Erosion its types. Hazardous geological processes - erosion

Definition of soil erosion

Erosion is the damage to soil by wind and water, the movement of destruction products and their redeposition. Soil damage (erosion) by water manifests itself mainly on slopes from which water, rain or melt, flows. Erosion can be planar (when the soil is uniformly washed away by water runoff, which does not have time to be absorbed), it can be trickle (shallow gullies are formed, which are eliminated by conventional treatment), and there is also deep erosion (when soil and rocks are washed away by strong flows of water). Soil destruction by wind, otherwise called deflation, can develop on any type of terrain, even on plains. Deflation happens every day (when low-speed winds lift soil particles into the air and transport them to other areas), the second type of wind erosion is periodic, that is, dust storms (when high-speed winds lift the entire top layer of soil into the air, it happens even with crops , and carries these masses over long distances).

Types of soil erosion

Depending on the degree of destruction, two types of soil erosion can be distinguished: normal erosion, that is, natural, and accelerated, that is, anthropogenic. The first type of erosion occurs slowly and does not affect soil fertility in any way. Accelerated erosion is closely related to human economic work, that is, the soil is improperly cultivated, the vegetation cover is disturbed during grazing, and so on. At rapid development erosion, soil fertility decreases, crops are damaged, because of ravines, agricultural land becomes inconvenient land, this makes it very difficult to cultivate fields, rivers and reservoirs are flooded. Soil erosion destroys roads, power lines, communications and much more. It causes enormous damage to agriculture.

Preventing Soil Erosion

For many years, the fight against soil erosion has been one of the most important state tasks in the development of agriculture. To solve it, various zonal complexes are being developed that complement each other, for example, organizational and economic, agrotechnical, hydraulic, forest reclamation, anti-erosion measures.

A little about each event. Agrotechnical measures include deep cultivation of areas across the slopes, sowing, plowing, which alternates every two to three years with conventional plowing, slicing of slopes, spring loosening of the field in strips, and grassing of slopes. All this helps regulate the flow of rain and melt water, and accordingly, significantly reduce soil washout. In areas where wind erosion is common, instead of plowing, flat-cut tillage with cultivators, that is, flat-cutters, is used. This reduces atomization and helps more moisture accumulate.

In every area that is susceptible to soil erosion, soil-protective crop rotations play a huge role, and in addition, sowing crops with tall stems.

Protective forest plantings have a great effect in forest reclamation measures. Forest strips can be shelterbelts, ravine strips, or ravine strips.

In hydraulic engineering measures, terracing is used on very steep slopes. In such places, shafts are built to retain water, and ditches, on the contrary, to drain excess water, and drains in the beds of hollows and ravines.

Soil protection from erosion

Erosion is considered the biggest socio-economic disaster. It is proposed to follow the following provisions: firstly, it is easier to prevent erosion than to fight it later, eliminating its consequences; There are no soils in the environment that are completely resistant to erosion; due to erosion, changes occur in the main functions of the soil; This process is very complex, the measures taken against it must be comprehensive.

What affects the erosion process?

Any erosion can occur due to the following factors:

• changes in climatic conditions;
• terrain features;
• natural disasters;
• anthropogenic activities.

Water erosion

Most often, water erosion occurs on mountain slopes as a result of runoff of rain and melt water. Depending on the intensity, the soil can be washed away in a continuous layer or in separate streams. As a result of water erosion, the top fertile layer of the earth, which contains rich elements that feed plants, is demolished. Linear erosion is a more progressive destruction of the earth, when small gullies turn into large holes and ravines. When erosion reaches such proportions, the land becomes unsuitable for agriculture or any other activities.

Wind erosion

Air masses are capable of inflating small particles of earth and transporting them over vast distances. With significant wind gusts, soil can disperse in significant quantities, which leads to weakening of plants and then to their death. If a wind storm sweeps over a field where crops are just beginning to emerge, they can become covered with a layer of dust and be destroyed. Also, wind erosion worsens the fertility of the land, as the top layer is destroyed.

Consequences of soil erosion

The problem of land erosion is a pressing and pressing problem for many countries around the world. Since the fertility of the land directly affects the amount of crops, erosion exacerbates the problem of hunger in some regions, since erosion can destroy crops. Erosion also affects the reduction of plants, which consequently reduces bird and animal populations. And the worst thing is the complete depletion of the soil, which takes hundreds of years to restore.

Methods for protecting soil from water erosion

A phenomenon such as erosion is dangerous for the soil, so it is necessary to carry out comprehensive actions to ensure the protection of the land. To do this, you need to regularly monitor the erosion process, draw up special maps and properly plan economic work. Agricultural reclamation work must be carried out taking into account soil protection. Crops need to be planted in strips and a combination of plants must be selected that will protect the soil from leaching. An excellent method of protecting the land would be to plant trees, creating several forest belts, near the fields. On the one hand, tree plantations will protect crops from precipitation and wind, and on the other hand, they will strengthen the soil and prevent erosion. If there is a slope in the fields, then protective strips are planted perennial herbs.

