Mechanical or engineering soilconservation measures 4. Soil erosion is a gradual process that occurs when the actions of water, wind, and other factors eat away and wear down the land, causing the soil to deteriorate or disappear completely. New york state standards and specifications for erosion. In the first section of this book on soil erosion, an introduction to the soil erosion problem is presented. Soil erosion is the most serious and least reversible form of land degradation lal, 1977. Erosion, the most severe process of soil degradation, is apparent in many areas of the world and can be aggravated severely by inappropriate soil management.
Raindrops strike the soil surface at a velocity of approximately 2530 feet per second and can cause splash erosion. Several lines of evidence suggest the severe soil erosion characteristic of much of the study area occurred recently, perhaps since the introduction of euro american agricultural practices. Erosion, removal of surface material from earths crust, primarily soil and rock debris, and the transportation of the eroded materials by natural agencies such as water or wind from the point of removal. Various agents, like wind, water, deforestation, overgrazing by cattle, etc. Soil erosion is the removal of soil by water, wind, ice, or gravity. This document deals primarily with the types of soil erosion caused by rainfall and surface runoff. Introduction to soil erosion and landscape evolution modeling. Clayey soils are less erodible than fine sands and silts see fig.
Rill erosion occurs when water washes through the slats on a deck or patio or the eaves of your house, causing the soil underneath to form a furrowed pattern of troughs, where the water dripped down gully erosion creates minicanyons, or gullies, on bare hillside slopes where you may not have enough plants or ground cover to halt the flow of water, havent built a retaining wall, or. Erosion processes and soil conservation technology 4. The national runoff and soil loss datacenter was established at purdue university in 1954 to locate, assemble,and consolidate data from soil erosion studies throughout the unitedstates. A by the national soil erosion soil productivity research planning committee, science and education administration ag ricu i t ural research ccurate estimates of future soil a productivity are essential to make agricultural policy decisions and to plan the use of land from the field scale to. Erosion processes and soilconservation technology 4. An introduction to soil erosion erosion surface runoff. Soil erosion leads to soil infertility as the top soil layer is lost and also ability of soil to hold water and sediment is reduced. Soil erosion is a process of detachment and transportation of soil by natural agencies of water and wind. Jul 29, 2015 erosion is defined by the soil science society of america sssa 2008, 19 as. You will first learn about soil erosion from the mechanics, causes and types of soil erosion, as well as various factors affecting soil erosion and the. A by the national soil erosionsoil productivity research planning committee, science and education administration ag ricu i t ural research ccurate estimates of future soil a productivity are essential to make agricultural policy decisions and to plan the use of land from the field scale to. This field guide is intended to inform those who depend on the soil and its lifegiving properties.
The process can occur naturally over a long period of time, or it can occur quickly with unusual weather events or excessive vegetation removal. Water erosion is caused by the detachment and transport of soil by rainfall, runoff, melting snow or ice, and irrigation. Soil and water conservation soil erosion free course alison. Pdf soil is the most fundamental and basic natural resource for all life to survive.
This equation provides an estimate of the soil loss rate in tonshectareyear. In the first part of the second section, rainfall erosivity is estimated on the basis of pluviograph records and cumulative rainfall. Erosion is caused by a group of physical and chemical processes by which the soil or rock material is loosened, detached, and transported from one place to another by running water, waves, wind, moving ice, or other geological sheet and bank erosion agents. Rangeland soil quality information sheets pdf, 195kb introduction pdf, 1mb indicators for assessment and monitoring pdf, 1mb aggregate stability pdf, 2mb compaction pdf, 1. Soil is most subject to compaction when the soil moisture content is.
These layers called horizons, the sequence of layers is the soil profile. Soil deterioration and low quality of water due to erosion and run off has often become a severe problem around the world. New york state standards and specifications for erosion and. As a geomorphic process, soil erosion can be generally defined as the detachment and transport of insitu soil particles by three natural agents water in liquid or ice form, wind, and gravity down slope movement. Precipitation is the most forceful factor causing erosion. An introduction to erosion control by bill zeedyk and janwillem jansens. The term soil erosion covers a wide range of physical and chemical actions, such as removal of soluble matters, chemical changes, disintegration by frost or by rapid changes of temperature, attrition by dust charged wind, scouring by silt laden currents, alternate impact and succession by storm waves, landslides and so on fox 1950. Soil quality is how well soil does what we want it to do.
An introduction to erosion control quivira coalition. Soils, soil characteristics and factors affecting management. The texture of a soil refers to the size distribution of the mineral particles found in a representative sample of soil. Fertilizer generally has a positive effect on soil microorganisms by providing nutrients and increasing crop residues. Table 10t1 describes the classification of soil particles according to size. Tillage erosion is the progressive downslope movement of soil by tillagecausing soil loss on. T value tolerable erosion equilibrium between soil gains and losses. Soil erosion rainfall erosivity and risk assessment. The result of this wearing away of land is that soil. Mechanical or engineering soil conservation measures 4.
