Definitions [1]
Definition: Soil Erosion
The loss of soil or disturbance of the soil structure is called soil erosion.
Key Points
Key Points: Introduction to Soil in India
- Soil is a thin layer of weathered rock and humus that supports life.
- Soil forms slowly due to weathering, water, wind, and organic processes.
- Humus increases soil fertility.
- Soil erosion is caused by deforestation and overgrazing.
- Soils are residual or transported (e.g., alluvial soil).
Key Points: Soil Erosion
- Soil erosion is the removal of the top fertile layer of soil by water, wind, and human activities.
- Soil erosion by water includes sheet erosion, rill erosion, gully erosion, leaching, sea erosion, and stream-bank erosion.
- Wind erosion occurs in dry and semi-arid regions where loose soil is carried away by strong winds, reducing soil fertility.
- Human activities such as deforestation, overgrazing, improper farming, and shifting cultivation greatly increase soil erosion.
- Soil erosion reduces agricultural productivity, leads to land degradation, and creates a cycle of poverty.
Key Points: Soil Conservation
- Soil conservation means protecting soil from erosion and maintaining its fertility.
- Soil erosion causes loss of fertile topsoil, leading to reduced agricultural productivity.
- Soil conservation helps maintain soil moisture and raise the groundwater level.
- It prevents silting of rivers, floods, droughts, and landslides, especially in hilly areas.
- Soil conservation is essential because soil forms very slowly but can be destroyed quickly, and it supports plants, animals, and human life.