Soil protection from wind erosion

To prevent soil weathering and preserve the fertile layer of soil, it is necessary to carry out certain protective work. To do this, first of all, they carry out crop rotation, that is, they change the planting of the type of crops every year: one year they grow cereal plants, then perennial grasses. Also, strips of trees are planted against strong winds, which create a natural barrier to air masses and protect agricultural crops. In addition, tall plants can be grown nearby for protection: corn, sunflower. It is necessary to increase soil moisture so that moisture accumulates and protects the roots of plants, strengthening them in the ground.

The following actions will help against all types of soil erosion:

• construction of special terraces against erosion;
• green manure technique;
• planting shrubs in strips;
• organization of dams;
• regulation of melt water flow regime.

All of the above methods have different levels of complexity, but they must be used in combination to protect the earth from erosion.

Erosion- destruction rocks and soils by surface water flows and wind, including the detachment and removal of fragments of material and accompanied by their deposition.

There are water and wind erosion.

Types of water erosion: gully (linear, streamy), planar and irrigation (irrigation).

Drip erosion

Destruction of soil by impacts of raindrops. Structural elements (lumps) of soil are destroyed under the influence of the kinetic energy of raindrops and are scattered to the sides. On slopes, downward movement occurs over a greater distance. When falling, soil particles fall on the film of water, which facilitates their further movement. This type of water erosion is of particular importance in the humid tropics and subtropics

Planar erosion

Planar (surface) erosion is understood as the uniform washout of material from slopes, leading to their flattening. With some degree of abstraction, it is imagined that this process is carried out by a continuous moving layer of water, but in reality it is produced by a network of small temporary water flows.

Surface erosion leads to the formation of washed away and reclaimed soils, and on a larger scale - colluvial deposits.

Linear erosion

Unlike surface erosion, linear erosion occurs in small areas of the surface and leads to the dismemberment of the earth's surface and the formation of various erosion forms (gulleys, ravines, gullies, valleys). This also includes river erosion caused by constant flows of water.

Causes of soil erosion.

• Climate influences the development of erosion processes as a result of fluctuations in temperature, amount and intensity of precipitation, and wind force.
• wind. The erosive force of the wind begins to manifest itself at a speed of 8-12 m/s at a height of 10 m from the soil surface, it becomes significant at 12-15 m/s, and strong at 16-25 m/s.
• Relief is the main cause of water erosion. The length and steepness of the slope, the size of the watershed, and the shape of the slope surface determine the degree of development of erosion processes. The longer the slope and the greater its steepness, the larger the area and with greater intensity the erosion develops.
• Intensity Soil loss depends on the shape of the slope. On convex slopes it is greater, on concave slopes it is less. Often slopes have a complex shape: convex in one place, straight or concave in another.
• Condition and characteristics of soils Thus, well-structured, humus-rich soils of light and medium loamy mechanical composition are characterized by looseness and good water permeability, and therefore washout and erosion on them are sharply reduced. On the contrary, on destructured, sprayed, compacted soils of heavy mechanical composition, water is slowly absorbed, accumulates on the surface and flows into low areas of the relief, causing washout and erosion of the soil.
• The occurrence and development of erosion is largely determined mechanical composition of the soil. IN natural conditions Soils of light mechanical composition - sandy and sandy loam - are more susceptible to deflation. Heavy (clayey) soils are susceptible to air erosion only in a loosened, sprayed state or after the destruction of the top layer as a result of grazing. Calcareous soils - chernozem and chestnut - are easily destroyed by wind. Solonetz soils and solonetzes are wind-resistant.
• Destruction woody vegetation
• Overgrazing

Soil protective crop rotations

To protect soils from destruction, it is necessary to correctly determine the composition of cultivated crops, their rotation and agricultural practices. In soil-protective crop rotations, row crops are excluded (since they poorly protect the soil from being washed away, especially in spring and early summer) and the crops of perennial grasses and intermediate sowing crops are increased, which well protect the soil from destruction during erosion-hazardous periods and serve as one of the the best ways cultivation of eroded soils.

Agrotechnical anti-erosion measures.

The simplest measures to regulate the surface runoff of melt water are plowing, cultivation and row sowing of crops across the slope, if possible parallel to the main direction of the horizontal lines. One of the most effective soil protection techniques on sloping lands is the replacement of moldboard plowing with tillage without soil rotation.

