Essay On Soil Erosion

Soil Essay
University of Phoenix Material
Soil and Glaciers Worksheet
From Visualizing Earth Science, by Merali, Z., and Skinner, B. J, 2009, Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.
Copyright 2009 by Wiley. Adapted with permission.
Part 1
Size grades of soil are named sand, silt, and clay, which includes colloids. Size grades are defined
using the metric system. Use Figure 4.8 from the textbook to fill in the following chart. Specify the
type and size and description of the particle. In some cases, particle size will be less than some
value or greater than another value. For instance, gravel is greater than 2.0 mm.
|Name |Size |Description |...show more content...
Describe why these factors are important in the formation of soil.
|Soil forming factor |Importance in soil formation |
|Parent material |Direct impact soil chemisty and fertility rich in solube ions– calcium, magnesium
potassium|
| |and sodium. |
|Climate |Precioitation, temperature. Warmer temperature speed up the formation of soil. Cooler |
| |temperature less precipitation slow down soil formation. |
|Living organisms |Plants animals and micro organism all affect soil formation by producing or
contributing to|
| |humus production. |
|Topography |water to soak into the regolith |
| |important topographic variable connected with soil is the slope of the land surface |
|Time |longer soil–forming processes, mature soil, |
| | it takes thousands of years
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Causes Of Soil In Africa
There are many reasons that the soil in Africa has seen decreased nutrients quality, ranging from
Africa's seasonal effect on soil, climate change and poor farming practices are all factors that
contribute to this phenomenon. Firstly, I will cover the natural reasons that Africa's soil tends to
be degraded as this is commonly debated to be the main reason for the soils degradation. Africa is
unique in that it has one of the strongest seasonal rain systems (very dry when rain isn't occurring
but when it does it rains heavily) in the world. This in and of itself can cause huge amounts of soil
erosion so it makes a lot of sense that much of Africa has poor soils. Furthermore, there was a study
done by M E Meadows that found "According to the united nations, areas subject to desertification
are so called 'susceptible dry lands" meaning they have an aridly index of .05 – .65" she also
discovered that around " 91% of Africa could potentially classify as an affected dry land." Dry
lands combined with highly seasonal rains are major causes of erosion, which in turn causes soil
to lose nutrients fast i.e. desertification. These are not the only natural causes. Over the course of
thousands of years the continuous leeching of the nutrients in the soils has caused the soil to lose
its quality. All of these compounds because Africa's soils are relatively poor to start with the land
forms and location of Africa make it harder to regenerate its natural nutrition. It is getting to the
point where some areas have become so degraded that there is no easy fix for this problem. Later,
I will cover what steps we can take to alleviate some of these effects and hopefully reverse this
problem, but for now Africa's soil is continuing to steadily decline. It should be noted that there are
some areas of Africa that are still incredibly fertile. The problem lies in the fact that much of Africa
is losing its arable land which will present problems in the very near future.
Poor farming practices are also one of the leading causes of the desertification of sub Saharan
Africa. Much of Africa is still using practices which are quite harmful to the overall soil quality in
Africa. Most notably slash and burn techniques, this has especially

Soil Conservation
Soil, which is one of the most important natural resources, is often less heeded. The importance of
soil conservation is relatively less talked about as compared to the conservation of water and other
natural resources. The almost–omnipresent soil is mostly taken for granted. Its omnipresence is
ironically the reason behind us, human beings, taking it for a ride. We rarely even think of it as a
natural resource that needs to be conserved, a part of the natural wealth that needs to be preserved.
The concept of the conservation of soil takes into account, the strategies for preventing the soil from
getting eroded and preventing it from losing its fertility due to an adverse alteration in its chemical
composition. Here are some ways to...show more content...
Salinity of soil is detrimental to the vegetative life in the soil. The death of vegetation is bound to
cause soil erosion. Hence, salinity management is one of the indirect ways to conserve soil.
Soil organisms: Organisms like earthworms and others benefiting the soil should be promoted.
Earthworms, through aeration of soil, enhance the availability of macronutrients in soil. They also
enhance the porosity of soil. The helpful organisms of soil promote its fertility and form an element
in the conservation of soil.
Indigenous Crops: Planting of native crops is known to be beneficial for soil conservation. If
non–native plants are grown, the fields should be bordered by indigenous crops to prevent soil
erosion and achieve soil

