Human Impact on Soil and Erosion

1. Human Impact on Soil and Erosion • Human Activity is the main force of speedy (accelerated) erosion. • Land-Use Practices that can harm soil • Farming • Construction and Development • Mining

2. Farming • *Over-grazed or over-plowed soil will be less fertile and will most likely be carried away by water and wind (erosion) • Farmers often cut down trees and plow up the soil to plant crops • *Trees help in reducing soil erosion by holding the soil in place and preventing it from being washed away.

3. Construction and Development • People dig away soil to make roads, houses, or other buildings • The soil can be washed or blown away because it’s plant cover has been removed (no roots to hold it down). • Sediment often goes into rivers, streams or lakes and can make rivers and lakes muddy • This can harm organisms, flood rivers, and fill up lakes

4. Mining • Digging of mines involves the removal of plants and soil from the surface of the ground • Rocks and minerals are then exposed to the air and rainwater, which speeds up chemical weathering • Mines that expose sulfide minerals will mix with water and air to produce acid water drains from the mines, which pollutes the soil around the area

5. 3-door Book: Human Activities • Create a 3 door book describing 3 of the human activities or land-uses that affect soil • On the outside: • Put the land-use practice and draw a picture • Farming, Construction and Development, Mining • On the inside: • Describe how this human activity weathers rock or erodes soil • Describe how does this affect our environment? • USE YOUR NOTES!