Forest reclamation measures

They include planting forests and creating protective forest strips for various purposes:

• wind-protective, created along the boundaries of crop rotation fields;
• field protection, laid across slopes to retain surface runoff of colluvial waters;
• ravine and ravine; forest plantations along slopes and bottoms of beams and ravines; water-protective forest plantations around reservoirs, lakes, canals;
• forest plantations for general environmental purposes on lands unsuitable for agriculture.

Although all women are afraid of the appearance of such a pathology as cervical erosion, it is one of the benign processes in the female body. Its location is the mucous membrane of the cervix, on which a round formation up to two centimeters in diameter is formed. There are several types of erosion, and each of them has its own characteristics. So, they distinguish between congenital, pseudo-erosion and true. We’ll talk more about cervical erosion, types, causes, and symptoms below.

General information

First of all, it should be noted that cervical erosion is one of the most common diseases that bother women. There is no need to be too afraid of erosion, since, as already mentioned, this is a benign process that only in extreme cases has serious consequences.

A little earlier in the article it was said that erosion has several varieties, the features of which should be discussed and considered in more detail.

Congenital erosion

With congenital erosion, the cervical columnar epithelium is displaced, and as a result, a chronic disease of this type occurs. The main feature is that such erosion has practically no symptoms and appears more often in childhood or adolescence. This disease can only be detected by examination by a gynecologist. Congenital erosion is interesting because it does not require treatment, since the possibility of its development into a malignant tumor is almost completely excluded.

True erosion

True erosion, unlike its other types, chooses the pharynx as its localization, or rather, its outer or back side. It is much less common to find such erosion on the lip of the cervix. As for her appearance, then this is not a very large area, has a rounded shape and a bright red tint, sometimes it can even bleed. if erosion appears, then this is a clear sign that the mucous membrane has been damaged. In the case of true erosion, purulent accumulations may form on it. This type of erosion lasts only fourteen days, after which the area is covered with epithelium. And then comes the next stage, which is called pseudo-erosion.

Pseudo-erosion

Pseudo-erosion is a type in which an area appears painted bright red. It is impossible to accurately describe its shape, since each woman has her own, as well as sizes. Pseudo-erosion can have a diameter of several millimeters, or can reach two to three centimeters. Sometimes a slight mucous discharge forms on the surface of the wound, which may contain pus. The duration of the disease cannot be determined, since much depends on what caused the wound and what methods of control were taken. Its main danger is that a relapse may occur, and a harmless wound will develop into a cancerous tumor. The doctor must take this fact into account when prescribing treatment.

Causes of erosion

There are a number of reasons why the disease can occur, and each of them is special in its own way. Let's figure out what they are (the treatment of this disease directly depends on the provoking factors):

• The main reason is mechanical injuries. They can occur during sexual intercourse if the man is too rough and not careful, due to abortions that are performed by curettage, and erosion can also occur directly during childbirth.
• Some sexually transmitted infections can cause a sore to appear on the cervix. Among these diseases are genital herpes and papilloma virus.
• If a woman knows that there is an infection in her genital tract and does not react to it, then most likely she will soon develop erosion.
• If sexual activity was started too early or too late, then this is also a serious reason for the cervix to become damaged. Everything must happen in its own time.
• Erosion also occurs in girls who change sexual partners too often or, conversely, are content with too infrequent sexual intercourse.
• Even a banal menstrual cycle disorder can lead to damage to the cervix.
• A sharp decrease in immunity is another reason for erosion to appear.
• It is especially dangerous if a woman has a combination of several of the above reasons. In this case, it is almost impossible to avoid the appearance of a wound on the cervix.

Erosion is quite rare in patients who are at retirement age, but if this happens, the cause may be the pressure of the uterine ring. There is one more type that is worth mentioning - physiological erosion. They occur in girls who have not yet reached the age of 25, and tend to heal on their own.

Symptoms

In addition to the reasons why cervical erosion appears, every woman should know its symptoms in order to seek help from her gynecologist in time.

In almost one hundred percent of cases, erosion does not manifest itself at all. There are no specific symptoms in the world that would unmistakably indicate that a woman has erosion. Therefore, most often, this disease is detected only during a routine examination by a gynecologist. However, in medical practice, symptoms have been established that clearly indicate that the cervix is ​​damaged:

• Women experience spotting, which can in no way be related to the menstrual cycle. Especially often, such discharge appears after sexual intercourse.
• Many women who have been diagnosed with erosion experience pain during sex.
• It is even possible that purulent discharge may appear. This is already clear evidence that erosion has also been accompanied by an inflammatory infection, which significantly aggravates the situation. Some patients may confuse such discharge with thrush or the onset of menstruation.

So, most practicing gynecologists include discharge and pain, especially those that occur during or after sexual intercourse, as signs of cervical erosion.

