Soil Erosion:
Introduction, causes and types
Topics:
Prepared by: Rajesh kr. Thakur
Soil erosion - Introduction, causes
and types - geological and Department of Agriculture
accelerated erosion, agents, factors
affecting and effects of erosion.
Soil Erosion
What is Soil erosion
Soil erosion is a gradual process of
movement and transport of the upper layer of
soil (topsoil) by different agents (particularly
water, wind, etc.)
• It causing its deterioration of Soil .
• Too much of soil erosion causes serious
loss of topsoil
• It also reduces crop production
potential,
• lower surface water quality, and
• damaged drainage networks.
Types of Soil Erosion
Geological Erosion Accelerated Erosion
• Geological erosion occurs under• Accelerated erosion is due to
natural conditions by itself man made activities, which have
without any interference of brought about changes in natural
man. cover and soil condition.
• It is caused by effect of • The activities includes
• Rainfall • Land Preparation for raising
• Run-off crops
• Wind • Land use patterns for
• Topography • building houses,
• Atmospheric temperature • infrastructures,
• It is a very slow process • industries,
• hill cutting, deforestation,
• lack of soil conservation
and watershed
management.
Wind Erosion
What is wind erosion?
• Wind erosion is a natural process that moves soil from one
location to another by wind power.
• It can cause significant economic and environmental
damage.
Water Erosion
What is water erosion?
• Water erosion is the detachment and removal of soil material by
water.
• The process may be natural or accelerated by human activity.
• Three types of water erosion can occur, sheet, rill, and gully
Inter-rill / Raindrop Erosion
Inter-rill erosion describes the movement of topsoil by
rainfall and its resultant surface flow. It is also known as
raindrop erosion.
Factors affecting soil erosion
Factors affecting soil erosion
• Climate: Rainfall, wind, humidity and solar radiation
• Topography: Slopes, steepness of slope & length of slopes
• Vegetation/Biological factor: Plant canopies, Vegetation cover,
residue mulch and animals etc.
• Soil : Soil Characteristics, Infiltration, texture, structure,
erodibility.
Causes of Soil Erosion
Running water is one of the main cause of soil erosion. Some soil erosion causes are
mentioned below.
• Due to Soil Texture
If the texture is loose that is the soil contains more of small grains and of open
structure erodes faster.
• Slope
Soil present in a steeper slope more than the soil present at a plane level of the
ground.
• Intensity or Amount of Rainfall
More intense rain, more erosion. This can be a bit slow if there are more trees
present in the land as the roots of the plants hold soil in a firm manner.
• Human Activities
Agricultural practices, deforestation, roads and urbanization and global
warming are a few major causes of soil erosion.
• Deforestation
Mismanaged utilization of soil resources like the removal of forest cover causes
soil erosion heavily. Due to increasing land demand, the human is more into
deforesting lands. Tree roots act as a binder of the top layer of the soil.
Effects of Soil Erosion
The major effects of soil erosion include:
• Loss of Arable Land
Soil erosion removes the top fertile layer of the soil. This layer is rich in the
essential nutrients required by the plants and the soil. The degraded soil does not
support crop production and leads to low crop productivity.
• Clogging of Waterways
The agricultural soil contains pesticides, insecticides, fertilizers, and several other
chemicals. This pollutes the water bodies where the soil flows. The sediments
accumulate in the water and raise the water levels resulting in flooding.
• Air Pollution
The dust particles merge in the air, resulting in air pollution.
• Desertification
Soil erosion is a major factor for desertification. It transforms the habitable regions
into deserts.. This also leads to loss of biodiversity, degradation of the soil, and
alteration in the ecosystem.
• Destruction of Infrastructure
The accumulation of soil sediments in dams and along the banks can reduce their
efficiency. Thus, it affects infrastructural projects such as dams, embankments, and
drainage.
Problem of Erosion
• Loss in agricultural production
• Loss of nutrients
• Reduction of infiltration rates
• Increased cost in tillage operation
• Flood may occur in Rivers
• Decreases in useful life of reservoir
• Survival of wild life
• Land degradation
• Cost of removal of sedimentation
• Desertification.
