Erosion

Authors: Flanagan, Dennis; Tatarko, John

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Book / Chapter
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/7/2021
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Soil erosion by wind and water are important concerns around the world. With increasing global populations and decreasing land and soil resources available for crop production, reducing the amounts of soil lost to erosion is critical. In this book chapter, basic wind and water soil erosion processes are described and illustrated. Details on how soil loss affects on-site soil quality as well as off-site water and air quality are provided, as well as some estimates of economic costs. Management practices as well as engineering solutions that can be applied to control and minimize wind and water erosion are described. Some possible approaches to remediate soils that have been seriously degraded by erosion are also discussed. This information is useful for the general public, students, and others interested in global soil resources affected by wind and water erosion and approaches to control soil losses.

Technical Abstract: Soil erosion is the detachment of soil particles by an erosive agent (i.e., water, wind), and transportation of the sediment to another location. Sediment particles fall back to a state of rest on the soil surface (or other surface) in a sequential process called deposition or sedimentation. This chapter will discuss a) the types and causes of soil erosion and their impact on crop production worldwide, b) management options to reduce erosion rates and remediate cropland impacted by erosion; c) soil erosion assessment tools, and d) areas requiring future research.