wind erosion Flashcards
what is wind erosion?
when high winds blow away the topsoil
where is wind erosion prevalent?
dry climates as the soil is less cohesive so the top soil is unstable
what can cause the topsoil to become more vulnerable?
ploughing can loosen the particles
overgrazing and clearing land causes the soil particles to become less bound together
what are the three ways soil particles may move?
slowly rolls along the floor with CREEP
bounce by SALTATION
or be SUSPENDED in the air
what are the three issues for agriculture with wind erosion?
the topsoil is blown away so theres less nutrients for growth
crops can become buried in thin layers which damages crops and restricts sunlight
lowers the soils capacity to store water as the soil depth is reduced so it becomes drier
