Soil degradation is a narrower term, and one form of land degradation, for declining soil quality, encompassing the deterioration in physical, chemical and biological attributes of the soil 11. Deforestation soil erosion in the food forest why topsoil. Models of the future impact of deforestation based on current trends 1 predict dire consequences for the amazon. Plane view of deforestationinduced erosion in madagascar. While the secondary data source involved the search into published and unpublished materials relevant to the subject matter. Soil erosion due to rainforest deforestation sciencing. The effect of deforestation on soil erosion, sediment and some water quality indicates. Deforestation causes soil erosion which could then result in land slides. Abstract runoff and soil erosion were measured in a two. Tree roots help stabilise the soil, preventing the soil from being eroded by. Thus crop yields decline and the people must spend income to import foreign fertilizers or clear additional forest. Deforestation effects on soil physical and chemical.
Stone lines magic stones these are put in place following contour lines meaning run off is reduced and soil can be collected and redistributed. Effects include land degradation, soil erosion and sterility, and a loss of biodiversity, with huge economic costs for nations where deserts are growing. Deforestation is the term that describes the cutting down or clearing of trees from a wooded area. Deforestation was occurred about two or three decades ago in northern of iran and replaced with pasture and cultivation. A study was initiated in 1994 to evaluate the effects of deforestation on physical and chemical properties of soils under oak quercus brontii forests in lordegan region of central zagrous mountain, iran. Erosion is the process of soil and rock being removed from the earths surface to be transported and deposited in other locations, due to exogenic processes such as wind or water flow. In the iowa cooperative soil survey program, erosion classes are defined quantitatively. The most important effects of soil erosion on biodiversity greentumble biodiversity, soil degradation february 26, 2016 it has been estimated that at least half of all of the the topsoil in our world has been eroded within the last 150 years through human activities such as deforestation, overgrazing and unsustainable agricultural methods 1. Without exception, deforestation and substitution of forests by crops or meadows has led to a dramatic increase in soil erosion, resulting in gully development and shallow landslides that have increased the sediment load in rivers and ultimately contributed to the formation of new sedimentary structures including fluvial terraces, alluvial fans.
The runoff into rivers from soil erosion results in siltation entering lakes, streams and rivers. Soil erosion leads to soil infertility as the top soil layer is lost and also ability of soil to hold water and sediment is reduced. In accordance with these agents, erosion is sometimes divided into water erosion, glacial. Deforestation can be the root cause behind many water scarcity situations. As indicated by the classification in table 121, the texture of these soils is similar to fayette soils, but these soils differ by having a fragipan. Global warming will get worse as agricultural methods accelerate the rate of soil erosion, which depletes the amount of carbon the soil is able to store, a united nations environment programme. Accelerated erosion resulted in soil nutrient loss, and a decrease in soil enzyme activities including notable losses of total soil n, organic c, alkaline phosphatase.
Deforestation in mountainous regions is one of the most serious ecological problems today. The effects of soil erosion can be felt both on site, meaning at the site of soil disruption, or offsite, meaning the location where the eroded soil deposits. This article discusses using microcapture to mitigate damaged and water scarcity suffering caused by deforestation. Jan 22, 20 deforestation soil erosion in the food forest why topsoil and hugelkultur are important.
The roots of trees help prevent soil erosion because they absorb the water in soil. Deforestation and natural grassland conversion to agricultural land use constitute a major threat to soil and water conservation. Plane view of deforestation induced erosion in madagascar. Soil erosion, a natural occurrence that has been documented for many centuries, is. When the land is deforested by slashandburn, for example, the nutrients are mixed back into the soils.
Impact of deforestation on soil fertility, soil carbon and. Once the litter burns up, and once the roots can no longer hold on to moisture and soil, erosion can be catastrophic. The rate of increase for soil loss after forest clearing is astonishing. Deforestation and mining in the andarax basin since the 18th century resulted in a delta of 6 km 2, where objects dated to 2600. Deforestation has an impact on the quality of water flowing through the watershed and alters the discharge, chemical and physical properties of water.
This is a cheap and easy method especially suited to ledc 10. Quantification of soil quality changes following deforestation by measurable soil attributes is important to sustainable management of soil and water conservation. Roads and homesites that are poorly cut into hillsides and unsupported by vegetation inevitably slide. The most concentrated deforestation occurs in tropical rainforests. May 20, 20 then, deforestation causes soil erosion, because trees protect soil from the power of the wind, and when the place is open, wind simply blows down the soil and the territory becomes a desert. Soil erosion is the process of removal of superficial layer of the soil from one place to another. Problems of deforestation agriculture project topics. Too much water can cause bad land issues like wind and soil erosion. Effects of soil erosion on soil properties as related to. Rhett butler does a great job of describing how deforestation causes soil loss, high silt loads, ruined hydroelectric projects, silt filled reservoirs and downstream rivers that dry up. Improper cultivation practices are seriously degrading native forest ecosystems in northern iran. Deforestation free download as powerpoint presentation. Once trees have been removed by fire or logging, infiltration rates become high and erosion. In northeast thailand, once forests typically covered the upland and rainfed paddy.
