CHAPTER

INTRODUCTION
 WHAT IS SOIL?
 As we know, soil also commonly referred to as earth, is a
mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, liquids, and
organisms that together support life of plants and soil
organisms. Some scientific definitions distinguish dirt from soil
by restricting the former term specifically to displaced soil.
 It is the upper layer of Earth's surface that's made of broken down
rock combined with a mixture of living and non-living organic
materials
 Living organic materials include bacteria and fungi, while non-living
organic materials can include air, water, and broken down leaves and
animals.
 SOIL EROSION
 In this process, the soil particles are loosened or washed away in the valleys, oceans,
rivers, streams or far away lands. This has been worsening due to human activities such
as agriculture and deforestation.
 Soil erosion is a continuous process that occurs either slowly or at an alarming rate. It
results in a continuous loss of topsoil, ecological degradation, soil collapse, etc.
 Soil erosion is a naturally occurring process that affects all landforms.
Soil erosion is the detachment and movement of soil particles from the point of
origination through the action of water or wind.
Thus, minimizing the impact of water or wind forces is the main objective for
erosion control.
Half of the topsoil on the planet has been lost in the last 150 years.
In addition to erosion, soil quality is affected by other aspects of agriculture.
These impacts include compaction, loss of soil structure, nutrient degradation, and
soil salinity.
These are very real and at times severe issues. The effects of soil erosion go
beyond the loss of fertile land.