SOILEROSION

SOIL EROSION
SOIL EROSION:
Soil erosion is the displacement of the upper

layer of soil, one form of soil degradation. This
natural process is caused by the dynamic activity
of erosive agents, that is, water, ice, snow, air,
plants, animals, and humans.
Soil erosion is also referred as the creeping

death.
Types of soil Erosion:
● Splash erosion
● Sheet erosion
● Rill erosion
● Gully erosion
● Stream bank erosion
● Seashore erosion
SPLASH EROSION:
Splash erosion is the first stage of

the erosion process. It occurs
when raindrops hit bare soil. The
explosive impact breaks up soil
aggregates so that individual soil
particles are 'splashed' onto the
soil surface.
Sheet Erosion:
This occurs when soil is removed
uniformly in a thin layer from the
entire surface area. Movement of
soil by splash erosion is the
primary cause of sheet erosion.
RILL EROSION
Rill erosion is the removal of soil by

concentrated water running through little
streamlets, or headcuts. Detachment in a
rill occurs if the sediment in the flow is
Rill Erosion:
below the amount the load can transport
This type of erosion takes place
and if the flow exceeds the soil's
whento
resistance the run-off water, laden with
detachment.
soil flowing along the slopes, forms
fingerlike channels. Rill erosion is
an intermediate stage between
sheet erosion and gulley erosion
Gully Erosion:
As the volume of concentrated run-off increases
and attains more velocity on slopes, it enlarges the
rill into gullies. At an advanced stage, gullies result
in ravines, which are sometimes 50 to 100 feet
deep. In India ravines cover about 10 million
hectares.
● Stream bank erosion:
Streams and rivers change their
courses by cutting one bank and
depositing the silt loads on the
others.
During flash floods, the damage is
much accelerated. The Kosi river in
Bihar is reported to have changed
its course westwards by 100 km
within the last 100 year's
● Sea Shore Erosion:
This type of erosion is caused by
the striking action of strong waves.
Factorsfactors
affecting
Affecting
1.. Rainfall:
Precipitation is the most forceful factor causing
erosion.
● Erosion is dependent on the amount, duration,

intensity and frequency of rainfall. By the action of
dashing rain drops on soil, soil granules are loosened,
detached and separated into fine particles. Erosion is
greater where the rainfall is not only heavy, but
concentrated over short periods.
2.Vegetation:
The vegetative cover protects the soil from the beating and dispersing action of
the raindrops by forming a canopy over the soil surface. Vegetation also acts as a
mechanical obstruction to flowing water, thus reducing its erosive potential. The
plant roots help in building a better structure. They said in opening the soil and
thereby accelerating water absorption and reducing surface run-off.
3. Tillage:
The infiltration and permeability of the soil is improved by the practice of proper
tillage and thereby reducing the chances of erosion. But excess tilling exposes the
soil to erosion, especially by wind.
4. Nature of the soil:
Erodability of the soil is influenced by the nature of the soil, particularly
its texture, structure, organic matter, amounts and kinds of salts present,
presence of hard pan in the soil and presence of high water table.
5. Soil Moisture:
The presence of high water table checks the infiltration and permeability,
thus allowing more flow of water on the surface, and greater erosion. At
the same time, long continuous rainless periods cause loosening of soil
and thus expose the soil to erosion by wind
CAUSES
1. Deforestation:
Removal of vegetation cover has caused widespread erosion in Western
CAUSES
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.
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.
EFFECTS OF SOIL EROSION
EFFECTS OF SOIL EROSION:
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. 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.
Examples
Examples
1. Nilgiris:
Potato cultivation on steep slopes without proper terracing has caused
widespread erosion here.
2. Gullies or Ravines:
Because of gully erosion, nearly 10 mHa area is affected. These gulleys are
known by different names—khars in Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka;
ravines in Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan along Yamuna and
Chambal; kotar lands in Gujarat and chos (the rainy season torrents) and
landslides in Hoshiarpur in the Shivaliks.
. Coastal Erosion:
An extreme example of soil erosion is to be seen in sand movement from the
coast in the Saurashtra region of Gujarat, where the once flourishing ports are
now covered with advancing sand-dunes.
Measures to control
MEASURES TO CONTROL soil erosion
SOIL EROSION
Strip Cropping:
This practice consists of growing erosion-permitting crops (jowar, bajra,
maize) in alternate strips with erosion checking close- growing crops (grasses,
pulses). The erosion checking strips check and hold the flowing water and soil.
Crop Rotation:
This refers to growing of two or more different crops in sequence in a field for
maintaining the soil fertility. Continuous growing of clean-cultivated crops
(e.g., tobacco) causes more erosion. A good rotation should include densely
planted small grains, spreading legume which may check soil erosion.
Strip cropping
Stubble Mulching:
This means leaving crop residue or vegetative litter on the land as a surface
protection against erosion and for conserving moisture by favouring
infiltration and reducing evaporation.
Terracing:
On steeper slopes, terraces or flat platforms are constructed in steps in a

series along the slope. This way water is retained on each terrace which can
be used to raise crops.
Stubble mulching Terrace cultivation
Thankyou!!
L.sowjanya
Roll: 35
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SOILEROSION

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SOIL EROSION

Soil erosion is the displacement of the upper

Soil erosion is also referred as the creeping

Splash erosion is the first stage of

Rill erosion is the removal of soil by

● Erosion is dependent on the amount, duration,

2. Faulty Cultivation Methods:

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

On steeper slopes, terraces or flat platforms are constructed in steps in a

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