Question

The main causes of soil erosion can be:
A. destruction of natural protective cover
B. change of climate
C. increase of wind speed
D. improper use of land
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

• A. A and B only
• B. B and C only
• C. C and D only
• D. A and D only

Hint:

To prevent water erosion, always plow across the slope (contour farming) rather than up and down. This simple practice can reduce soil erosion by up to 50%.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Soil erosion occurs naturally at slow rates, but human activities can accelerate it to damaging levels.
Identifying the main anthropic causes of soil erosion is essential for designing effective watershed reclamation and land-use policies.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let us analyze each potential cause:
Destruction of natural protective cover (A) refers to activities like deforestation, forest fires, and overgrazing.
Vegetation canopy intercepts falling raindrops, absorbing their kinetic energy.
Plant roots bind soil particles together and organic litter increases infiltration rates.
Removing this natural cover exposes the bare soil to the full impact of raindrops and runoff, significantly accelerating erosion.
Thus, (A) is a primary cause.
Improper use of land (D) includes agricultural practices like cultivating steep slopes without terracing, tilling up and down slopes, monoculture, and failing to use cover crops.
These practices destabilize the soil structure and create channels that accelerate runoff, causing severe rill and gully erosion.
Thus, (D) is a primary cause.
While climate change (B) and localized increases in wind speed (C) can affect erosion rates, they are broad environmental conditions rather than the direct, primary causes of accelerated agricultural soil erosion.
The primary drivers of accelerated land degradation worldwide are protective cover removal and poor land-management practices.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The main causes of accelerated soil erosion are the destruction of natural protective cover and the improper use of land.