Effects of soil erosion on soil properties as related to crop. T value tolerable erosion equilibrium between soil gains and losses. Environment can simply be defined as the surrounding. The topsoil is lost by erosion which is the most fertile section, having evolved over centuries of soilforming processes. Based on the characteristics of each unique soil, it is more or less susceptible to erosion. Soil erosion is characterised by the downslope removal of soil particles within a thin sheet of water. Anthropic activities, like inappropriate agricultural practices, deforestation, overgrazing, forest fires and construction activities, may exert a remarkable impact on erosion processes or, on the other hand, contribute. Since rapid soil erosion results in a loss of topsoil, it can have a detrimental effect on plants. An inability to lay down these deep root systems can.
Methodologies for assessment of soil degradation due. 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. In chapter 3, a procedure for assessing erosion risks on the farm is explained, with the objective of helping farmers to produce a farm map, classifying their land into five different risk categories. Soil erosion has significant implications for land productivity and surface water quality, as sediment is the leading water pollutant worldwide. However, each subsequent cultivation disturbs the soil and detaches soil particles. Value 1 this form of erosion is no longer visible after cultivation ploughing, hoeing etc. Erosion does not occur uniformly across a field mainly because of the runoff flow network and nonuniform topog raphy. Soil erosion can be a slow process that continues relatively unnoticed or can occur at an alarming rate, causing serious loss of topsoil. Because soil erosion is such an important issue to farmers, any practice that will help prevent water runoff or helps to maintain the strength of the soil structure will be beneficial. Soil erosion around foundations of houses in four communities. Soil erosion is the physical movement or wearing away of the surface of the earth by wind, water or ice.
Soil erosion can also lead to mudslides and floods, negatively affecting the structural integrity of buildings and roadways. During four of the events, runoff and erosion were observed in the inversion tillage drainage but not measured due to equipment failure. Erosion is not always readily visible, even when soil loss exceeds unsustainable levels. Soil erosion is a disastrous form of environment degradation whose effects is multi dimensional. The crop yieldsoil loss regression equations provided information fo. Download 19,943 soil erosion stock photos for free or amazingly low rates.
Comparison of runoff and soil erosion from notill and. Effectiveness of check dam to control soil erosion in a. Effects of soil erosion on the environment can be seen in different aspects. Soil erosion reduces cropland productivity and contributes to the pollution of adjacent watercourses, wetlands and lakes. Accord to michael pidiwirmy 2010, past erosion has an effect on a soil erodibility for a number of reasons, many exposed subsurface soils on eroded site tend to be more erodible than the original soil, because of their poorer structure and lower. Soil degradation due to water erosion is a serious threat to the quality ofthe soil, land, and water resources upon which man depends for his sustenance.
Although check dams are commonly used, to the best of our knowledge, few studies have focused on their effectiveness in controlling soil erosion castillo et al. The key to controlling soil erosion by water is maintenance of a protective cover e. Due to formation of gullies and ravines, valuable agricultural lands are lost. In the selection of site for building a house, higher percentage 47%, 40%, 53% and 50% for nkrankwanta, asankragua, mampong and agona respectively of the respondents considered no factor. Erosion removes surface soil, which often has the highest biological activity and greatest amount of soil organic matter. Soil erosion leads to soil infertility as the top soil layer is lost and also ability of soil to hold water and sediment is reduced. Soil is the most fundamental and basic natural resource for all life to survive.
The critical harmful effects of soil erosion are that the farmlands become. In this book we collected a series of papers on erosion, not focusing on agronomic. Soil erosion and water shortage are main problems on loess plateau. Anne gobin, gerard govers, katholieke universiteit leuven robert jones, joint research centre mike kirkby, university of leeds costas kosmas, agricultural university of athens project manager. Permanent ground cover 90% and slope erosion by water 1.
