Soil Erosion - Scie 5

Soil Erosion - Scie 5

​Investigate the Extent of Soil Erosion in the

Community and Its Effects on the Living Things

and the Environment

​How does soil erosion affect land formation?

​How does soil erosion affect land formation?

Multiple Choice

Soil is composed of all of these natural materials EXCEPT

• weathered rock
• plant matter
• plastic substances
• animal remains

Multiple Choice

Which of the following processes will most likely contribute to the development of soil?

• Volcanic eruptions that make new land
• Building up of snow in very cold areas
• Migration of animals to warmer climates
• Breaking down of rock by wind, water, and ice

Multiple Choice

Plants and animals become part of soil when they -- 

• Die and Decay
• Produce offspring
• Grow and Develop
• Take in nutrients

Multiple Choice

The weathering of rocks into small pieces forms what natural resource?

• Minerals
• Water
• Coal
• Soil

Multiple Choice

Rocks near the ocean get broken into smaller pieces. What causes this change to these rocks?

• Leaves falling from trees
• Clouds forming in the sky
• Water crashing against the rocks
• Salt dissolving in the water

Multiple Choice

A student made a mixture of sand, tiny rocks, small twigs, and some leaves. This student has modeled - 

• how rocks change over time
• the life cycles of plants
• the formation of soil
• how landforms are created

​Soil erosion is the wearing away of dirt and soil by water, wind, and human actions.

​Water is one of the main causes of soil erosion, so the heavy rain that has been falling over the past week has worried farmers. Raindrops loosen the bonds that hold soil together. If rain is heavy, the water pools on the ground and starts to flow, carrying the loosened soil with it.

​How does soil erosion happens?

​ Wind.

Wind can also make soil erode by displacing it. ...

​Wind is a major type of erosion, especially in dry areas. Wind can erode by picking up and carrying loose particles and dust away (called deflation). It can also erode when these flying particles strike the land and break off more particles (called abrasion).

​Overgrazing can reduce ground cover, enabling erosion and compaction of the land by wind and rain. This reduces the ability for plants to grow and water to penetrate, which harms soil microbes and results in serious erosion of the land.

​Agriculture.

Agriculture is the main way humans cause soil erosion. When vegetation is planted in the ground, the topsoil is shifted, which causes erosion. The loose topsoil is then transported by wind to nearby streams and waterways and become sediment or runoff, lowering the overall quality of the water.

​Deforestation, which is logging. Removal of the vegetation covering the ground causes the soil, which is unprotected against wind and water, to erode. The loss of topsoil essentially destroys the ability for the land to regenerate.

​Burning forests, is a way in which humans cause erosion.