can cause erosion, for example deforestation, widespread cropping and overgrazing. Other forms of land degradation, such as salinity, waterlogging, soil compaction and water repellence, can also cause water erosion because these problems: * Destabilise the soil surface, making the soil more susceptible to removal by runoff * Reduce the amount of vegetation covering the soil surface. Wind erosion is caused by the action of the wind on the soil surface and is the process by which fine soil particles are carried away. Wind erosion is a serious problem in many parts of the world, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. It affects agricultural land in much of northern Africa and the Near East, parts of southern, central and eastern Asia, Australia, north west China, southern South America and North America. The severity of wind erosion is influenced by wind speed, the condition of the soil surface and the amount of vegetation cover present. Like water erosion, wind erosion is significantly influenced by the amount of vegetation cover, therefore any activity that removes vegetation, such as agriculture, deforestation or other land degradation processes, can result in severe wind erosion. Wind, waves and longshore currents are the driving forces behind coastal erosion. Like wind and water erosion, coastal erosion is a natural process however human activity can exacerbate the effects. Activities that can influence coastal erosion include: * Mining of sand for construction purposes * Building houses and roads too close to the beach, which interferes with the natural movement of sand and impedes beach recovery * Removal of vegetation from dunes, which destabilises these protective barriers * Damage to coral reefs, which reduces the extent to which they protect the beaches from waves and currents Wind and water erosion remove the nutrient-rich topsoil, therefore one of the most significant effects they have is a reduction in agricultural productivity. Erosion not only damages the immediate area where it occurs but has negative effects on the surrounding environment. Soil and nutrients, especially phosphorus and nitrogen from agricultural fertilisers, that are transported in estuaries, rivers, lakes and dams cause the most serious off-site damage, for example: * Water quality problems, which result in increased treatment costs for drinking water * Siltation of dams, reducing water storage capacity and increasing maintenance costs * Siltation of rivers, resulting in an increase in flood risk * Algal blooms, caused by the enrichment of water systems with agricultural fertilisers * Damage to aquatic ecosystems and loss of biodiversity, caused by high levels of suspended sediment, including the destruction of fish breeding grounds Wind erosion also results in: * Sandblasting of crops, cars and buildings * Contamination of wool and stock deaths from windchill * Burial of fences, buildings and roads * Air pollution, which obscures visibility, impacts on human health and may result in local climatic changes Wind and water erosion The impact of wind and water erosion on agricultural land and the surrounding environment can be reduced by: * Preserving the condition of the soil surface by modifying farming practices, for example using conservation tillage techniques which do not disturb the soil as much as traditional tillage techniques and preventing stock from trampling the soil * Keeping vegetation cover on the soil surface at all times, by adjusting stocking rates to prevent overgrazing, keeping crop stubble in place after harvesting and avoiding clear felling of forests * Installing natural or artificial windbreaks, which reduce the speed and damaging effects of the wind can also reduce the environmental impacts of wind erosion. * Support organic farming by purchasing organic foods and encourage your local retailer to stock organic produce. * If you are a farmer, you can conserve your soil resources by using conservation tillage techniques to reduce soil disturbance and compaction and by reducing stocking rates to limit soil compaction. * However,the best way to reduce soil erosion is by making sure the soil is covered by vegetation as much as possible. You can achieve this by revegetating areas of your farm with native trees and understorey plants,leaving crop stubble in place after harvesting and by including cover crops or pasture in your cropping rotations.

Answer 2

Soil erosion is the process of the removal of topsoil by water, wind, or human activity. It can result in loss of soil fertility and productivity, leading to desertification and reduced agricultural output. Conservation practices such as terracing, contour plowing, and planting cover crops can help prevent soil erosion and maintain soil health.