Soil erosion refers to the wearing away of a field’s topsoil by natural or man created factors. The major causes of soil erosion are as follows :
1. Soil erosion by water :
This erosion is caused by both fresh water & sea water.
(a) Soil Erosion by fresh water : It is caused by rivers, springs, waves etc. It is of three types viz.-
- Diverian erosion : Erosion caused by heavy rainfall and sudden dam breaking.
- Sheet erosion : Erosion that removes surface material (soil) evenly from an extensive area.
- Gully erosion : Removal of soil along drainage lines by surface water runoff.
(b) Soil Erosion by marine water : This erosion is caused by waves, tides etc.
2. Soil Erosion by Air (wind) :
It occurs normally in desert regions. The wind detaches soil particles from the land surface which than transported / shifted by wind.