The effect of deforestation on soil erosion, sediment and some water quality indicators. And just as important, they help to hold the soil around the tree. The process involves the loosening of the soil particles, blowing or washing away of the soil particles, and either ends up in the valley and faraway lands or washed away to the oceans by rivers and streams. Soil erosion is the loss of soil from land due to the effects of wind and water currents. Soil is the earths fragile skin that anchors all life on earth. Soil erosion is the displacement of the upper layer of soil, it is one form of soil degradation.
About 31% of earths land surface is covered by forests. Effects of soil erosion on biodiversity greentumble. This photo shows the stream that ran through the canyon in the national. Increased demand for agriculture commodities generates incentives to convert forests and grasslands to farm fields and pastures. This tropical soil is dependent on trees to continually replenish its nutrients. Affect the soil, water cycle and carbon cycle leads to leaching and soil erosion leaching. This natural process is caused by the dynamic activity of erosive agents, that is, water, ice glaciers, snow, air wind, plants, animals, and humans. Soil erosion is a process that involves the wearing away of the topsoil.
However, the increasing human population and expansion of agricultural land have led to deforestation. Vegetation plays several roles in erosion processes. In addition to erosion, soil quality is affected by other aspects of agriculture. Pdf deforestation effects on soil properties, runoff and. The cutting down of forest or deforestation can affect us and have serious effects on our environment as well. Soil erosion due to rainforest deforestation know about life. Without trees and other plants, soil is washed into streams or bodies of water. Soil erosion is a major consequence of deforestation, as it reduces soil stability and exposes soil to harsh environmental factors such as rain and wind. If there are no trees to absorb the water, flooding can happen more.
Erosion potential method model has been applied in. The problem of soil erosion is a direct corollary of deforestation as deforestation makes the soil more exposed to wind and water specially on areas that have slopes. Deforestation reduces soil cohesion, so that erosion, flooding and landslides ensue. The agricultural plants that often replace the trees cannot hold onto the soil. Within brazil, all these effects are present, but theres another major detrimental impact that affects brazil and the whole world, the loss of biodiversity.
Only a minority of areas have good soils, which after clearing are quickly washed away by the heavy rains. Finally, forest is a home for the great number of animals and plants, most of which are today are nearly extinct. They provide the tree with water and minerals from the soil. Deforestation effects on soil properties, runoff and.
A number of climate impacts may also result from deforestation. To examine the effects of deforestation more closely, one 19901993 study replaced tropical forest and savannah with. Deforestation speeds up the process of soil erosion because trees are vital in keeping soil intact. Summary causes of soil erosion deforestation ploughing monoculture removal of hedges overgrazing. Then, deforestation causes soil erosion, because trees protect soil from the power of the wind, and when the place is open, wind simply blows down the soil and the territory becomes a desert. Deforestation effects on soil properties, runoff and erosion in northern iran article pdf available in arabian journal of geosciences 75 may 2014 with 2,374 reads how we measure reads. They serve to anchor the tree so that the first windstorm doesnt blow it over. In the amazon rain forest of brazil for example, an area the size of a football field is cut every second, leaving vast swaths of land vulnerable to wind, rains and floods that cause erosion. As a result, rapid deforestation occurred and then soil erosion in crop. The influence of deforestation on runoff generation and soil erosion. While the erosion caused by human activities such as deforestation, cultivating lands, road construction and building dams, etc. This is one reason why deforestation and destroying the topsoil can create a snowball effect that.
Disturbance of vegetative cover on mountain areas creates thin soil and steep slopes resulting in land instability, landslides, and soil erosion. Hence, the objectives of this study are to compare selected soil properties, runoff amount, erosion and also introducing equations to predict the runoff and soil erosion in three types of land use forest, garden and cultivated. Other land uses countries resort to deforestation to cope with the increasing demand for housing brought about by the growing population logging, or simply cutting down trees for timbre is one of the main causes of deforestation 3. Desertification can be characterized by the droughts and arid conditions the landscape endures as a result of human exploitation of fragile ecosystems. From an environmental viewpoint, deforestation is immensely harmful and unfavourable, which is proved by the plethora of ways in which deforestation affects the environment. The loss of trees, which anchor the soil with their roots, causes widespread erosion throughout the tropics. A case study in the denku microwatershed oromia region by kassu kebede beyene submitted in accordance with the requirement for the degree of masters in human ecology at the university of south africa supervisor. Soil erosion is the weathering away of topsoil caused by water, wind or tillage. The effects of soil heating on nutrient availability have been examined only rarely in field studies of slashandburn, and soil heating as a mechanism of nutrient release is most often assumed to. Because tree roots hold the soil together and retain water in an ecosystem, habitat can be destroyed by deforestation and the subsequent cycle of erosion set in motion. A simple portable rainfall simulator has been set in 90 random. The logging and clearcutting of rain forests are some of the leading causes of soil erosion worldwide.