Jun 10, 2015 ndsu extension soil health specialist abbey wick, umn extension educator jodi dejonghughes, and ndsu extension soil specialist dave franzen talk about the process of soil erosion and how to. Soil deterioration and low quality of water due to. The revised universal soil loss equation rusle and the wind erosion equation weq are used to compute erosion rates. For natural and social factors soil erosion in red soil craggy. Erosion preceded by the destruction of the crumb structure due to the impact of falling raindrop on the surface of soil is termed as splash erosion. The erosion prediction models are empirical equations derived and tested by research. Soil health is the foundation of productive farming practices. Introduction soil erosion is the process of wind and water moving soil particles from one location and transporting and depositing them elsewhere. Introduction the loss of soil from land surfaces by erosion is widespread globally and adversely a. When strong winds blow, the topsoil along with the organic matter is carried away by the wind. Soil erosion occurs when soil is removed through the action of wind and water at a greater rate than it is formed soil the soil covering the surface of the earth has taken millions of years to form and we must learn to respect it. The main layers of the soil are topsoil, subsoil and the parent rock. Excessive erosion can threaten the production of agricultural and forest products. Soil and water conservation society, 1988, ankeny, ia, u.
Soil erosion is a natural process that is enhanced by human activity richter, 1998 and occurs in all landscapes and under different land uses. Humus decomposes very slowly and some of it has been in the soil over years. The presence of strongly developed bthorizons at depth in some upland settings indicate a substantial period of landscape stability, and soil formation. Mar 01, 2012 tillage erosiontillage erosion has only recently been recognized as a form of soil erosion. This guide discusses ways to regenerate soil so that it holds more water, supports more vegetation, and reduces soil erosion. Pioneering the use of computers to analyze more than 11,000 plotyears ofbasic runoff and soil loss data from studies at 47 locations in 24 states,walter. Isbn 9781789851953, eisbn 9781789851960, pdf isbn 9781789855814, published 20191218. Soil threats like acidification, salinization, and compaction are described, followed by major soil threats like erosion, nutrient imbalances, organic carbon storage, and biodiversity. There are many factors which influence the process of soil erosion. The layers of soil can easily be observed by their color and size of particles. During the 50 years since the introduction of the usle, many other soil erosion models have been developed. Global vulnerability of soil ecosystems to erosion. Soil erosion is a natural landscape process of critical concern to many land management agencies.
Soil erosion and soil loss, according to lal 1990 have adverse effects on agriculture because they deplete the soils productivity and diminish the resourse base. The removal of topsoil by the natural forces is known as soil erosion. Erosion is defined by the soil science society of america sssa 2008, 19 as. Erosion prediction introduction this section contains information on predicting soil erosion rates in new york state. Fritton encyclopedia of life support systems eolss bonded to the inorganic fraction of the soil.
Here, using an empirical model, we present a global and temporally explicit assessment of soil erosion risk according to recent 200120 dynamics of rainfall and vegetation cover. Soil degradation includes erosion, salinization due to freshwater removal, soil loss following erosion after deforestation or overgrazing, compaction and crusting of soils, which can be caused by cattle trampling, and waterlogging with impaired water movement oldeman et al. Crops are plants that provide food, feed, fiber, and fuel. It is the fairly uniform removal of soil in thin layers from the land surface, often. Soil erosion is the movement of soil from one place to another and may be caused by wind, water or human activities. Introduction soil erosion is defined as the wearing away of land by the action of wind, water, or gravity or a combination of wind, water, and gravity. An introduction to soil concepts and the role of soils in.
Erosion may also impact water conveyance and storage structures, and contribute to pollution. The revised universal soilloss equation rusle and the wind erosion equation weq are used to compute erosion rates. But because of the complexity of soil erosion and its constituent processes, all erosion models can give unsatisfactory results when validated i. Universal soil erosion equation for questions 17, determine what the rate of soil erosion will be without factoring in sustainability measures for two different sites in jordan. Studies across north america and europe have concluded that tillageerosion is the primary cause of the severe soil loss and crop yield lossobserved on hilltops. Particles are normally grouped into three main classes. Soil erosion is one of the main threats driving soil degradation across the globe with important impacts on crop yields, soil biota, biogeochemical cycles, and ultimately human nutrition. Introduction to soil erosion and landscape evolution. Gilley, in encyclopedia of soils in the environment, 2005. Soil erosion is the process of removal of superficial layer of the soil from one place to another.
They are produced on every inhabited continent except antarctica and were essential for the development of. Soil and water conservation soil erosion free course. The free online course, soil and water conservation engineering introduction to soil erosion, will give you a better understanding of soil and water conservation practices and problems. In addition to human activities, soil erosion processes are also caused by morphometric characteristics of the land surface, the erosive forces of rainfall and the erodibility of soils and soil surfaces. The soil is found in layers, which are arranged during the formation of soil. Soil erosion and sediment control by the connecticut council on soil and water conservation in cooperation with the connecticut department of environmental protection. A healthy, highquality soil is fertile, has good soil structure, and is biologically active. Ndsu extension soil health specialist abbey wick, umn extension educator jodi dejonghughes, and ndsu extension soil specialist dave franzen talk about the process of soil erosion and how to. It is the fairly uniform removal of soil in thin layers from the land surface, often scarcely perceptible, especially when caused by wind.
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