Title: “Soil Erosion by water and prevention by using plantation”

Introduction:
The word ‘erosion’ literally means to wearing away. In soil erosion, fertile soil
surfaces are detached and removed from their original places and are deposited at
some other places. Thus, soil erosion is the removal of soil from its upper part.
Agents Causing Soil Erosion:
Water:
Water is an important factor in soil erosion. Snow and melting ice also remove
the top soil to considerable extents. Soil is directly affected by heavy rainfall,
rapidly running water and by wave action.
Wind:
Removal of soil by wind is called wind erosion. Stormy winds carry the soil
particles to distant places and sometimes form sand-dunes. Wind currents
usually remove the top soil which is fertile and frill of humus and minerals.
Deforestation is the commonest factor which is responsible for soil erosion.
Ruthless felling of trees has exposed soils to direct effects of rain, snow and
drought and has set in soil deterioration.
Excessive grazing etc…
Consequences of Soil Erosion:
 Loss of soil stability and fertility.
 Destruction of land in plains.
 Formation of sand dunes.
 Greater frequency of floods and threat to communication channels.
 Silting of river bed, lakes and dams.
 Higher temperature and scanty rainfall etc…
Methods to prevent soil erosion:
 Growing plant grass and shrubs.
 Add mulch or rocks.
 Build retaining walls.
 Improve drainage etc…

Procedure: Water has the power to erode the top layer of soil and hence causes
the soil erosion. The following experiment demonstrates the effect of water on the soil
and how the plantation/vegetation helps in preventing soil erosion.

Step1: Take three vertically cut plastic bottles filled with same kind of soil but having
three different types of layers on top.

Step2: The first bottle has plain/bare soil on top and the second bottle has the dead
leaves on top of the soil. The third bottle has small plants growing in the soil.
Step3: Pour water into these three different bottles and observe the difference in the
water coming out from these three bottles.

Step4: The water coming out from the first bottle is cloudy/dirty as the top layer is
being washed out by the poured water since there is no obstacle to prevent the soil
erosion. The water moved the top layer of the soil to large extent.

Step5: The water coming out from the second bottle is less dirty and has a small portion
of soil particles compared to that of water coming out from first bottle. Here, the dead
leaves helped to protect the soil on the top from moving with the water.

Step6: In the third bottle we have the plants growing in the soil. After pouring the
water, we can clearly notice that the water coming out form the third bottle looks
cleaner than that of the other two bottles.

Uses/Observation: This is because, the roots from the plants grew into the soil.
These roots are holding the soil tightly and helping in preventing the soil from getting
washed away when water is poured into the bottle. Besides holding the soil together,
the roots of the plants also help to hold the water by growing deeply into the soil.