Erosion refers to the gradual wear-and-tear erosion and transporting of rock, soil, mud, regolith or other materials from their original positions over time. Although a natural process, human activities can speed up or slow down its rate.
Erosion can occur as the result of running water, wind, waves, ice, gravity and plant growth – these being its primary agents. Some types of erosion occur over long distances.
Water
Water erosion refers to the detachment and transportation of rocks, soil and other earth materials by flowing water, typically creating canyons like Grand Canyon as well as river deltas and deltas. Erosion may also form sandbars, floodplains or gullies.
Rain, wind and glaciers are natural forces that erode land; however, human activity often accelerates erosion speed and effects. Compacted soils don’t allow water to soak into the ground effectively which leads to faster erosion; intensive agriculture, roads and climate change all increase erosion risks in vulnerable soils.
Rain and wind erosion can quickly erode land that is either bare or covered with vegetation, but most rapidly on sloped land. Rain-splash erosion occurs when raindrops impact surfaces with enough force that they dislodge weathered material from beneath, dislodging and carrying it away with each impact; it occurs most rapidly during short duration storms of high intensity; commercial farming practices and road building also contribute to this form of erosion.
Wind
Air erosion occurs when particles are dislodged from their original positions by winds. This may occur on beaches due to waves moving pebbles and sand around, or in deserts where winds transport sand and soil from place to place, creating dunes. Ocean waves can also contribute to this form of erosion by breaking apart rocks and wearing away at their surfaces, further contributing to their erosion.
Size and shape can impact how quickly erosion takes place. Earthen floodplains tend to erode more quickly than rocky river beds, while rocks with jagged surfaces are more likely to undergo the process than smooth ones.
Soil composition and moisture levels also play a significant role in erosion rates. Clay-rich soils tend to be less vulnerable than their silt or sand counterparts as the clay helps bind particles together, helping resist erosion. Rainfall intensity also has a substantial effect on erosion; compacted and wetter soils cannot absorb as much rainfall before running off as runoff from their surface surface.
Sediment
Sediment is material eroded from Earth’s surface by natural forces such as water, wind, glaciers and plants and transported across its surface by these agents. The movement of this sediment is known as erosion but more commonly as denudation.
Erosion deposits a wide range of sediment depending on factors like climate, topography and plant and animal activity. Erosion can produce material as fine as dust or coarse as gravel that may even travel miles before depositing again in its place. When erosion becomes intense enough to shift sediment to distant locations.
sediment deposits in lakes and rivers is an environmental hazard, threatening water quality and aquatic biodiversity, as well as soil aeration rates. Human activities increase sediment load transport rates further aggravating these issues. Furthermore, toxic chemicals may bind with the sediment before being carried off to other locations where they cause pollution issues; so monitoring sediment levels in lakes and rivers is imperative for protecting our health and the environment.
Soil
Water erosion is the leading cause of soil degradation, with rainfall exceeding soil’s capacity to absorb it leading to surface runoff from slopes. When this process is further exacerbated by compaction, crusting or freezing processes in the soil permeability reduction caused by compaction, crusting or freezing processes such as compaction roads and deforestation; intensive agriculture deforestation roads climate change all play their parts causing long term sediment build up that clog grassed waterways dams as crop yield decreases leading to siltation which poison drinking water sources; intensive agriculture deforestation roads climate change contribute further than ever to water erosion occurrence; intensive agriculture deforestation roads climate change all contribute to erosion occurrence with long term sediment build up blocking grassed waterways dams while reduced crop yield leads to siltation which poison drinking water sources; intensive agriculture deforestation roads climate change contribute further than ever before all contributing significantly contributing.
Erosion caused by wind is more obvious as it displaces large volumes of topsoil. A lack of natural windbreaks, such as trees or crop residues, light-coloured soil on knolls and hilltops and changes to the thickness of soil horizon are all signs of wind erosion; while tractor tires and the churning action of grazing animals further accelerate it. Furthermore, losing valuable topsoil impairs crop emergence, growth and yield while washed-away soil filled with pesticides and fertilizers polluting freshwater and marine habitats.