methods or reducing soil erosion

Question 1

list the different methods which can be used to reduce soil erosion

Answer 1

1) long term crops
2) zero tillage cultivation
3) contour ploughing
4) tied ridging
5) terracing
6) rows of stones
7) wind breaks
8) multicopying
9) increasing soil organic matter
10) livestock management

Question 2

outline long-term crops

Answer 2

the growth of crops that don’t require frequent replanting and soil disturbance which reduces erosion rate for example permanent grassland or tree crops such as fruit or coffee

Question 3

outline zero tillage cultivation

Answer 3

cultivation which minimises soil disturbances by directly drilling seeds into the ground causing less disturbance than processes such as ploughing or sowing

Question 4

outline contour ploughing

Answer 4

ploughing up and down the slop can create gully’s which increase velocity of surface runoff causing faster erosion

• ploughing along 90 degree contours of the slope reduces erosion as water flow is stopped by the ploughed furrows reducing kinetic energy so it cant carry soil

Question 5

outline tied ridging

Answer 5

used on land which is almost flat where the field is divided with a criss-cross of intersecting ridges which retain water when it rains increasing infiltration and reducing surface run off

Question 6

outline terracing

Answer 6

when a series of narrow fields are created with the soil held in place by walls built along contours
what flows down walls quickly but slows as it flows across fields allowing infiltration

Question 7

outline the methods of rows of stone

Answer 7

if the gradient is gentle rows of stones laid along contours can slow surface run off and reduce erosion rate- any disturbed soil is deposited at the base of the stones

Question 8

outline the idea of wind breaks

Answer 8

growing crops reduces the velocity of win and reduced wind erosion, this protection is removed when the crops are harvested. the protection from winds can be maintained if there are hedgerows or rows of trees around the field

Question 9

outline multicropping

Answer 9

growing more than one crop in a field at the same time can reduce exposure to wind if they are harvested and resown at different times as there is always a crop in that field which protects the soil

Question 10

outline the method if increasing soil organic matter

Answer 10

any methods which retains or adds organic matter will reduce erosion risk
- organic matter on the soil surface protects the soil from wind and impact of water droplets

• organic matter decomposes producing humus which helps develop soil particles to adhere to each other

Question 11

outline the method of livestock management

Answer 11

stocking density can be controlled to reduce soil erosion from trampling ect

• reducing access to river banks where trampling is likely to cause soil to erode into the river
• livestock and be removed at high risk times such as following heavy rain