Look at the image above. In it we can see that there is soil wear, probably caused by the passage of water over time, the which caused the formation of large holes in the street, hindering the flow of people and preventing the passage of vehicles. This is an example of erosion.
But what is erosion?
Erosion is not just the formation of “holes” in the ground. Actually, erosion is any wear of soil and rocks in which small debris is transported from one place to another. Therefore, erosions can vary from the removal of a small layer of soil on the ground to the formation of true craters.
Is man responsible for erosion?
Erosion is a natural process, that is, it already exists in nature without human interference. However, as humans change the composition of the earth's surface, they can intensify erosion and its effects, causing serious damage to the soil.
What are the factors that cause erosions?
Erosions, in general, are caused by external or exogenous agents of relief transformation, such as water, wind, climate and many other elements.
The water, for example, “makes paths” in the ground where it passes. Here we have another example of erosion, caused by one of the main agents of relief transformation. Another case is when runoffs remove or "wash" the topsoil, a process called leaching or laminar erosion.
In addition to water, wind also plays a role in the erosion process. Watch:
Rock formation found in the Sahara Desert
This form of relief is the result of wind action for hundreds or even thousands of years. Little by little, the rock formations are being “sculpted” and, thus, eroded. The same happens sometimes with soils, especially when they are completely exposed.
Understanding the action of erosive processes helps us to avoid the problems caused by them and also to understand the role they play in the formation of land relief.
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*Image credits: Wikimedia Commons
By Rodolfo Alves Pena
Graduated in Geography