Without plant cover, erosion can occur and sweep the land into rivers. Deforestation effects on soil properties, runoff and erosion. The vegetation cover on runoff and soil erosion, we preferred to soil depth is more than 1. Deforestation causes the loss of tree roots which help hold soil together and slows water down so it. Without trees, the soil is free to wash or blow away, which can lead to vegetation growth problems. Grove and rackham 2001 point out that the mouth of the andarax river southeast spain originally was an estuary 8 km in length. A few effects of deforestation are soil erosion, disruption of the water cycle, and possible even global warming when forest areas are cleared, it results in exposing the soil to the sun. When the trees disappear, the soil is unable to sustain crops. Alluvial fans and deltas are clear evidence of the relationships among soil erosion, sediment transport and sedimentation. Soil compaction, low organic matter, loss of soil structure, poor internal drainage, salinisation and soil acidity problems are other serious soil degradation conditions that can accelerate the soil erosion.
A few effects of deforestation are soil erosion, disruption of the water cycle, and possible even global warming when forest areas are cleared, it. The deforestation changes in hydrologic conditions soil erosion sedimenttransfer linkages make up yet another instance where assumptions, emotions, and widespread generalizations have been pulled into the theory of himalayan environmental degradation regardless. It is comprised of countless species that create a dynamic and complex ecosystem and is among the most precious resources to humans. Many studies confirm the relationships between deforestation, agriculture and soil erosion.
Soil erosion the effects of deforestation on the environment erosion is the process of soil and rock being removed from the earths surface to be transported and deposited in other locations, due to exogenic processes such as wind or water flow. Deforestation soil erosion in the food forest why topsoil and hugelkultur are important. Problems of deforestation abstract this research was carried out in order to assess the causes and effects of deforestation in ovia north east local government area of edo state. These impacts include compaction, loss of soil structure, nutrient degradation, and soil salinity. Soil erosion without the tree roots that anchors the soil, it results in top soil erosion which leads to problems such as increased flooding and decline in crop yield. Deforestation causes increased erosion rates due to exposure of mineral soil by removing the humus and litter layers from the soil surface, removing the vegetative cover that binds soil together, and causing heavy soil compaction from logging equipment. Pesticides and other chemicals can get trapped in soil, polluting streams and rivers as the soil breaks apart.
Effects of soil erosion on soil properties as related to crop. How does deforestation speed up the process of erosion. Soil erosion can also lead to mudslides and floods, negatively affecting the structural integrity of buildings and roadways. Recommendations based on the research affirm the necessity to undertake largescale natural resource management starting with communitybased watershed management. Little or no mixing of the subsoil with the plow layer. Deforestation causes erosion by exposing top soil to wind and rain. It is a naturally occurring process soil always shifts from one location to another and, under normal conditions, this shifting takes place in a slow and gradual manner.
Instead of trapping precipitation, which then percolates to groundwater systems, deforested areas become sources of surface water runoff, which moves much. Abstract assessments of the effects of deforestation, post. The effects of soil erosion can be felt both onsite, meaning at the site of soil disruption, or offsite, meaning the location where the eroded soil deposits. This paper presents the effect of deforestation on water quality, in particular on physical and chemical characteristics of water and evaluates the community based watershed management schemes in buyhang micro watershed. The process involves the loosening of the soil particles, blowing or washing away of the soil particles, and either ends up in the valley and faraway lands or washed away to. Shrinking forest cover lessens the landscapes capacity to intercept, retain and transpire precipitation. We determine the effect of deforestation on soil fertility, soil carbon and nitrogen stocks and hypothesize that tropical forests and agroforestry have similar characteristics, in contrast to the deforested areas used as cropland. Forests free fulltext deforestation effects on soil erosion in the. Deforestation, clearance, clearcutting or clearing is the removal of a forest or stand of trees from land which is then converted to a nonforest use. Soil erosion can be defined as removal of top layer by natural agents like sun, wind, water and by man. Deforestation causes soil erosion, which then causes other destructive effects including pollution and flooding. Causes of deforestation deforestation by activities such as unsustainable logging, ranching and mining can lead to fast and widespread erosion of rain forest soils. The wwf states that scientists estimate that a third of the worlds arable land has been lost to deforestation since 1960. Soil erosion can be a slow process that continues relatively unnoticed or can occur at an alarming rate, causing serious loss of topsoil.
Gis environment to simulate soil erosion and sediment rate. Deforestation can involve conversion of forest land to farms, ranches, or urban use. Yield losses from soil erosion can come not only from soil nutrient losses but also from the reduction in the soils water holding capacity, infiltration rates and loss of. Soil erosion, a natural occurrence that has been documented for many centuries, is drastically exacerbated by human activity. Humaninduced erosion is mainly caused by the removal of vegetative cover, downslope tillage, overgrazing, deforestation, land leveling, and improper.