Soil Erosion Essay
Soil erosion is a natural event that affects all land. In farming and other agriculture, soil erosion
refers to the weathering away of topsoil by the natural forces such as wind, water or through acts
associated with farming such as tilling. Soil erosion can be something that happens slowly over
time or something that can happen in the blink of an eye causing severe land damage. This article
shows the cause and effect of soil erosion on farm and agriculture land.
Wind erosion occurs mostly in flat, dry areas with fine, sandy soil. Wind erosion is caused when
the wind moves topsoil from one place and deposits it to another. The speed and extent of the
wind depend on the amount of soil erosion done. Extreme wind erosion can cause severe amount
damage to land and crops. Wind erosion damages land and crops in many ways, one such way is
soil drifting. Soil drifting can lead to soil infertility which in turn can lead to poor crop growth
and production, especially in areas where wind erosion is very common. Continual wind erosion
in one area over time can change the texture of the soil by loss of sand, silt, nutrients and organic
matter. The removal of such matter from the soil makes it harder for the soil to hold moisture,
making it more difficult for crops to grow. Wind erosion also damages crops by burial of plants and
seeds or unearthing of newly planted seeds, resulting in expensive delays and making it necessary to
replant. Abundant woods and vegetation around

Effects of Soil Erosion Essay examples
Effects of Soil Erosion by Farms on the Environment and Some Solutions
Traci Kramer
Harrisburg Area Community College
Table of Contents
Abstract............................. Pg 3
Introduction...................... Pg 4
Causes................................ Pg 4–5
Land Affects...................... Pg 5
Water Affects................... Pg 5–6
Chemicals.......................... Pg 6
Lancaster County............. Pg 6
Prevention........................ Pg 7
Damage Control............... Pg 7
Conclusion......................... Pg 7–8
References........................ Pg 9
Abstract This paper will go in depth on soil erosion caused by farms. It will primarily look at how
soil erosion from farms can affect the environment. The paper will then go in depth with seven
supporting questions which include, what causes erosion, how erosion from runoff affects the land,
how it affects...show more content...
On farms chemicals such as fertilizers and pesticides are used all the time on crops. It then rains
and all those chemicals get into streams and rivers. It then gets into your drinking water. You can
tell yourself it is not that bad but you don't really know about all the chemicals you are taking into
your body or how much is really getting into your body. Chemicals such as, nitrates, phosphates,
acids, and even animal waste. All these chemicals can greatly harm your body. These chemicals
also harm the aquatic life. If there are too many chemicals in the water it can deplete the oxygen
needed by these animals and in the end it can lead to cultural eutrophication and eventually lead to a
huge fish kill. If the surface runoff continues then it can lead to highly polluted water sources
which can be extremely toxic. Already 85% of large lakes have some degree of cultural
eutrophication. In Oregon state pollutants from runoff such as lead, arsenic, herbicides, mercury,
silver and zinc were all found at levels above state and federal limits (Dingfelder, 2010). Can you
imagine what those chemicals could do to you? Another problem is the soil and silt that get into
streams. It can greatly affect aquatic life which means less fish and more pollution.
Top soil erosion can carry with it a lot of different kinds of chemicals. Nitrates are one of these
chemicals. Nitrates can cause things such as miscarriages in pregnant women and has also been
linked to blue baby

