Eroded soils result from soil erosion, which is the loss of valuable topsoil through wind and water action, leading to decreased fertility and increased agricultural costs. Major causes of erosion include heavy rainfall, wind, recreational activities, improper land use, and lack of vegetation, with harmful effects on soil structure and productivity. Management practices such as crop rotation, contour cultivation, and no-till planting can mitigate soil erosion and preserve soil health.

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Eroded Soil
Eroded soils are the result of Soil erosion in which the soil surface is taken away by the runoff causing
loss of valuable topsoil along with nutrients, both native and applied. Soil erosion is defined as the
detachment, transportation and deposition of soil mass from one place to another through the action of
wind, water in motion or by the beating action of rain drops. Erosion extensively occurs in poorly
aggregated soils (low humus) and in a higher percentage of silt and very fine sand. Erosion increases
when soil remains bare or without vegetation. According to a 2015 report of the Indian Institute of
Remote Sensing (IIRS), the estimated amount of soil erosion that occurred in India was 147 million
hectares. Under this broad figure, 14 Million hectares by flooding and 9 million hectares from wind
erosion. 29 percent of the soil that is eroded is lost in the sea while 61 percent is just relocated.
Characteristics:-
(A) Characteristics of Soil Eroded due to water:-
• Less fertility and lack of fresh or active organic matter.
• Large amount of sand or other unproductive coarse soil materials.
• Fragmentation of land.
(B) Characteristics of Soil Eroded due to wind :-
• Reduced water holding capacity.
• Less plant nutrients. Because sub-soils generally contain fewer nutrients than top-soils,
more fertilizer is needed to maintain crop yields. This, in turn, increases production costs.
Moreover, the addition of fertilizer alone cannot compensate for all the nutrients
deficiency in the eroded soil.
• Degrading soil structure.
• Increased soil erodibility.
• Reduced water infiltration.
• Reduced productivity because of non-uniform distribution of top layer of soil over the
field. Typically, parts of an eroded field still have several inches of topsoil left; other parts
may be eroded down to the subsoil. This makes it practically impossible for a farmer to
manage the field properly, to apply fertilizers and chemicals uniformly and obtain uniform
results.

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Causes:-
I. Rain and rainwater runoff
In a particular heavy rain, soil erosion is common. First of all, the water starts to break
down the soil, dispersing the materials it is made of. Typically, rainwater runoff will
impact lighter materials like silt, organic matter, and finer sand particles, but in heavy
rainfall, this can also include the larger material components as well.
II. Wind
Wind can be a major factor in reducing soil quality and promotion of erosion,
particularly if the soil’s structure has already been loosened up. However, lighter winds
will typically not cause too much damage, if any. The most susceptible soil to this type
of erosion is sandy or lighter soil that can easily be transported through the air.
III. Recreational Activities
Recreational activities may accelerate soil erosion. Off-road vehicles disturb the
landscape and the area eventually develops bare spots where no plants can grow. In
some delicate habitats, even hikers’ boots can disturb the ground, so it’s important to
stay on the trail.
Fig. 1(a):- ATVs churn up the soil, accelerating erosion. Fig. 1(b):- Hiking trails may become
eroded.

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IV. Slope of the land
The physical characteristics of the land can also contribute to soil erosion. For example,
land with a high hill slope will perpetuate the process of rainwater or runoff Saturation
in the area, particularly due to the faster movement of the water down a slope.
V. Farming
Agriculture is probably the most significant activity that accelerates the formation of
eroded soil because of the amount of land that is farmed and how much farming
practices disturb the ground. Farmers remove native vegetation and then plough the
land to plant new seeds. Because most crops grow only in spring and summer, the land
lies fallow during the winter. Of course, winter is also the stormy season in many
locations, so wind and rain are available to wash soil away. Tractor tires make deep
grooves, which are natural pathways for water. Fine soil is blown away by the wind.
The soil that is most likely to erode is the nutrient-rich topsoil, which degrades the
farmland.
Fig. 2(a):- The bare areas of farmland are especially vulnerable to erosion. Fig. 2(b):-
Slash-and-burn agriculture leaves land open for soil erosion and is one of the leading
causes of soil erosion in the world.

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VI. Lack of vegetation
Plants and crops help maintain the structure of soils, reducing the amount of soil
erosion. Areas with less naturally-occurring flora may be a hint that the soil is prone to
erosion.
VII. Grazing
Grazing animals wander over large areas of pasture or natural grasslands eating
grasses and shrubs. Grazers expose soil by removing the plant cover for an area. They
also churn up the ground with their hooves. If too many animals graze the same land
area, the animal hooves pull plants out by their roots. A land is overgrazed if too many
animals are living there.
Fig. 3:- Grazing animals can cause erosion if they are allowed to overgraze and remove too
much or all of the vegetation in a pasture.
VIII. Construction
Constructing buildings and roads churns up the ground and exposes soil to erosion. In
some locations, native landscapes, such as forest and grassland, are cleared, exposing
the surface to erosion.

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IX. Logging
Logging removes trees that protect the ground from soil erosion. The tree roots hold
the soil together and the tree canopy protects the soil from hard falling rain. Logging
results in the loss of leaf litter, or dead leaves, bark, and branches on the forest floor.
Leaf litter plays an important role in protecting forest soils from erosion.
X. Mining
Mining disturbs the land and leaves the soil vulnerable to erosion.
Management:-
I. Crop rotation
It improves the overall efficiency of nitrogen uptake and utilization in the soil. If certain cover
crops are planted in the winter, erosion and runoff is prevented, and nutrients are trapped in
the soil and released to the spring crops.
II. Contour cultivation
On gently sloping land, a special tillage practice carried out on the contour of the field can
reduce the velocity of overland flow. Contour cultivation should not be carried out on steep
slopes because it will merely make the erosion situation worse.
III. Strip cropping
It is a technique in which alternate strips of different crops are planted in the same field.
There are three main types: contour strip cropping, field strip cropping, and buffer strip
cropping. If the strips are planted along the contour, water damage can be minimized; in dry
regions, if the strips are planted crosswise to the contour, wind damage is also minimized.
IV. Terraces
Constructing bench-like channels is otherwise known as terraces, enables water to be stored
temporarily on slopes to allow sediment deposition and water infiltration. There are three

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types of terraces: bench terraces, contour terraces and parallel terraces. It will control
erosion in wetter areas by reducing the length of the slope.
V. Diversion structures
These are channels that are constructed across slopes that cause water to flow to a desired
outlet. They are similar to grass waterways and are used most often for gully control.
VI. Drop structures
These are small dams used to stabilize steep waterways and other channels. They can handle
large amounts of runoff water and are effective where falls are less than 2.5 meters
VII. Riparian strips
These are merely buffer strips of grass, shrubs, plants, and other vegetation that grow on the
banks of rivers and streams and areas with water conservation problems. The strips slow
runoff and catch sediment. In shallow water flow, they can reduce sediment and the
nutrients and herbicides attached to it by 30% to 50%.
VIII. No-till planting
This planting system prepares a seedbed 2 inches wide or less, leaving most of the surface
undisturbed and still covered with crop residues. The result is a wetter, colder environment
that protects the seed and soil with its insulating effect of the surface residue.
IX. Till Planting
This ploughing technique sweeps the crop residues into the area between the rows of crops. Soil
density between these rows remains relatively high because of the absence of tillage. This soil is
difficult for raindrops to detach and runoff to move.