Soil Erosion Essay

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Erosion
Introduction
- Soil erosion is washing or blowing away (by water or wind) of top layer of soil(dirt).
- Erosion leaves large holes on earth, which can weaken buildings and even cause them to collapse.
- Soil erosion is a natural process. It becomes a problem when human activity causes it to occur faster than under natural conditions.
- Nigeria’s most devastating environmental disaster
- Much topsoil lost resulting in greatly decreased production capability
- Plugs channels & raises riverbeds, increasing flood risks
- Geologic Soil Erosion – natural wearing away of land surface by water or wind.
- Soil erosion occurs when soil is removed through the action of wind and water at a greater rate than it’s formed.
What is Soil Erosion
 When …show more content…

 Erosion removes top soil first, once nutrient rich layer is gone, few plants will grow in soil again.

Causes of soil erosion
 Wind and water are the two major factors of soil erosion. The amount of soil they carry is influenced by two factors:
 Speed- faster it moves more soil is carried.
 Plant cover- plants protect the soil and in their absence wind and water can do more damage.
 Erosion occurs when farming is not compatible with the soil. These practices are- Overgrazing, bad farming technique …show more content…

Nature of the rainfall (frequency, intensity, seasonality)
2. Soil characteristics (infiltration, susceptibility to detachment and transport)
3. Steepness and length of slope
4. Cover
5. Soil Management Practices
 A=R x K x SL x C x P
 A is the predicted average soil loss in metric tons/ha/yr
 R is based on the number of heavy rains per year, including the total energy of the storm (size of raindrops, number of raindrops and total amount of water) and the maximum 30 minute intensity. Only storms with >1.25 cm.
Slope Factor-
 Erosion increases as the length and/or steepness of the slope increases by affecting the volume and velocity of water flow.
 The slope determines the total area for erosion.
 As speed , infiltration , runoff , and velocity .
 If velocity x2, water can move particles 64 x larger and can carry 32x more in suspension. Erosive power is 4x greater.
 As length , concentration of water .
 If length of slope  x2, soil loss  x 2.6, and runoff  x 1.8

Soil Erodibility Factor, K
 Texture

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