Soil Erosion In Madagascar Essay
Disappearing Opportunities SOIL EROSION AND ITS EFFECTS
By Rhett Butler | Last updated July 22, 2012
The loss of trees, which anchor the soil with their roots, causes widespread erosion throughout the
tropics. Only a minority of areas have good soils, which after clearing are quickly washed away
by the heavy rains. Thus crop yields decline and the people must spend income to import foreign
fertilizers or clear additional forest. Costa Rica loses about 860 million tons of valuable topsoil
every year, while the Great Red Island, Madagascar, loses so much soil to erosion (400 tons/ha) that
its rivers run blood–red, staining the surrounding Indian Ocean. Astronauts have remarked that it
looks like Madagascar is bleeding to death, an apt description of a country with grave environmental
degradation and an agriculture–reliant economy that depends on its soils. The rate of increase for
soil loss after forest clearing is astonishing; a...show more content...
Erosion is extremely costly for developing countries. Besides the damage to infrastructure,
fisheries, and property, erosion of precious topsoils costs tens of billions of dollars worldwide each
year. For example, in the late 1980s the Indonesian island of Java was losing 770 million metric
tons of topsoil every year at an estimated cost of 1.5 million tons of rice, enough to fulfill the needs
of 11.5–15 million people.
ENVIRONMENTAL REFUGEES
Environmental deterioration can leave people as "environmental refugees"–people who are displaced
due to environmental degradation, including deforestation, sea–level rise, expanding deserts, and
catastrophic weather events. Red Cross research shows more people are now displaced by
environmental disasters than by war.
Erosion in Madagascar. Click image for more information. (Photo by R. Butler)
Review questions:
Why do rainforests help prevent

Advantages And Disadvantages Of Soil Erosion
Expansive soils continue to be a major problem in pavement construction practice. These soils are
low–graded due to their inferior engineering characteristics (e.g. low strength, high compressibility
and a high potential for swelling and shrinkage), and thus characterized as unsuitable materials for
subgrades (Sridharan and Gurtug 2004; Nalbantoglu 2006; Estabragh et al. 2013a). As a
consequence, such soils often require modification – a process referred to as soil stabilization – to
meet design guidelines prior application. Chemical stabilization by means of traditional cementitious
agents including cement, lime and fly–ash can be regarded among the most common solutions in
this context. Although such agents have been well–established as...show more content...
2015; Hoy et al. 2017; Latifi et al. 2017).
Polymers with hydrocarbon chains act as potential particle binders by entwining within the soil
particles, and thus stabilizing the weak soil into a relatively firm mass (Brown et al. 2004).
Positively charged polymers are electrostatically attracted to the negatively charged clay surface,
while non–ionic polymers accomplish adsorption through van der Waals and/or hydrogen bonding
(Theng 1982; Wallace et al. 1986; Miller et al. 1998). Even though anionic polymers tend to be
repelled by clay particles due to initial charge repulsion, adsorption can still take place through the
presence of cations in the double layer acting as bridges. The degree of attraction in this case is
dependent on the amount and type of exchangeable cations, clay content, pH and polymer
molecular size (Theng 1982; Lu et al. 2002). Polyvalent cations such as Ca2+ and Mg2+, for
instance, offer greater efficiency in attracting the negatively charged groups on the polymer chains
compared to univalent cations such as Na+ (Letey 1994; Laird 1997).
Sulfonated oils, also referred to as sulfonated hydrocarbons, can be classified as surfactant agents
which are amphiphilic in nature. These products are water–soluble oils, which are often obtained by
treating fatty