Drainagescale runoff and soil erosion there were runoff and soil erosion events that reached the flumes during the 4 years of study table 2. Sheet erosion occurs when the entire surfaceofafieldisgraduallyeroded in more or less uniform way. Soil erosion soil mixture of minerals, organic material, living organisms, air, and water. As indicated by the classification in table 121, the texture of these soils is similar to fayette soils, but these soils differ by having a fragipan. What are the effects of soil erosion on people and the. Dregne soil erosion is the main reason why desertification is irreversible. Left unprotected, sites will be further degraded by erosion and begin to adversely affect the. Soil loss for erosion is a natural phenomenon in soil dynamics, influenced by climate, soil intrinsic properties, and morphology, that can both trigger and enhance the process. During four of the events, runoff and erosion were observed in the inversion tillage drainage but not measured due. In this special issue, we have tried to include manuscripts about soil erosion and degradation processes and the accelerated rates. Selecting a management strategy to maximize production is nearly impossible.
Recurring erosion is more typical for soil in areas that have experienced erosion in the past. Here in thousands of areas of formerly rich limestone soil of loam, silt loam, and clay loam texture, the topsoil has been removed. Anne gobin, gerard govers, katholieke universiteit leuven. Soil erosion reduces crop yields when valuable cropland is lost, so it can raise prices or reduce food availability. Water and wind erosion are two main agents that degrade soils. Causes of soil erosion water and wind erosion causes. The impact of raindrops will break up the soil and water buildup will create runoff, taking sediment with it. Soil erosion is the displacement of the upper layer of soil, it is one form of soil degradation. Soil erosion also changes the depth of soil, reducing the amount of earth available for roots to take hold.
In agriculture, soil erosion refers to the wearing away of a fields topsoil by the natural physical forces of water and. Where millions of years ago there was a wide field, now there may be only a narrow one for the river has carried off much of its soil. Soil physical properties affecting soil erosion 235 potential, one of the forces drawing water into the soil, which occurs as the infiltration process proceeds. 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 defined as removal of top layer by natural agents like sun, wind, water and by man. Break up of soil clodsaggregates and dispersion of soil particles by the kinetic. Reducing the number of cultivation operations will benefit the soil structure and reduce soil erosion. Impacts of soil erosion soil erosion is caused by the erosive forces of wind or water. May 22, 2015 sample essay on effects of soil erosion on the environment.
Four kinds of accelerated water erosion are commonly recognized. Assessing soil erosion although soil erosion has been taking place very slowly in natural. So, rational use of water resources, erosion control and socialeconomic development for local farmers are most important things we must to do. Editor, australian journal of soil and water conservation. Effects of soil erosion on soil properties as related to. The science paper comes as many scientists worry that soil protection targets in the draft sdgs may be removed from the final list of goals. Permanent ground cover 90% and slope erosion rate is erosion and sediment damages occur both on and off the construction site, and all of society pays for the destructive impacts. An advisory leaflet for preventing erosion caused by grazing livestock in lowland england. Soil compaction, low organic matter, loss of soil structure, poor internal drainage, salinisation and soil acidity problems are other serious soil degradation conditions that can accelerate the soil erosion. Soil erosion is the loss of soil from land due to the effects of wind and water currents. Natural erosion has sculptured landforms on the uplands and built landforms on the lowlands. Erosion also reduces productivity through nonuniform removal of soil within a field. Soil loss for erosion is a natural phenomenon in soil dynamics, influenced by climate, soil intrinsic properties, and morphology, that.
Oct 11, 2017 yet the need for food and other agricultural products continues to soar. It can reduce food by making it difficult to catch fish w. Workshop on common criteria for risk area identification in. Soil erosion and control measures on the loess plateau. Erosion impacts construction activities, such as grading and filling, drastically reduce soil quality on construction sites. Soil erosion is the wearing away of the land surface by physical forces such as rainfall, flowing water, wind, ice, temperature change, gravity or other natural or anthropogenic agents that abrade, detach and remove soil or geological material from one point on the earths surface to be deposited elsewhere. Symptoms of soil erosion by water may be identified by small rills and. According to the iowa state university extension, soil erosion results in a lessened soil water capacity, as well as loss of nutrients and carbon, which all have negative effects on crop productivity. The soil loses its fertility which is difficult to be regained. Soil erosion increased markedly from 1973 to 2006, with annual rates of 31, 38, and 56 t ha. The loss of soil from land surfaces by erosion is widespread globally and adversely impacts the productivity of all natural, agricultural, forest, and. Humaninduced erosion is mainly caused by the removal of vegetative cover, downslope tillage, overgrazing, deforestation, land leveling, and improper. Soil erosion is a process that involves the wearing away of the topsoil.
