Introduction
Soil erosion is a natural process through which water and wind caries soil slowly down the slope. Despite its steady nature, human activities can accelerate erosion, leading to massive changes in the landscape. When left unchecked, the above mechanism will result in substantial environmental harm. Consequently, this paper attempts to investigate how human activities can enhance the rate of soil erosion.
Deforestation
Deforestation refers to the indiscriminative act of cutting down trees without replacement. The activity destroys the plant’s roots in most situations, thereby exposing the topsoil to different erosion agents such as water and wind. Deforestation increases the area’s soil erosion rate over a comparatively prolonged period (Katra, 2020). Therefore, the action should be avoided further to minimize the chances of degradation in the land.
Mining
Activities such as mining contribute significantly to soil erosion which is experienced in most parts of the globe. The soil is likely to be exposed during the process, thus making them readily available to agents for the operation of erosion (Borrelli et al., 2017). Vast amounts of soil are typically pushed by individuals as they continue to mine. Most businesses also leave derelict land which is highly vulnerable to soil erosion long after the mining is complete.
Agricultural Activities
Different farming practices, such as monoculture, have a long-lasting effect on soil erosion. Monoculture allows the soil to lose its structure, thus making it more vulnerable to degradation (Karamage et al., 2016). On the other hand, a direct cause of environmental degradation is the inability to provide cover crops during plantations. Lastly, the absence of crop rotation lowers the nutrient retention rate and increases the depletion rate in the area.
Conclusion
Based on the parable of the sower and the seeds in Matthew 13: 1-23, it is clear that soil plays an important part in human growth. It is through the soil that people are capable of cultivating variety of plants and animals. Therefore, activities such as deforestation, logging, and various harmful agricultural practices destroy not only the soil but also human potential. Farmers should, therefore, try to understand these behaviors and avoid them to reduce soil erosion. The establishment of vital initiatives would minimize land degradation and encourage environmental protection as a whole.
References
Borrelli, P., Robinson, D. A., Fleischer, L. R., Lugato, E., Ballabio, C., Alewell, C., … Panagos, P. (2017). An assessment of the global impact of 21st-century land-use change on soil erosion. Nature Communications, 8(1), 2013.
Karamage, F., Shao, H., Chen, X., Ndayisaba, F., Nahayo, L., Kayiranga, A.,… Zhang, C. (2016). Deforestation effects on soil erosion in the Lake Kivu Basin, D.R. Congo-Rwanda. Forests, 7(11), 281. Web.
Katra, I. (2020). Soil erosion by wind and dust emission in semi-arid soils due to agricultural activities. Agronomy, 10(1), 89. Web.