Lab Report On Water Erosion
Erosion is materials such as rock and soil being removed by the force of weathering such as water,
wind, ice etc. Water erosion would be the main focus throughout this lab. Water Erosion involves
rock and soil being removed by any movements of water. An example would be the Grand Canyon.
It began in colorado, but due to colorado river it continue to grow deeper and cut into Arizona. Water
erosion occurs into anything involving river banks, streams, seashores, and lastly seaside cliffs.
Throughout the year water erosion particularly happens during spring time due to water showers and
creates a great amount of water to create water erosion.
The occurrence of water erosion is divided into 6 different stages. Sheet erosion is lost of soil
between cultivated and uncultivated environments. Cultivate is essential a way to prepare land of
water overflowing. Than Rill erosion is surface water that involves to channelside to concentration of
water. Comes along Gully erosion which is an amount of soil getting removed by water. Splash
erosion will come next which is movement of soil being directly affected by splashing. Bank
erosion come next which is essentially wearing away for rivers and valleys.
Purpose:
The purpose of this experiment is to examine the impacts of water erosion on soil due to splashing.
Hyphothesis:
If the height of the water increases than the amount of soil erosion will increase because the speed
of water will create more pressure on the soil causing the

Science Fair Background Of Erosion Essay
Science Fair Background Research
The research below is about erosion. The purpose of this research is to perform an experiment
involving erosion. Erosion happens when earth is worn away, often because of ice, wind, or water.
The way erosion happens is "fluid flow" and that is when water, air, and ice flow from point A to
point B because of gravity. Weathering is also similar toerosion, but instead of wearing away earth,
it is wearing away rock. Weathering is so strong, no rock is hard enough to protect itself from
weathering. The process of erosion moves rock and earth from one place to another. Normally when
erosion is in the form of ice that ice is a glacier.
If water is muddy, it is a sign of erosion. It means bits of rock or soil are in the water and are being
transported. This material that is being transported is sediment. If wind or water slows down, or if
glaciers or ice is melted, the sediment will be dropped off at a new location. As more and more
sediment gets deposited, it starts to...show more content...
This will start to happen all over the world. This also will affect animals and buildings on the
shore. Another thing that can cause erosion are animals, gravity, and floods. Animals help destroy
the dirt into smaller pieces making it easier for the wind to push it away. The gravity can pull rocks
and dirt down a cliff or mountain. Floods come through the city or town and act like a huge tidal
wave and push everything away.
There could also be chemical and mechanical processes. Mechanical weathering actually breaks
the rock, when the cracks form the water can get into the rock and break it more. Chemical
weathering will only decay the rock overtime and is not as fast. Erosion can help in a few ways,
but generally, it is very negative. Moved soil can be great for planting crops. A negative is that
eventually erosion will erode some of Earth's greatest natural

Essay On Soil Degradation In Soil
From the findings of Roslev et al. (1998) [54], PAH degradation in soil most often follows first
order kinetics which was chosen here to model the degradation . Modeled versus measured
average values of selected PAHs using Eq. 1 is plotted in Fig. 5. Despite some scatter, measured
and fitted values match relatively well with an average relative deviation of 21%. R2 values were
within the limits of 70–97% at P < 0.01. Values obtained from the model are in correlation with the
measured values and are grouped around the linear fit of the slope (Fig. 5.). It is evident that the
model describe well the changes of concentrations of the contaminants.
Fig. 5. Correlation between actual (determined) concentrations of total soil PAHs and...show more
content...
The average RMSE (%) of soil moisture for this study was 10.8%, whereas it was 21.3% and 19%
for the Geng et al. [56] and Zhang et al. [57].
Fig 6. The degradation of four selected PAHs at the temperatures 10В°C and 20В°C showing
measured and model results
5.3. Impact of rainfall on soil PAH degradation rates
Rainfall is useful in the biodegradation of soils by supplying moisture and useful dissolved oxygen
to microbes for degradation of dissolved organic pollutants, such as PAHs [58]. Based on the model
results, Fig. 7 shows the relationship between rainfall and the total PAH degradation rate in
percentage for the three sites (W–01, W–02 and W–03) for two different years. The pattern of
behavior of PAH degradation versus precipitation was as expected. In 2006 which recorded the
highest precipitation, it can be seen from the model estimates that a higher percentage of PAH
degradation is also observed. Overall, the study indicates that the modified DNDC model
(DNDC–OP) is capable of capturing the major trends of pollutant degradation in soils for the
different weather conditions located in Canada.
Fig. 7. Model results showing rainfall (mm) and percentage degradation of soil PAH at three sites:
Ft. McMurray (W–01), Edmonton (W–02) and Red Deer (W–03).
5.4Effect of soil temperature and soil moisture on soil PAH degradation rates
A scenario analysis was conducted to examine the influence of temperature and moisture on