Beside the influence of human activities, soil erosion processes are also caused by morphometric characteristics of the land surface, the erosive force of rainfall and the erodibility of soil. In this publication, we focus our attention on concepts surrounding waterinduced soil erosion. This type of erosion threatens our ability as humans to sustain our global population with food and fiber, and is closely linked to economic vitality. The erosion of soil by wind and water is a worldwide challenge. Depending on the local landscape and weather conditions, erosion may be very slow or very rapid. Soil erosion sheet and rill erosion planning criteria planning criteria met screening level. Soil erosion stock photos download 19,943 royalty free. Only few of them con sidered factors as, soil type and slope table 3. After rainfall and runoff, the soil settles and is less susceptible to erosion. 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. Soil erosion soil erosion is the detachment and movement of soil material. Erosion control measures and techniques have made a great progress on erosion control and promoted socialeconomic. Upon completion of the two day lesson, the student will be able to. Understanding soil erosion in irrigated agriculture.
Some species of plants lay down extensive root systems, both to absorb nutrients in harsh environments and to protect the plants against uprooting by storms, flood, or animal activity. Degraded soil diminishes food production and leads to soil erosion, which in turn contributes to desertification. Soil erosion is a natural erosion process that is enhanced by human activity richter 1998 and occurs in all landscapes and under different land uses. In unstable soils, a second cause for the decrease in the infiltration rate with time is the deterioration of soil structure on the surface occurring during the infiltration process. The degradation and loss of soil around the world soil erosion is caused by the overuse of land, deforestation, desertification and water runoff all of which are, to some extent, caused by farming. Other soil conservation practicessuch as contour banks, filter strips and controlled trafficare important, but secondary to the maintenance of cover. Soil erosion is the process of removal of superficial layer of the soil from one place to another. The top soil is lost by erosion which is the most fertile section, having evolved over centuries of soil forming processes. Water and wind are the two main mechanisms by which soil is eroded and transported. The land management in areas affected by soil erosion is a relevant issue for landscape and ecosystems preservation.
Little or no mixing of the subsoil with the plow layer. Workshop on common criteria for risk area identification. However, when earthquakes occur, massive amounts of soil, including crops and forests are a. Effects of soil erosion on the ecosystem sciencing. A substitute that is commonly used for the assessment of soil degradation is the estimation of a wide set of soil erosion rates bellin et al. 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. Pesticides and other chemicals can get trapped in soil, polluting streams and rivers as the soil breaks apart. Soil erosion is a naturally occurring process that affects all landforms.
The process may be natural or accelerated by human activity. Sample essay on effects of soil erosion on the environment. 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. 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. Soil erosion is the wearing away of the land surface by physical forces such as rainfall, flowing water, wind, ice, temperature change, gravity or. Runoff washes away the soil particles from sloping. Soil erosion effects on soil productivity southwest watershed. In the iowa cooperative soil survey program, erosion classes are defined quantitatively.
There are many harmful effects of soil erosion it affects the quality of the soil and reduces the productivity of soil to a great extent. Harmful effects of erosion on organic matter and soil structure. Isbn 9789535108399, pdf isbn 9789535150169, published 20121121. Soil erosion may threaten global food security scidev.
Soil physical properties affecting soil erosion in. The soil material is suspended in runoff water and carried away. Soil erosion is the weathering away of topsoil caused by water, wind or tillage. This is particularly worrisome since, according to the uns food and agriculture organization, some 83% of subsaharan african people depend on the land for their livelihood, and food production in africa will have to increase almost 100. It is a naturally occurring process soil always shifts from one location to another and, under normal conditions, this shifting takes place in a slow and gradual manner.
198 212 1009 1383 1388 321 624 344 305 1216 83 564 22 421 153 980 99 282 590 665 832 1494 605 1469 1193 1446 928 1443 1386 434 1246 1453 829 1486 183 1486 810 696 347 345 389 727