Question

Write an essay on Soil erosion.

Answer 1

Hint: Three distinct activities are involved in erosion, whether by sea, wind or tillage-soil detachment, movement and deposition. Soil erosion refers to the stripping away of the topsoil of a field by the inherent physical forces of water and wind or by forces linked to agricultural operations such as tillage.

Complete answer:
> Soil erosion is a phenomenon that impacts all landforms naturally. Topsoil, which is rich in organic matter, fertility and soil life, is transported "on-site" somewhere where it builds up over time or is brought "off-site" where it fills drainage channels. Soil degradation lowers the productivity of croplands and leads to the contamination of nearby rivers, wetlands and streams.

> Soil erosion can be a sluggish process that goes largely unnoticed or can happen at an unprecedented pace, causing significant topsoil depletion. Other severe soil depletion issues that can intensify the process of soil erosion are soil compaction, low organic matter, lack of soil composition, inadequate internal drainage, salinisation and soil acidity issues.

> The greater a rainstorm's strength and length, the higher the risk for erosion. The effect of raindrops will break down soil aggregates on the soil surface and spread the aggregate material. The raindrop splash and runoff water quickly extracts lighter aggregate materials such as very fine sand, silt, clay and organic matter; greater raindrop energy or runoff concentrations are needed to transfer larger particles of sand and gravel.

> Soil erodibility is dependent on the physical properties of each soil, an estimate of the soil's ability to withstand erosion. The main feature causing erodibility is texture, but form, organic matter and permeability also contribute. Soils with faster penetration rates, higher organic matter levels and better soil composition are usually more resistant to erosion.

> Tillage and cropping activities that decrease the amounts of soil organic matter, induce poor soil structure or lead to soil compaction contribute to soil erodibility increases. Compacted subsurface soil layers, as an example, will minimise infiltration and increase runoff. Infiltration also reduces the development of a soil layer, which helps to "seal" the earth.
The steeper and wider a field's slope, the greater the chance of erosion. Owing to the greater accumulation of runoff, surface degradation by water occurs as the slope length occurs.

If the soil has little or very little vegetative protection for plants and/or crop residues, the risk for soil erosion rises. Plant and residue cover protects the soil from the impact and splash of raindrops, helps to slow down the flow of runoff water and enables the infiltration of surplus surface water.

Preventive measures:
- Stopping Soil Erosion by sustainable farming practises
- Windbreaks Preserve the Soil by Planting
- Tillage for Conservation and Soil Erosion
- Reforestation assists in soil conservation

Note:
Soil is a very valuable resource that enables fruit, fibre or forage processing to take place. Despite being a natural resource, it renews steadily, taking 1,000 years to produce three centimetres of topsoil. It is also very important to bet on long-term, productive farming methods to preserve them, as one of the key problems associated with soil erosion is the reduction in soil productivity. The amount and consistency of the food we consume is diminished by these production reductions.