Grassland Soil Erosion Of Grasslands
Environmental Science Professor Delia Comeau Case Study: Grassland Soil Erosion Overgrazing
of grasslands is an issue occurring in many areas around the nation. In fact, it is the leading cause of
all soil degradation, being responsible for more than 30 percent (Withgott & Lapostata, 2014, p.
222). Overgrazing has many consequences: land degradation; poor soil quality; invasive species of
weeds and plants; 1loss in biodiversity; increased flooding prevalence and increased magnitude;
even a possible contribution to climate change (Withgott & Lapostata, 2014, p. 229; Hogan, 2010).
When faced with 500,000 acres of public land that are enduring these issues, many steps need to be
taken in order to determine the future of the land and if grazing will be allowed to continue. One of
the main ways of helping determine the future use of the land is in the soil quality. By observing the
soil color, pH, texture, and structure, the proper means of restoration and conservation can be better
determined.
There are many aspects soil that can be observed and measured in order to determine the quality
of the lands condition. One property of soil that can be looked at is the color. 2Soil color can
determine its composition and fertility. Soil that is pale in color usually suggest low organic
contents and even leaching, while soil that is dark browns and black in color often suggest higher
organic content and richness (Withgott & Lapostata, 2014, p. 220). Soil pH is another property that
helps

Adam Pazcoguin
Soil Erosion Research Report
The topic I chose for the science fair is soil erosion, which is the process of rocks and soil being
slowly weathered away. Soil erosion often pushes the soil downhill, and often times contaminated
soil will get into our water–ways, causing pollution. It is also said that up to 80% of Earth's
agricultural soil can be affected by soil erosion. This can be very unhealthy for the economy, and can
be harmful to future agriculture as well. Factors that affect soil erosion are waves, water, ice,
gravity, and glaciers. This project would be relevant to the topic "Earth and planetary sciences"
because it goes along the "Earth science" theme which has to do with weathering and erosion.
First let's talk...show more content...
As I wrote earlier, up to 80% of Earth's agricultural soil is susceptible soil erosion. In other words,
soil that can be used for future farms would be ruined. Soil erosion can also pollute waterways. This
not only makes it so our fresh–water is contaminated, but the animals inhabiting that area will lose
their home as well. Soil erosion can also increase the risk of a flood. Since the land had been
corroded, it can't hold up as much water as before. Thus, increasing the risk of a flood occurring in
agricultural fields. Judging from this paragraph, you can tell how bad the situation can be, that is
why I want to find a way that fixes this problem.
The last point I want to address is how we can prevent soil erosion. 3 procedures we can do to
help prevent erosion are: use land according to its capability, protect the soil surface with a type of
cover, or control the runoff before it becomes an erosive force. Another source says we can also
prevent erosion by planting vegetation, matting for residential properties, using mulch/fertilizer, and
retaining walls/edging. Each of these can reduce soil erosion and can also be healthy for the
environment.
Overall, Soil Erosion can be very harmful to the environment, but there are ways to prevent it.
While there are multiple forms of erosion, my experiment will revolve around soil erosion and a
way to prevent it. I have a better background about my topic now that I have seen some sources that
explain things

