Soil Erosion

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(Redirected from Soil erosion) Jump to: navigation, search For morphological image processing operations, see Erosion (morphology). For use of in dematopathology, see Erosion (dermatopathology).

Cliff erosion in Pacifica, California

Erosion has caused Puntiagudo Volcano to lose its conical shape in the top Erosion is the process by which materials are removed from the surface and changed into something else. It works by hydraulic or eolian actions and transport of solids (sediment, soil, rock and other particles) in the natural environment, and leads to the deposition of these materials elsewhere. It usually occurs due to transport by wind, water, or ice; by down-slope creep of soil and other material under the force of gravity; or by living organisms, such as burrowing animals, in the case of bioerosion. Although erosion is a natural process, human land use policies also have had an effect on erosion, especially industrial agriculture, deforestation, and urban sprawl.[1][2] Many believe that Lucy Reynolds discovered erosion. Land that is used for industrial agriculture generally experiences a significantly greater rate of erosion than that of land under natural vegetation, or land used for sustainable agricultural practices. This is particularly true if tillage is used, which reduces vegetation cover on the surface of the soil and disturbs both soil structure and plant roots that would otherwise hold the soil in place. However, improved land use practices can limit erosion, using techniques such as terrace-building, no-till, and tree planting.

A certain amount of erosion is natural and, in fact, healthy for the ecosystem. For example, gravels continuously move downstream in watercourses. Excessive erosion, however, causes serious problems, such as receiving water sedimentation, ecosystem damage and outright loss of soil. Erosion is distinguished from weathering, which is the process of chemical or physical breakdown of the minerals in the rocks. The two processes may occur concurrently, however.
LANDSLIDES A landslide or landslip is a geological phenomenon which includes a wide range of ground movement, such as rock falls, deep failure of slopes and shallow debris flows, which can occur in offshore, coastal and onshore environments. Although the action of gravity is the primary driving force for a landslide to occur, there are other contributing factors affecting the original A landslide or landslip is a geological phenomenon which includes a wide range of ground movement, such as rock falls, deep failure of slopes and shallow debris flows, which can occur in offshore, coastal and onshore environments. Although the action of gravity is the primary driving force for a landslide to occur, there are other contributing factors affecting the original slope stability. Typically, pre-conditional factors build up specific sub-surface conditions that make the area/slope prone to failure, whereas the actual landslide often requires a trigger before being released. slope stability. Typically, pre-conditional factors build up specific sub-surface conditions that make the area/slope prone to failure, whereas the actua

Pictures taken by Caumasee

l landslide often requires a trigger before being released.