SOIL EROSION

---

source

---

I spoke about deforestation last time and this time around I want to concentrate on soil erosion. I am concerned about the future of our environment and also the lands which I have decided to educate people through my posts. The state of our environment is alarming and if nothing is done about it what we feared might be happening soon.

Now let us look at what soil erosion is, its causes, the effect on the environment and what we can do to prevent it.

Soil erosion is a situation where the top layer of the soil begins to deplete gradually until we see the land bare. Soil erosion is not only when humans neglect the environment. Sometimes natural processes such as wind, rain and other natural processes are the causes of soil erosion. Soil erosion and other processes have been overlooked by humans due to more pressing issues that affect the environment. As I said, soil erosion is the depleting away of the topsoil. The topsoil of the earth is a vital part of the earth and when we lose that part some consequences affect the larger part of the earth.

---

source

---

Causes of soil erosion.

---

There are several causes of soil erosion.
As I mentioned some of which are due to natural processes and some are caused by humans themselves. Let us look at some of the causes now.

• Overgrazing by animals

Animals feed and they are shown where to feed by their herdsmen who lead them out. The problem of overgrazing occurs when the animals are allowed to feed over one place for a long time. When they feed over that place they tend to eat into the grass to reach the first layer of the soil. The grass we see on the soil is meant to protect it from erosion and then to also protect the nutrient of the soil from depleting away.

• Deforestation

Deforestation is the excess cutting down of trees. When the excess cutting down of trees is not controlled, we begin to notice that the depletion of the soil begins. The trees that are planted in the soils are there for a reason and the reason is that they help in holding down the soil. When they can hold down the soil, the soil nutrients are held by the soil.

• The use of chemicals for farming.

When farming, farmers need to devise ways of protecting their crops. In the prices of doing this, they tend to employ the use of pesticides. These pesticides contain chemicals that in turn do not only harm crops but also harmful to the soil.

source

---

Effects of soil erosion.

---

• The loosing of the topsoil.

The first effect of soil erosion is the loosing of the topsoil. When soil erosion occurs, we lose the top cover of the soil which is washes away and then the soil is left bare.

• Loss of fertility in the soil.

The topsoil of the earth acts as a cover and security against so many things. When the topsoil is lost, the nutrients in the soil too will be washed away as there will not be security for the nutrients of the soil hence leaving the land bare and infertile.

• The soil becomes compact.

When the topsoil is lost, the are many consequences and one of them being the soil not being able to retain water that is used to store initially. As the water comes in, it goes out the same way and rather quickly. This means that the soil does not benefit from it. As the soil does not benefit from the water, it becomes compact.

---

source

---

Prevention of soil erosion.

• Avoid over grazing by animals.

Animals must feel therefore they graze. But when we send them out to feed we should make sure that they graze evenly. We should not allow then to graze at one place for a very long time.

• Practice reforestation.

Reforestation is the planting of tress to cover up for the ones that were cut. Due to deforestation the lands are ways left bare hence causing erosion.

• We should learn to practice crop rotation.

Crop rotation of planting different crops on the same set of land at different periods or at different seasons. Because some soils demands more nutrients than others, some also are nutrient providers hence when we plant there crops in rotation it helps the crops.

I have spoken about soil erosion and also how we can prevent it. I hope we do take the subject very seriously.

Thanks for reading.