Soil Erosion And Vegetation Erosion
What is Soil Erosion, Types of Soil Erosion, Causes of Soil Erosion
Soil erosion is a naturally occurring process in which the top layer of the soil washes away that
affects all landforms which can occur due to heavy rains, cyclone, typhoons, hurricanes, twisters,
animals, human activities etc. In agriculture, soil erosion denotes to the wearing away of a field 's
topsoil by the natural physical forces of water and wind) or through forces associated with farming
activities such as tillage.
In Erosion, there are three major phenomenon that takes place– soil detachment, movement and
deposition. Topsoil, which is high in organic matter, fertility and soil life, is relocated elsewhere
"on–site" where it builds up over time or is carried...show more content...
The amount of hill slope erosion largely depends on how the land is used. Sheet erosion occurs
when a thin layer of topsoil is removed over a whole hillside paddock–and may not be readily
noticed. Rill erosion occurs when runoff water forms small channels as it concentrates down a
slope. These rills can be up to 0.3m deep. If they become any deeper than 0.3m they are referred to
as gully erosion.
Scalding:
Scalding can occur when wind and water erosion removes the top soil and exposes saline soils.
Raindrop impact alone can result in large amounts of soil being moved. However water or wind
moving over the surface will remove more soil, and contribute to sheet, rill and gully erosion.
Erosion also tends to remove the lighter, smaller soil particles first (such as clay and silt), leaving
fine and coarse sand behind.
Gully Erosion:
Gully erosion happens when runoff concentrates and flows strongly enough to detach and move
soil particles. For example, a waterfall may form, with runoff picking up energy as it plunges over
the gully head. Gullies may develop in watercourses or other places where runoff concentrates.
This type of erosion is highly visible and affects soil productivity, restricts land use, and can
damage roads, fences and buildings. The depth of the gully developed can range from 2m up to 15 m.
Tunnel Erosion:
Tunnel erosion is the removal of subsoil. When water penetrates through a soil crack or

The Effects of Soil Erosion
Over cultivation, over grazing, and deforestation are all the leading causes of soil erosion, or
wearing down of the earth's soil (Wright & Boorse, 2011). Why are farmers over cultivating?
Why is over grazing such a problem? Why is deforestation becoming a problem in the world? The
answers are very simple. The solutions are even simpler. The first thing farmers do is cultivate, or
till, the land to control the weeds and to bring oxygen to the soil (Wright & Boorse, 2011). The only
problem, it leaves the soil unprotected from wind and water, which can have a negative effect by
compressing the soil (Wright & Boorse, 2011). On top of that, aeration and filtration can be worse
for the land. Aeration and filtration are meant to bring oxygen to the soil, which is what soil needs
to stay healthy (Wright & Boorse, 2011). When it has a negative effect, splasherosion occurs. Splash
erosion ruins the soil by sealing the top layer and not allowing oxygen through (Wright & Boorse,
2011). Another issue is poor crop rotation. Every few years it is recommended to lay hay and
clover to increase the flow of nitrogen. When neglected, the soil degrades (Wright & Boorse, 2011).
Where land receives little rainfall, this is called a dryland area (Wright & Boorse, 2011). This is
an ideal place to raise livestock. However, taking advantage of this area, by over grazing, poses
negativity on the land. When the grass growth doesn't keep up with the feeding, or not giving back
what

The Cause And Effects Of Soil Erosion?
"If you truly get in touch with a piece of carrot, you get in touch with the soil, the rain, the sunshine.
You get in touch with Mother Earth and eating in such a way, you feel in touch with true life, your
roots, and that is meditation. If you chew every morsel of our food in that way you become grateful
and when you are grateful, you are happy." Said Thich Nhat Hanh. Soil erosion is the process by
which the surface of the earth is worn away by the action of water, wind or by living organisms.
Geologist said that about 70% of soil erosion is caused by human activities like agriculture, surface
mining, excessive construction and forestry. The soil conservation is happening because of
geographic and economic reasons. Agriculture also takes place for being a cause of erosion.
"Mother nature may be a force, but nothing like humans when it comes to causing erosion," said a
Syracuse University scientist. A person or an animal can cause erosion by simply removing soil,
which is called accelerated erosion. People have been the main cause of worldwide erosion since
the first millennium. In the United States, the rate average is around 1,500 feet per million years,
and the rate is even higher in other parts of the world. Natural processes operate over areas larger
than those affected by agriculture and construction, but even taking that into account, "the bottom
line is, we move about 10 times as much sediment as all natural processes put together" Wilkinson
said, a U–M

