Search results
Results from the WOW.Com Content Network
Soil erosion may be a slow process that continues relatively unnoticed, or it may occur at an alarming rate causing a serious loss of topsoil. The loss of soil from farmland may be reflected in reduced crop production potential, lower surface water quality and damaged drainage networks. Soil erosion could also cause sinkholes.
Eroded hilltops due to tillage erosion. Tillage erosion is a form of soil erosion occurring in cultivated fields due to the movement of soil by tillage. [1] [2] There is growing evidence that tillage erosion is a major soil erosion process in agricultural lands, surpassing water and wind erosion in many fields all around the world, especially on sloping and hilly lands [3] [4] [5] A signature ...
A river bank can be divided into three zones: Toe zone, bank zone, and overbank area. The toe zone is the area which is most susceptible to erosion. [2] Because it is located in between the ordinary water level and the low water level, it is strongly affected by currents and erosional events. [2]
If the runoff has sufficient flow energy, it will transport loosened soil particles down the slope. [15] Sheet erosion is the transport of loosened soil particles by overland flow. [15] A spoil tip covered in rills and gullies due to erosion processes caused by rainfall: Rummu, Estonia
Slope stability refers to the condition of inclined soil or rock slopes to withstand or undergo movement; the opposite condition is called slope instability or slope failure. The stability condition of slopes is a subject of study and research in soil mechanics , geotechnical engineering , and engineering geology .
Due to precipitation, seasonal changes in Water content can lead to soil sloughing. [7] Soil sloughing is also an indicator of active soil movement and frequently requires action to reduce or prevent bank and slope failure. Soil water content is highly related to the mass erosion that leads to soil sloughing or even slopes failure. [7]
where R is the rainfall erosivity factor, K is the soil erodibility, [3] [4] L and S are topographic factors representing length and slope, and C and P are cropping management factors. Other factors such as the stone content (referred as stoniness), which acts as protection against soil erosion, are very significant in Mediterranean countries.
Erosion causes loss of the fertile top soil and reduces its fertility and quality of the agricultural produce. Modern industrial farming is another major cause of erosion. Over a third of the U.S. Corn Belt has completely lost its topsoil. [29] Switching to no-till practices would reduce soil erosion from U.S. agricultural fields by more than ...