Soil erosion by water, wind and tillage affects both agriculture and the natural environment.
Soilloss, and its associated impacts, isone of the most important (yet probably the least well-known) oftoday's environmental problems.
It is mostly due to poor land use practices, which include deforestation, overgrazing, unmanaged construction activity and road or trail building.
Soil is a complex mixture of living and non-living materials.
It provides anchorage and sustenance to plants.
Natural agents like water and wind, constantly tend to remove the top soil and cause erosion.
Rain falling upon the unprotected top soil, washes it down into the streams.
Due to the absence of plant covering, eroded soil cannot hold water.
Water rushes into the rivers and overflows as flood.
Dust storm also causes soilerosion.
The particles of top soil are picked up in such quantities that they form clouds of dust.
Human beings also cause soil erosion.
The growing human habitation and expansion of urban areas lead to removal of vegetation.
Once vegetation is removed, the naked soil gets exposed to wind and water.
Improper tillage is another causeof soil erosion.
Farmers often loosen the top soil for removing weeds and preparing seed beds.
They also leave agricultural fieldslying fallow for long time. These practices expose the top soil to the wind and cause erosion.
Soil erosion is always a result of mankind's unwise actions, such asovergrazing or unsuitable cultivation practices.
These leave the land unprotected and vulnerable. Accelerated soil erosion by water or wind may affect both agricultural areas and the natural environment, and is one of the most widespread of today's environmental problems. Soil erosion is just one form of soil degradation.
Other kinds of soil degradation include salinisation,nutrient loss, and compaction.
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