Soil Erosion Of Soil Conditions
п‚§During Monsoon, different loses occurs in storing structures of surfaces because of high
evaporation. Evaporation of barren soil along with the combined process involving evaporation,
gaseous state transformation and transpiration of the water from the surface of earth into
atmosphere increases the exhaustion of soil moisture thereby decreasing the quantity and rate of
soil permeation. The overall result is reducing the overflow production potential. п‚§For recharge,
the biggest restraining factor could be capacity of penetration of soil. The nonstop removal of soil
helps in retaining the penetration capability in recharge areas as far as sandy and sandy loam soils
are concerned. Because of intrinsic limitations of clayey soils, the results shows striking
differences when compared to sandy soil. For two different soil conditions, results for infiltration
tests in excavated wells in the state of Andhra Pradesh highlights that, in case of silty clay, within
10 minutes of the test, the infiltration rates become insignificant however for sandy loam soil, in
first 25 minutes of the test, the rates starts to become stable around 129.1 mm/hour. The restoration
capability of percolation ponds gets affected severely if rate of infiltration approaches to zero real
quick. Hard rocky areas having thin layer of soil cover face the problem of less penetration potential
to great extents. As infiltration rates reduce to a minimum value, severe effects can be seen on the
functioning of the

Soil erosion is a natural process which can affect all types of landforms. Although it is a natural
process it can be accelerated by both natural factors and manmade factors. Soil erosion ranges
from a very slow process to a rapid process and it can be noticed in the loss of crop production
potential, the damage to the drainage networks as well as the lower surface water quality. There are
various factors which are taken into account when reviewing soil erosion such as the types of soil
erosion, the causes of soil erosion as well as the effects of soil erosion.
Source A
Title:
Soil Erosion in South Africa
Origin:
Serfontein, J. L., 1930. Soil Erosion in South Africa. [Online]
South Africa: Farming in South Africa [Accessed: 22 September 2017].
Summary:
When it comes to the causes of soil erosion, it can be divided into two groups which are
categorised as Physical and Geographical causes or Manmade causes. One of the major physical
factors affecting soil erosion in South Africa is the climate. South Africa has a sub–tropical climate
and this is due to the lack of moisture in the atmosphere. Due to this factor, it causes a lack of
resistance of the soil from the process of scouring which is where the top layer of the soil dries
out and causes the top layer to be prone to be easily removed due to wind or rain. Another physical
cause of soil erosion is the chemical composition of the soil and in South Africa, the soil does not
possess the power to resist erosion thus,

4-3 Case Study: Grassland Soil Erosion
The first step that I would take to assess the land's condition is to take the time and goview the
property for myself. I would inspect the area for soil erosion which would be clearlyevident from
the large gullies. Soil erosion makes it difficult for vegetation to regrow, a problemthat perpetuates
the lack of cover and gives rise to more erosion (Withgott & Laposata, 2014).Soil erosion is a
serious problem and this would need to be fixed to help prevent it fromhappening even more.
Then I would look to see if the property really contained the invasiveweeds instead of the native
grasses as the invasive weeds are unpalatable to livestock (Withgott& Laposata, 2014). Finally I
would look at the shrubs to see if they were encroaching of thegrassland area. If all three factors
were evident...show more content...
This means the livestock eat too much of the grass andother vegetation exposing the soil and
making it so erosion can happen; by planting new nativegrass the erosion can be slowed down.
Once the grasslands where back functioning the way thatthey are supposed to be then grazing
would be allowed but it would be controlled.I would allow grazing as this is necessary for our
livestock to grow. We need ourlivestock to grow as this is one of our many food sources. I would
allow the grazing to happenbut I would set limits on it as this would prevent overgrazing from
happening. If overgrazingwere to happen to the area again it would essentially waste all the
efforts that we put forth torestore the area. Range managers in the United States assess the
carrying capacity of therangeland and inform livestock owners of these limits, so that herds are
rotated from site to siteas needed to conserve grass cover and soil integrity (Withgott & Laposata,
2014). This issomething that I would stand by doing as it would allow there to be grazing but also
preserve thearea so that it can eventually be used

