Agents of erosion

1. Agents of Erosion
 There are four main agents of erosion:
 Water
 Wind
 Vegetation
 Human Action

2. Landforms (resulting from each agent)
Water
Rain Rivers (v-valleys), ravines, canyons, Badlands
(cárcavas)
Running water (agua de
escorrentía)
Badlands (cárcavas), watercourse (ramblas)
Deposition of sediments Plains, Deltas
Temperatures Water penetrates in the cracks of the rocks.
Finally the rock can be broken.
Chemical Reaction
The CO2 is mixed with the H2O
of the rainwater and this
creates a chemical reaction that
dissolves the limestone.
External Forms: Doline or sinkhole or cenote
(Dolina, uvala), Limestone pavement (lapiaz)
Internal Forms: Stalactite, stalagmite, columns,
Flowstone (colada), Helictites (Helictitas o
formaciones excéntricas). Caves, underground
rivers.
Waves, marine currents and
tides
Cliffs, Arches, stacks (columnas), sand beaches

3. Wind
Wind Erodes Rocks,
Creates Dunes
Vegetation
The roots penetrate the
ground and can split rocks.
Vegetation can help to stop
erosion.
Sugarloaf mountain (Pan de azúcar)

4. Vegetation Sugarloaf Mountain
(Pan de Azúcar)
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

5. Waves, Marine Currents, tides Cliffs White Cliffs of Dover, England

6. Waves, marine currents, tides Arches Playa de las Catedrales, Lugo

7. Wind Natural Arch Jebel Kharaz, Jordan

8. Groundwater
Chemical Erosion
Karst relief
Stalactities and Column

9. Rain, Running Water Badlands (Cárcavas) Bárdenas Reales, Navarra

10. Groundwater
Chemical Erosion
Karst relief
Flow stone (Colada)
La Cueva de la Autopista,
Comunidad Valenciana

11. Water, Temperatures
Cracked boulder (cracked rock)
Australia

12. Groundwater
Chemical Erosion
Karst relief
Helictites (Helictitas o Formaciones excéntricas)
Cueva El Soplao, Cantabria

13. Wind
Dune
Erg Chebbi , Morocco

15. Rainfall
Chemical Erosion (Karst Relief)
Limestone Pavement (Lapiaz)
Madagascar
Lapiaz en Cantabria

16. Water, Rain Canyon, Ravine (Cañón, hoz) Grand Canyon, Arizona

17. Rainfall
Chemical Erosion,
Karst Relief
Sinkhole, Doline, Cenote (Dolina)
Sacred Cenote, Chichén Itzá, Mexico.

18. Sea (Water) Beach Playa de los Cristales, Laxe, A Coruña

19. Living Things – Human
Beings Quarry Marble quarry , Carrara, Italy