The Types of erosion Depend on the natural agent that causes the process, with water and wind being the most common elements. Like any natural process that takes place on land surfaces, the force of gravity plays a very important role.
There are other factors that erode the soil such as ice, temperature and the force exerted by the movement of the waves. Some human activities such as agriculture, deforestation and grazing can increase the impact of natural erosion agents.
The complete concept of erosion also involves from the process of wear and molding of the soil or rocky crusts of the geographic landscape in its original position to the transport of all the materials removed by the agents involved.
Most soil materials removed in this way are dirt or rock debris, which gradually disintegrate into smaller bodies while being transported.
The planet earth offers a number of geographical or geographical features such as mountain ranges and peaks, valleys and canyons, rocky coastlines and cliffs, whose characteristics have been shaped over time by erosion.
The term erosion comes from Latin erosion Which is the action of the verb Erode And means"to gnaw,"from which other words like"rodent"and"corrosive"also originate.
Water erosion
Moving or flowing water is the most important erosive agent of all. Although it may not seem like it, water is one of the most powerful forces on planet earth. Due to the action of water, there are three types of erosion:
- Fluvial
Erosion of river banks is caused by the friction or constant friction of water flow.
This flow entrains soil sediments in the water body downstream, which act as an erosion instrument by wearing each other off or wearing away rocks and land surfaces.
Progressively, this wear removes more and more sediment as the volume and speed of water flow increases.
In affluents with harder or arid soils, both the constant flow of water and the growth and decrease of its channel, carve on the surface a channel ever deeper or wider. As an example of this phenomenon we have the Grand Canyon in Arizona, United States.
- Precipitation
The areas of land not affected by the water of the rivers, is exposed to the continuous force of erosion by the action of the rains. If the soil is protected by trees such as forest or rainforest bodies, rainwater will affect the soil less aggressively.
The water will fall more smoothly, which will allow the soil in the soil to filter and absorb naturally.
However, steady rains in inclined wooded areas can cause landslides that could drag trees and rocks.
On bare soil, raindrops can impact the soil with enough force to break its structure, in what is called the Splash erosion .
The particles and sediments"splash"up to 60 centimeters in height, which then fall and cover the natural pores of the earth where it filters and absorbs water.
Thus the water accumulates on the surface and as the flow increases and drain by gravity, it is taking soil with it.
This effect is called Surface erosion , Which removes the first layers of soil necessary for the accumulation of organic matter.
Rain on unprotected soils can create other erosive effects such as Ditches , Channels And till Tunnels .
- Swell
The erosion of the coasts is mainly a product of the action of the sea waves. The impact of the water added to the abrasion of particles, sediments, sand and stones transported in the swinging waves, are eroding the banks.
This effect is most notable in more rocky coasts where the strength of the waves progressively eating the stone walls of the cliffs, showing the bedrock. Thanks to this action, there are rock formations like the coastal arches.
As an example of this phenomenon one has the arches of the Beach of the Cathedrals or Beach of the Holy Waters in Ribadeo, Spain.
Wind Erosion
It is the degradation and erosion of arid and rocky lands also known as desertification. As its name indicates, its action is the wind, which is one of the less aggressive erosive elements whose effects can take years.
It happens when strong winds blow on arid floors unprotected of vegetation or with very little vegetation. The wind transports sand and small particles of rocks into the air that wear away the rocky surfaces of the terrain.
This causes the rocks to gradually fracture and release more particles in the air, increasing the erosive factor in the wind. With the transfer of materials from one side to the other, soils and mountains are molded.
Also in more sandy areas, the wind simply moves sand bodies like dunes or dunes progressively, being able to change the landscape completely in matter of days or hours. Sandstorms cause this effect very quickly.
As an example of this phenomenon we have the Sahara desert, in both the dune and rocky areas.
Glacier Erosion
It occurs basically when the ice sheets move downhill on a mountainous slope. The weight of the ice when sliding is exerting a crushing effect on the ground, opening or digging its way to the force.
Ice can also carry with it portions of rock from the ground as it moves, which were probably covered with ice and form part of the body of the glacier. In this way the ice is eroding the soil creating valleys and shaping mountains.
Temperature erosion
It is the type of erosion that is produced by the changes of temperature caused by the exposure of the terrestrial surfaces to sunlight. Rock, for example, receiving high temperatures expands, which causes it to begin to break creating cracks.
Eventually the cracks compromise the structure that keeps the rock coupled and separates, enough for gravity or wind to move or move it from its original site.
References
- Abigail Jenkins. Soil Erosion Solutions - Fact sheet 1: Types of erosion (online document). Department of Primary Industry. NSW Government. Retrieved from dpi.nsw.gov.au.
- Andrew Alden (2017). What Is Erosion and How Does It Shape the Earth's Surface? - Erosion Is a Central Concept in Geology. Thought Co. Recovered from thoughtco.com.
- (2004). What are the Different Types of Erosion? Virtual Science Fair. Retrieved from odec.ca/projects.
- Queensland Government site (2013). Types of erosion. The State of Queensland. Retrieved from qld.gov.au.
- The Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica (2017). Encyclopedia Britannica Inc. Retrieved from britannica.com.
- Mandy Barrow. Types of Erosion. Rivers Homework Help - Homework Help. Retrieved from primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk.
- Paul Gregg (2008). Soil erosion and conservation. Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand. Retrieved from TeAra.govt.nz.