Write An Essay On Water Erosion
Water Erosion
Background
Erosion is the wearing away of sand soil or rock by water, or wind. Water erosion is the separation
and removal of soil. Water erosion occurs by rain carrying away bits of soil and slowly washing
away rock fragments (Society). Rushing streams and rivers wear away their banks, creating larger
and larger valleys. Watererosion can occur on streams, river banks, sea shores and seaside cliffs.
There are also different types of water erosion like sheet erosion. Sheet erosion is when water
washes away soil from the surface. Another type of water erosion is splash erosion. Splash erosion
is the movement of soil by a water droplet. Water erosion occurs more frequently in the spring
because it rains more, the rain then washes away rock fragments. An example of water erosion is
the colorado river. It cut deep into the land and formed the grand canyon.
Purpose
The purpose of this experiment is to examine the impact of water erosion on soil due to splash
erosion.
Hypothesis
If the height of the water increases then the amount of soil erosion will increase because the speed
of the water will create more pressure on the soil causing the soil to move further.
Procedure
Get a 600mL beaker and measure out 500mL of soil
Grab a tray and place the soil on the tray. Flip the beaker upside down on the tray and remove the
beaker so that there is a pile of dirt on the tray.
Measure the height of the dirt. It should be 2 inches tall.
Grab a 250 mL graduated cylinder

Soil Erosion
What is soil erosion? Soil erosion is a natural process, occurring over geological time, and indeed it
is a process that is essential for soil formation in the first place. With respect to soil degradation, most
concerns about erosion are related to accelerated erosion, where the natural rate has been
significantly increased mostly by human activity. Soil erosion by water is a widespread problem
throughout Europe. Soil is naturally removed by the action of water or wind: such 'background'
(or 'geological') soil erosion has been occurring for some 450 million years, since the first land
plants formed the first soil. Even before this, natural processes moved loose rock, or regolith, off the
Earth's surface, just as has happened...show more content...
[pic]
Diffuse overland flow. Note the raindrop impacts
Firstly, if rain arrives too quickly (i.e. with too high an intensity) for it to infiltrate: the runoff
which results is then known as infiltration excess runoff, or Hortonian runoff. Secondly, runoff
may occur if the soil has already absorbed all the water it can hold (i.e. because it is fully
saturated, or if the soil is frozen). Runoff which results from this situation is known as saturation
excess runoff. As runoff moves downhill, it is at first a thin diffuse film of water which has lost
virtually all the kinetic energy which it possessed as falling rain. Thus it moves only slowly, has a
low flow power, and is generally incapable of detaching or transporting soil particles.
The micro topography (i.e. small–scale pattern of irregularities) of the soil's surface tends to cause
this overland flow to concentrate in closed depressions, which slowly fill: this is known as
'detention storage' or 'ponding'. Both the flowing water, and the water in detention storage, protect
the soil from raindrop impact, so that rainsplash redistribution usually decreases over time within a
storm, as the depth of surface water increases. There are, however, complex interactions between
rainsplash and overland flow. If rain continues, the increasing depth of water will eventually
overtop the micro topographic depressions. Overland flow that is released in this way is likely to
flow downhill more quickly and

Essay On Soil Erosion

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Essay On Soil Erosion