Erosion is the removal of solids (sediment, soil, rock and other particles) in the natural environment. It usually occurs due to transport by wind, water, or ice; by down-slope creep of soil and other material under the force of gravity; or by living organisms, such as burrowing animals, in the case of bioerosion.
Types Of Erosion
- Physical Erosion is the gradual removal of material by natural agents such as wind, water, and ice.
- Chemical Erosion is the breakdown of materials due to the action of chemicals, acids, or bases.
- Biological Erosion is the destruction of materials by microorganisms or other living organisms.
How Is Erosion Caused?
- Erosion by ice: Glaciers erode the level of the Earth in two types: Plucking and Abrasion.
- Erosion by water: Traction, Saltation, Suspension, and Solution are the four ways sediment is transported by flowing water.
- Erosion in the sea: Longshore drift and tidal currents are two processes that induce Erosion by the sea. Turbidity currents carry material hundreds of kilometres from the continental shelves to the deep sea.
- Erosion by gravity: Soil creep, mudflows, landslips, and rockfalls are examples of gravity-driven Erosion.
What Are The Effects Of Erosion?
- It is the gradual wearing away of the Earth’s surface by water, wind, ice, or other natural processes.
- It can cause various environmental and economic problems and is one of the major causes of land loss.
- It occurs when natural processes (such as water, wind, and ice) wear away the Earth’s surface.
- This can cause many environmental and economic problems, including soil fertility, loss of topsoil, and increased flooding.
- It can also lead to the displacement of people and animals and the loss of valuable land resources.
Read Also : Marine Erosional Landforms
