Soil Erosion: Factors of Influence and Effects - Essay Example

Soil Erosion Many factors influence soil erosion and the quality of soil affects different aspects differently. Factors Influencing Soil Erosion Vegetation is one of the factors that influence soil erosion in our place. There are parts in our place that have good vegetative cover and this decreases soil erosion. The cover reduces soil erosion by shielding soil from the impact exerted by drops of rain hence this is a positive factor. In the parts where there is poor vegetative cover, soil is left open and is easily washed away by runoff hence this increases soil erosion and this is therefore a negative factor.

The climate is the other factor that influences soil erosion in our place. High frequent rainfall is a negative factor because most of the rainfall becomes runoff and sweeps the top soil as it flows away. This happens when the soil is saturated with moisture. The low temperatures of our place are a negative factor because they cause snow which when it melts, it causes runoff that carries the top soil with it (Morgan 34). Soil properties are an important factor in solution erosion. The silt soil of our place is a negative factor for soil erosion because it has large pore spaces between soil particles and these particles are moderately cohesive.

This increases the ability of this soil to take in water hence increases it erodibility. Slope is the other important factor affecting soil erosion. The steep slope of our place is a negative factor because it increases soil erosion when it rains and strong winds sweep. Soil erosion is highest at the base of the slope (Morgan 34). Effects of Quality of Soil I live in a place where there are abundant natural soils. The parts of the region with silt soil are fertile and they have a high agricultural productivity.

The parts of the place that have clay soil are rich in nutrients that support high agricultural productivity but crops do not do well in these parts because they are sticky and difficult to cultivate. Sandy places are easy to cultivate and whereas agriculture does well, the crops are not very healthy because sandy soil is not fertile (Morgan 35). Silt soil leads to good water quality and less water runoff because it is well drained. The places that have clay soil have poor water quality and more runoff and some of these places are quite marshy because the soil does not allow good water drainage.

The water quality of the parts of our place that have sandy soil is high and there is little water runoff. This is because this soil is well aerated (Morgan 35). Finally, the quality of the soil in our place seems like it will support high agricultural productivity in both the short and long run. The state of the soil quality of our place can support the microbial life for a long time without getting depleted (Morgan 35). It is evident that the quality of the soils of our place can enhance biodiversity for a remarkably long time.

However, if soil erosion continues at its current pace, the quality of the water of our place may worsen with time. Work cited Morgan, Robert. Soil Erosion and Conservation. Oxford: Blackwell Pub., 2004. Print.