Land erosion is a natural phenomenon having both positive as well as negative impacts on ecosystems. Up to what extant land erosion can be beneficial for ecosystem and when it becomes harmful. Which kind of erosion is most dangerous for soils? Scientific comments from concerned intellectuals would be helpful and appreciable.
Geologic erosion is a normal or natural erosion caused
by geologic processes acting over long geologic periods
and resulting in the wearing away of mountains, the
bulding up of flood plains etc.
Accelerated erosion is much more rapid than geologic
erosion. This type of erosion results primarily from the influence
of man activities. Also, a natural catastrophe that exposes
bare soil surfaces, like fires, contributes to this type of
erosion.
Thanks Mohammad H Hussein for your valuable answer.
What I understand is 'geological erosion is a normal natural phenomenon useful for the construction of various geographic features and also supply necessary minerals and nutrients to aquatic life. Accelerated erosion is most dangerous and largely human aided. When rate of removal of soil or land surface materials exceeds the rate of their accumulation in an area, it is called as accelerated erosion. This kind of erosion usually starts due to the disturbance of geological norms of the areas by human activities specifically by removal of trees and other kinds of vegetation'. Accelerated erosion rapidly degrades the land and very difficult to control. However, ecological methods are more effective than technological methods to control accelerated erosion.
Geological erosion occurs under natural conditions by itself without any interference of man. It is a very slow process and state of balance between loss and build up is hardly lost. Accelerated soil erosion on the other hand side is very rapid and never keeps pace with the soil formation.This is most serious type of loss, generally caused by an interference of an agency like man and other animals.
http://punenvis.nic.in/index2.aspx?slid=208&mid=1&langid=1&sublinkid=1128
Thanks Arvind Singh for your valuable response about the issue under consideration.
Geological erosion is a normal slow process that ultimately leads to formation of select geological features. When you head to a geological or geographical terrain in virgin areas, you see those features that would present a story where geological erosion has played a vital role over the geological time. Accelerated erosion is more by anthropogenic intervention and cause severe and rapid loss to a terrain, that is much much faster as compared to natural erosion. You may note an example of a machine excavating a hill slope for road widening in a hilly terrain. One one fine day you may notice its original natural shape while on another you may find an altogether different shape rendered by noone but the man by way of using some machinery, which otherwise could have taken a long geological time.
Excellent explanations of natural and accelerated erosion, on-site and off-site negative effects of soil erosion, and a lot more about soil erosion can be found in Morgan, R. P. C. (2009). Soil erosion and conservation. John Wiley & Sons.
Geological erosion or "natural" erosion is the action of the water, wind, ice and gravity in wearing away rock to form soil and shape the ground surface. It is a relatively slow, continuous process that often goes unnoticed. Accelerated erosion also is the process of detachment and transportation of soil materials by water, wind, ice, and gravity, generally caused by human activities. While “geologic” erosion naturally produces about 30 percent of the total sediment in the United States, “accelerated” soil erosion from human's use of land accounts for the remaining 70 percent.
Geological erosion is a natural process that occurs since the beginning of the geological ages, and it leads to the formation of fertile plains, while accelerated erosion is the result of human activities, which leads to soil erosion and the deterioration of its productivity, and therefore, in some aspects, accelerated erosion may be seen as a danger on sustainable development
Thanks Ali Khyami for your comprehensive answer. Yes, geological erosion is a natural phenomenon essential for balancing various earth's systems like ecosystem. Accelerated erosion on the other hand in predominantly human induced phenomenon highly undesirable for various global systems.
- Badges
- Science topic
- Similar topics
- Social Psychology
- Attitude