Name: Water is Precious
Uploaded: 2019-07-19
Duration: 2 min 12 s
Description: Water is a basic requirement for all living beings. Water should be available to all castes and creeds of people and this video lays emphasis on this concept.

Question

What is soil erosion? What are the methods of preventing or reducing soil erosion?

Accepted Answer

The removal of topsoil which is rich in humus and nutrients by flowing water or wind is known as soil erosion. If this process continues further, then all soil may get washed away and the rocks underneath may get exposed. It may lead to the loss of all valuable resources because nothing grows as such on the rocks.

The methods of preventing soil erosion are :

Afforestation : Forests reduce erosion as the roots of trees hold the soil in place.

Shelter belts : Trees planted in lines or hedges around farmland reduce erosion by reducing the speed of the wind.

Contour ploughing : Farmers plough land so that furrows lie across the natural slope of the land. These furrows trap water and do not allow it to flow down carrying the topsoil.

Terrace (or step) farming : A terraced hillside is less likely to be eroded than a natural hillside. Here a series of steps formed by horizantal strips supported by walls, catch the descending water. It gives the water sufficient time to percolate into the soil and nourish the crop.

Soil cover : Soil left bare after harvesting a crop is often covered with dried vegetation to prevent erosion. Steep slopes that cannot be ploughed are covered with grass or pasture crops.

Preventing overgrazing : As the grass has a tendency to bind soil molecules, so even a very little grass on a field prevents erosion of soil. But if grass is overgazed, it exposes the soil to erosion.

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