Erosion refers to the gradual wearing away and alteration of landforms by natural processes or human activities such as overcultivating.
Water is the driving force behind erosion. On sloped landscapes, gravity will cause soil to flow downhill causing it to move more rapidly resulting in mud-flows or even muddy avalanches of soil to move downhill faster.
Water
Water is a natural force capable of both wearing away and shaping land. Erosion occurs when it flows over Earth surface, collecting loose soil and sand for runoff; and erosion when carrying rock debris along rivers and streams to shape valleys and shape ravines.
Erosion can occur slowly or rapidly depending on the forces acting upon it; water, wind and ice are among those which contribute to erosional forces on land surfaces. Erosion may be an unavoidable part of nature or it can result from human activities like building roads on steep slopes.
Erosion refers to the movement of weathered or dissolved rock material from one place to another, distinguishing itself from weathering which doesn’t involve motion. Erosion and mass wasting (the gradual downward movement of regolith over time caused by gravity or other forces) are closely related processes.
Wind
Wind erosion, caused by strong winds lifting, transporting, and depositing soil particles, is an integral component of geomorphological change that contributes to desertification, soil degradation, airborne dust exposure and decreased crop yields and water usage. Sediment that reaches streams, rivers or lakes may speed bank erosion further, block water flow or degrade quality while carrying with it pesticides, insecticides or fertilizers that contaminate downstream waters can speed bank erosion further still.
Erosion can create stunning landscapes, including caves and sea stacks. Over time, erosion may even transform coastlines into breathtaking rock arches.
Erosion has the power to cause serious environmental harm and human life issues, necessitating innovative land management.
Ice
Ice chunks rubbing against surfaces can erode it away – this process is known as glacial erosion.
As glaciers erode, they slowly move down mountainsides scraping away rock and dirt with each step they take, shaping the landforms they pass over with ease – such as fjords in Norway or Cape Cod bay’s distinctive fishhook shape in Massachusetts.
Glaciers erode through two processes known as internal slippage and basal sliding. Furthermore, scraping and abrasion also play a part.
If you want your children to better comprehend how ice erosion works, creating a model could help them understand. Get a tray, some soil or sand and some twigs or leaves and encourage them to build a miniature environment inside it before pouring water over their creation – which will rapidly erode any rocks they put inside! This is an effective way of showing them the process.
Soil
Erosion occurs when landforms erode due to gravity or flowing media such as water or wind (including glacial ice). It differs from depositional erosion, which deposits materials like soil onto landforms as it passes over its surface.
Attributes that influence soil erosion include its inherent characteristics such as texture, structure, organic matter content, clay minerals exchangeability and water retention and transmission properties. Landscape features like steep slopes and gulleys may also contribute to its erosion.
Rainfall, floods and winds are the main causes of erosion. Heavy rain washes away soil particles downhill while large raindrops with their splashing raindroplets further damage the surface soil layer. Winds can transport tiny particles far away causing desertification of semi-arid regions.
Other causes of erosion include overgrazing and the plowing or tilling of fields, leaving the soil vulnerable to strong winds, hard rains, and running water. Uncontrolled erosion reduces cropland productivity while polluting rivers, lakes, and streams by transporting pesticides, fertilizers, and chemicals into them.