1. Soil Erosion

2. Soil – An Important Resource
Soil Erosion
Occurs when soil is moved from the place where it formed.
Harmful to vegetation.

3. Causes and Effects of Soil Erosion
Occurs when water or wind picks up and transports sediments.
More common on steep slopes and areas with little vegetation.
Normally, soil is formed at the same rate that it is eroded.

4. Causes and Effects of Soil Erosion
Increased by:
Steepening of slopes
Lessening of vegetation
Human activities
Agricultural cultivation
Forest harvesting
Overgrazing
Urban construction
Strip mining

5. Preventing Soil Erosion
Prevention:
Crop management
Shelter belts
Grazing or no till farming
During no till farming crops are seeded without plowing under the stubble.
Contour plowing
Planting along the natural contours of the land.
Slows water and helps prevent gullies.
Terracing
Steps are built into steep hillsides.
Construction practices