Soil Erosion and Soil Conservation

What is Soil Erosion?

• It is a process in which the top fertile layer of soil is lost. Due to soil erosion, the soil becomes less fertile.
• The top layer of soil is very light which is easily carried away by wind and water. The removal of topsoil by the natural forces is known as soil erosion.

this is soil erosion by water.

this is soil erosion by wind.

There are two causes of soil erosion-

• Natural factor
• Human factor

Human factor in soil erosion.

• Deforestation
• Over-grazing
• Mining activites
• Defective methods of farming such as,
• ploughing in a wrong way i.e up and down the slope.

Types of soil erosion

• Gullies: The running water cuts through the clayey soil and makes deep channels in it.
• Badland: The land which is unfit for cultivation.
• Sheet erosion: Slow and gradual removal of a thin layer of soil because of the destruction of vegetation is known as sheet erosion.

wind-

• Wind erosion: damages land and natural vegetation by removing soil from one place and depositing it in another

Methods of soil conservation-

• contour ploughing: ploughing along the contour lines can reduce the flow of water down the slopes.

this is contour ploughing-

Terrace

• Terrace farming: Terrace farming is carried out on the slopes of the mountains. Terraces are built on the slopes of the mountains to create flat lands to grow crops

this is terrace farming-

Methods of soil conservation-

• Strip farming: It refers to a kind of farming wherein areas are cut into long narrow strips which is then used to plant/grow crops.
• Sheter belts: To prevent the loss of soil due to the action of winds, large fields are divided into strips. Grass is then allowed to grow in between the strips.

THAT'S IT