Types of erosion

Erosion is the Earth’s surface wear processwhich includes rock, earth, sand, metals, etc., as a consequence of the Nature forces action (such as water, wind, ice and gravity) and the transport of loose or dissolved products along with other materials from the place of origin to a different one. This wear known as erosion occurs when the rock is departure and dissolved in small particles due to chemical, physical and biological processes.

Although the process itself is this, there are different types of erosion, according to different classifications, which we will see below more detailed.

Erosion can present several forms, depending on what its causes or the environment or material is erossed, being able to differentiate itself in different types of erosionsuch as wind, hydraulics, anthropic, gravitational and soil erosion. As a summary, we can indicate the following:

• Wind erosion It is produced by the wind, which generally moves from high pressure areas to others of low pressure and, with its force, transports eroded materials from some places to another.
• Water erosion It is caused by rainwater (storm erosion) and water flows (river erosion), which transport worn rock particles and deposit them to less altitude, as well as by the movement of the waves (marine or waves or waves), which has a kinetic energy that transports sand particles to other places.
• Anthropic erosion It is generated by human beings and their activities.
• Glacier erosion is caused by displacement in favor of the slope of glacial ice blocks that, over time they erode the underlying rock surface, erosion by the force of gravity, which causes the movement down of water and particles.
• Soil erosion It supposes the loss of their quality and can be given by the aforementioned types.

Let’s now see in more detail these examples of erosion according to their type.

Wind erosion is caused by The wind and it is of great importance in areas where there are strong winds and fine texture soils (as sandy soils), affected by intensive grazing during times of drought. Wind erosion also contributes to the exposure of the soil surface, generating exposed and smooth areas on waterproof soils, which, due to the absence of a soil surface, at its low permeability and its generally high salts concentration, it is difficult to carry out a revegetation of the area.

In addition, wind erosion is usually more pronounced in more sandy areas (which do not retain moisture and are not very fertile) and less important in areas of thick texture cultivation in which more or less large aggregates are formed that are too thick and heavy to be transported by the wind, even if it is strong.

Learn more about this type of erosion reading this other post about wind erosion: definition, types and examples.

Water plays an important role in the rock erosion since wears and transports eroded materials from one place to another and can be differentiated Types of water erosionsuch as river, navy and rainfall. Water erosion can be provided by human activity or produce naturally. In all cases, river water, oceans and rain carry materials from their point of origin to a separate area.

• The river erosion It can cause discoloration in the riverbed because, in its passage from the valleys to the oceans and seas, the erosive process is generating a large accumulation of sediments that are being deposited in new areas. Learn more about what sedimentation is with this other post.
• Another form of water erosion is given by waves and currents (Marine erosion), that erode and modify the Earth and generate eroded particles that are deposited and change the coastline of the area in question.
• Finally, the storm erosion It is the one that causes rainwater, which increases riverbeds, increasing river erosion, and wears mountain walls, as well as soils of all kinds. In addition, when there is acid rain, wear is not only physical due to the rubbing of water, but increases wear due to chemical reactions and corrodes surfaces of all kinds.

Expand this information with this other ecology article on water erosion: definition, types, causes and consequences.

Anthropic erosion is that caused by human activities Such as agriculture, industry, infrastructure construction, overwhelming, deforestation, transport of people and goods, and so on. As a consequence of these actions, the Loss of the surface layer of the soilso that an artificial soil is created that is highly influenced by this human activity.

Know more about one of the most aggressive types of erosion today in much of the planet with this other post about anthropic erosion: what is and examples.

Soil erosion is the Wear of the soil surface layer caused by the wind, water, crops or deforestation, among other factors, being able to also be temperature erosion, gravitational, chemistry, etc.

This is the process by which the vegetation that protects the soil disappears, leaving it discovered and vulnerable to physical agents, such as the rainfall that can even cause even the soil detachment and avalanches of mud, with its potential harmful consequences and the release of toxic substances, such as pesticides and fertilizers that have been discharged into it on bodies of water, such as rivers and streams. Other effects derived from soil erosion is its loss of quality by the Loss of nutrients of organic matterwhich makes it difficult for vegetation to grow in it.

To learn more about this, enter this other link about what is erosion of the soil, its causes and consequences.

The Glacier erosion It is given, as the name implies, by the glaciers, that they are large accumulations of ice covered by snow, typical of mountain or coastal areas with large cliffs. If the ice base begins to melt, The glacier slides On the substrate, eroding it in its path, since it is collecting materials on its journey, such as sand grains and large rocks, which are dragged, so that in its path it is eroding the rock bed, apart from eroding the ice itself and getting the glacier from losing size.

If you want to know more we recommend reading this other article on glacier erosion: definition, types and examples.

If you want to read more articles similar to Types of erosionwe recommend that you enter our category of other environment.