Question

What steps can be taken to control soil erosion in the hilly areas?

Answer 1

Hint:Soil erosion is a type of soil degradation and is the displacement of the upper layer of soil. It is a natural process caused due to erosive agents like water, air (wind), ice (glaciers), snow, humans, animals, and plants.

Complete answer:The steps taken to soil erosion in hilly areas are:
- Terrace Farming: In this type of farming the slopes of the hills and mountains are converted into steps that represent a terrace. When there is rain, instead of the rain carrying away the nutrients down the slope from the soil it carries forward to the next step or terrace and deposits there.
- Contour Ploughing or farming is a type of farming in which the plants are planted across a slope following its elevation contour lines which decelerates the flow of water increasing the retention of nutrients.
- Afforestation: This is the way of increasing the area of forest and conserving the soil. Illegal ways of cutting down trees should be stopped and new trees should be planted.
- Checking and reducing shifting cultivation. Shifting Cultivation is a way of farming in which the farmers abandon the land after extensively using it. It is either done by leaving it as it is, by burning the remains, or by letting the weeds grow on it.

Note:It is a slow process that continues relatively unnoticed or occurs at a fast rate causing a serious loss of topsoil. It results in reduced crop production potential, lower surface water quality, and damaged drainage networks. It also causes sinkholes.