Soil erosion is the removal of topsoil from the land, primarily due to human mismanagement. There are three main types of erosion: sheet erosion caused by moving water, gully erosion from water in steep areas, and wind erosion in dry bare areas. Some key causes are overgrazing, cultivation on steep slopes, overcropping, and deforestation. To conserve soils, proper land management techniques can be used, including terracing, strip cropping, crop rotation, contour ploughing, reforestation, and windbreaks. These practices help reduce runoff and protect soil from heavy rainfall and winds.

1. SOILS
EROSION
Done By:
Suneta
and
Sangeeta
Samuel
Caribbean Studies

2. What is Soil Erosion?
 Soil erosion is the removal of the topsoil from the land.
This is due to several factors but basically the chief
cause is man’s misuse of the land( human
mismanagement)

3. Types of Erosion
 Sheet erosion, which is the removal of uniform layer of
soil by moving water. It is most common in sloping fields
where water caused tiny-particles to move downwards

4.  Gully erosion, which is the removal of soil by the action
of water especially in steep areas where the water
creates gullies

5.  Wind erosion, which is the removal of loose soil through
the process of deflation. This occurs in areas where the
land is bare and dry resulting in the particles becomes
loosened and therefore susceptible to force of the wind

6. Some Causes of Soil Erosion
 Overgrazing by livestock: animals crop the grass to a
low level thus leaving soil bare and open to wind action

7.  Cultivation along steep slopes: this results in gully
erosion taking place

8.  Over cropping as well as monocropping : this leads to
soil deterioration as minerals and organic matter are
depleted when a wide variety of crops is intensively
cultivated for a number of years without crop rotation.

9.  Deforestation : removal of vegetation from forested hill
slopes for lumbering, to make way for agricultural or
settlement activity. Once the vegetation are removed and
no quick replacement implemented, soil erosion takes
place.

11. Soil Conservation
To achieve this there has to be proper management of the
land, better farming techniques and a gradual return to
permanent grass or forest.
 Terracing :flat step like structure cut on steep slopes. This
reduces rate of run off. In addition earth banks, spillways
and drainage channels may be employed

12.  Strip cropping: crops are grown close together in strips
to ensure soil cover

13.  Crop rotation and diversification: prevent soil
exhaustion as one crop replaces nutrients used by
another: irrigation provides moisture preventing wing
erosion: application of fertilizers minimizes soil
deterioration
 Contour ploughing: crops are planted in horizontal
rather than vertical. This reduces run off and helps to
maintain soil moisture

14.  A forestation and reforestation: planting and replacing
of trees respectively which act as protection for soil from
heavy downpour, roots absorb excess water, and bind
soil particles together

15.  Windbreaks and shelter belts: trees planted in a line
along the path of the wind. This checks wind speed and
force. Crop are protected from the forces of the wind with
this.

17. Thank You for your time
and attention!
Hope this presentation
was educational and
helpful to you
