Causes of Soil Erosion

Soil erosion is also referred to as the creeping death. The causes of soil erosion are directly
related to improper landuse, and are, therefore, entirely man-made. These include the following:

1. Deforestation:

Removal of vegetation cover has caused widespread erosion in Western Ghats, Uttar Pradesh and
in Himachal Pradesh.

2. Faulty Cultivation Methods:

For instance, in the Nilgiris, land has been opened for cultivation of tuber crops like potatoes and
ginger without undertaking anti-erosive measures like terracing of slopes. Also forests on slopes
have been cleared at places to make way for plantation crops. Such faulty cultivation methods
have caused soil erosion—landslides are a common feature in these areas.

3. Shifting Cultivation:

An ecologically destructive and uneconomic cultivation method is slash and burn or shifting
cultivation which is practised in hill areas of North-East, Chhotanagpur, Orissa, Madhya Pradesh
and Andhra Pradesh. Vast areas have suffered erosion of soil in hill areas of North-East because
of shifting cultivation.

4. Overgrazing:

A surplus of livestock population in our country is a big strain on grasses and fodder. The tread
of cattle hardens the soil and prevents new shoots from emerging. Overgrazing by goats is a
serious problem in certain stretches of the Aravalis and in Punjab and Himachal hills. The goats
not only pull off leaves and branches, but they also uproot grass, as opposed to sheep, which only
nibble the top shoots.

5. Diversion in Natural Drainage Channels by Railway Embankments and Roads:

Railway tracks and roads have had to be constructed in such a manner that they are at a higher
level than the surrounding area. But sometimes, road and rail embankments come in the way of
natural drainage channels. This causes waterlogging on one side and water loss on the other side
of embankments. All these factors contribute to erosion in one way or the other.

6. Lack of Proper Surface Drainage:

Because of proper drainage, waterlogging occurs in low lying areas which loosens the top-soil
and makes it prone to erosion.

7. Denuding Forest Fires:

These fires, sometimes natural but often man-made, are very destructive. As a result of these, the
forest cover is lost forever and soil is exposed to erosion.
 Effects of Soil Erosion:
The main effects of soil erosion are as follows.

1. Loss of Soil:

The top-soil is lost by erosion which is the most fertile section, having evolved over centuries of
soil-forming processes. Due to formation of gullies and ravines, valuable agricultural lands are
lost.

2. Harmful Effects of Erosion on Organic Matter and Soil Structure:

Erosion of upper layer of soil decreases the content of organic matter and as other nutrients. As a
result, the soil structure gets impoverished.

3. Decline in Soil Capacity:

When the soil is removed bodily from field, both potential and available plant food along with
mineral material is carried away. As erosion progresses, the compact soil of low infiltration
capacity is approached. The ability of the land to supply moisture for plant growth is reduced and
the beneficial activity of micro-organisms lessened. Due to these bad effects, the yields are
lowered.

4. Deposition of Sand and Gravel on Agricultural Lands:

The wind-borne sand encroaches the arable lands and makes them unfertile. Crops are damaged
due to sand storms.

5. Flooding of Streams:

Soil erosion in catchment areas of streams due to deforestation and other destructive activities
leads to silting of streams and reservoirs. This reduces the capacity of these water bodies to carry
large volumes of water, as they occur during the rainy season. This way the streams are more
prone to flooding. One such example is Brahmaputra river which has been exposed to siltation
because of large-scale deforestation in the hills, and the floods in Brahmaputra valley have
become an annual phenomenon now.