Erozioni

Erosion
Erosion from the Latin word erodere- to rodent is the most widespread form of
physical degradation. It is defined as the removal of the upper layer of the earth by
water, wind, ice, gravity and by man.
Water erosion
Water erosion is actually the main factor for landforms. Water is actually the main
modeling agent of the Earth's surface, it loads, transports and deposits large
amounts of materials in a very short time. Its action can affect both the interior of
the continental environment and, to a much lesser extent, a narrow coastal strip. In
the continental environment, the impact of erosion is related to the type of rocks
and soils. In general terms, it can be said that the strength of erosion is closely
related to the amount of rain that falls on the ground in a certain unit of time (eg
average annual rainfall). It should also be taken into account that the increase in the
annual amount of precipitation in natural conditions also increases the density of
plant cover, the increase in plant cover acts as a limiting factor because it reduces
the action of the forces of raindrops, favors infiltration and limits the amount of
surface runoff. In general, the maximum of erosion is marked in proportion to the
average values of rainfall that varies between 700-1000 mm/year due to the
competition between rainfall erosion and the protective effect of vegetation.
Erosion of valleys
Surface runoff water does not cover the land surface uniformly. On the contrary, it
acts in rather meandering microflows with low corrosive capacity which later
merge into larger flows. When the flow becomes more turbid and therefore more
erosive, it forms irregular channels that have a V-shaped cross-section, usually 10
cm wide and 5 to 10 cm deep.
Gully erosion
In fact, the term gorge groups many different types of natural channels, although
with several names such as: valley, steep gorge, pit, gorge, etc. This wide use of
terms referring to the same phenomenon testifies to its extension in specific
morphoclimatic environments, showing as a common feature a certain dryness or
in any case a net division between a rainy season and a dry season more or less
elongated. Gullies develop in special conditions determined by the interaction of
several factors: weak resistance to erosion of both soil and rocks, conditions of
vegetative cover, slope morphology, land use and management, which favor the
concentration of water along the paths of leakage that eventually become
permanent. Gouges mainly affect non-cohesive or semi-cohesive materials: loess-
like deposits, tuffs, alluvial deposits, poorly cemented marine sediments. They are
over 30 cm wide and over 60 cm deep
Soil erosion
Soil erosion caused by geological factors such as water, wind, etc. it is called
geological or normal erosion. While the erosion caused by human activity such as
agriculture, construction, cutting and transportation of timber is called accelerated
erosion, this erosion is much more destructive than geological erosion 10-100
times, especially on sloping lands and in regions with heavy rainfall.
The main factors of erosion are: climate, relief, soil characteristics and human
activity.
Climate causes soil erosion through rainfall and wind. Heavy rainfall worsens the
condition of soil affected by erosion through increased surface runoff and flooding.
Lack of rainfall and drought accelerate desertification processes, including wind
erosion.
Relief affects soil erosion through its features such as slope and slope length. As
the slope of the slope increases, erosion increases. Increasing slope length
exacerbates water erosion due to greater surface runoff accumulation with
increased erosive and sediment transport potential.
Soil and rock characteristics affect the rate of erosion. Severe erosion is favored by
surface conditions, lack of vegetation. Erosion rates are lower on soils with good
vegetation cover than on bare soils.
Human activity is expressed through the use of heavy agricultural machinery that
compacts the soil, favoring the creation of surface water flows after rainfall, which
removes soil particles from the site.
Protective measures
The most efficient measures to protect soils from erosion are the protection of
forests and the afforestation of sloping surfaces. Forests represent the main
obstacle to the erosion and destruction of surfaces in the hilly-mountainous
terrains, the destruction of the soil and its grazing. Vegetation covers the ground
with dried leaves and branches that fall to the ground, so water when it reaches the
ground cannot run off quickly along the slopes.
Most of the water from precipitation is stopped and held by the crowns of the trees, while the
layer created by the fallen leaves and branches on the ground absorb the water, which have the
ability to hold significant amounts of water and release it slowly. In this way, rain and snow will
no longer present a destructive force to the soil, but provide the soil with moisture for a long
time.

Erozioni

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