Diagnostics

An experienced gynecologist will be able to indicate the presence of erosion after the first examination of the patient, but a number of tests are required to accurately establish the diagnosis and begin the treatment process:

• First of all, the doctor is obliged to take a smear from the woman for flora. This procedure is standard when visiting a gynecologist.
• Next, an extended colposcopy is performed.
• The doctor may also prescribe various cytological studies.
• A PCR diagnosis is carried out, which is necessary in order to exclude the presence of any sexually transmitted disease.
• A woman takes a blood test to determine whether she has HIV, syphilis or hepatitis.
• Bacteriological culture is required.
• If the doctor has doubts about the benign nature of the tumor, he may also order a biopsy. Such an analysis is not prescribed to all patients, but only in cases of extreme necessity and at the discretion of the attending physician.

From this we see that the causes of cervical erosion and the treatment of the disease can be accurately determined only after all the necessary tests have been carried out.

Treatment

We have already found out the causes and symptoms of cervical erosion, but treatment requires a separate paragraph in the article, since it is not a common type of disease for all. Therapy is prescribed depending on what type of erosion the woman has, what its size is, and whether there are concomitant infectious diseases.

So, you just need to constantly monitor congenital erosion, since in most cases it heals on its own. As for treatment, surgical intervention is possible, but doctors are trying to use more conservative methods. Everything depends solely on the characteristics of the disease.

Perhaps the phrase “conservative treatment” is incomprehensible to some. This means that first of all, the doctor does not fight the erosion itself, but the reason why it appeared. Therefore, in this case, the main task is to determine what disease accompanied the appearance of the wounds. After an accurate diagnosis, the gynecologist prescribes therapy. Broad-spectrum antibiotics are most often used. Immunomodulators and anti-inflammatory drugs are used as excipients.

Local treatment of the cervix may also be performed during the examination. To do this, special drugs are used that lead to coagulation of the area that was damaged. But such a procedure can only be carried out if the erosion is a benign formation. This method is well suited for girls who do not yet have children. Such drugs do not leave scars on the cervix, which means there is a possibility that during childbirth there will be no ruptures of the mucous membrane, and erosion will not occur again. This is perhaps the main advantage of the method. But it also has one drawback - not a single patient can be protected from relapse.

If this method does not show results, then surgical intervention is prescribed. This is not an operation, but simply cauterization of the wound. There are several ways to do it:

• Electrosurgery.
• Laser destruction.
• Thermocoagulation.
• Cryosurgery.
• Radiosurgery.

Let's take a closer look at the types of cauterization of cervical erosion for women who have not given birth and who already have children.

Cryodestruction

This method is one of the most gentle, since it uses liquid nitrogen, which seems to freeze the wound and does not affect healthy tissue. In addition to the effectiveness and safety of this method, it is also worth mentioning that the patient feels almost nothing during the procedure. And here there is completely no risk that a scar will form on the cervical canal. It will take approximately four weeks for the cervix to heal completely. Irregular watery discharge is a side effect. During the healing period, doctors recommend refraining from strenuous physical activity and sexual intercourse.

Laser treatment

Laser cauterization is one of the relatively new cervical erosions. It is good because it is carried out contactlessly. The laser is simply aimed at the wound and it heals over a certain period of time. There is no effect on healthy tissue, which is another definite plus. Laser treatment is especially often prescribed to girls who have not given birth. Because it leaves no traces behind.

Treatment with radio waves

Radio waves are a type of cauterization of cervical erosion, which has appeared quite a long time ago. It is practically painless, which was achieved due to the fact that radio waves seem to “seal” the nerve endings that are located in the wound and around it. During this procedure, all healthy tissue remains intact. It is even possible to use it in young girls who do not yet have children. The procedure is also good because after it the woman has practically no restrictions and there are no scars.

ethnoscience

We looked at the types of surgical removal of cervical erosion, but we must not forget about folk recipes.

There is probably no disease that traditional medicine cannot cure. Even for the treatment of cervical erosion, there are several useful recipes here. However, doctors do not trust such methods of treatment, since they rarely bring truly positive results. Traditional recipes can be used to stop the growth of a wound or to prevent inflammatory processes from appearing.

The most common recipe among the people is tampons soaked in sea buckthorn oil. Grandma’s recipes also recommend douching using a calendula solution. Of course, these substances have anti-inflammatory and wound-healing properties, however, if you use only these recipes, it is unlikely that you will be completely cured. In general, folk recipes can only be used after prior consultation with a specialist. Because you can not only not help, but also harm yourself even more.

Prevention

There is a whole set of rules for the prevention of all types of cervical erosions, which not only every woman, but also her partner should be familiar with:

1. It is necessary to observe the rules of personal hygiene, and this applies not only to the female, but also to the male half.
2. If a woman comes into contact with a new sexual partner, then she simply must insist that he use a condom.
3. If a girl does not have a permanent partner, and men often change, this can lead to the microflora of her vagina changing, and this will lead to the development of various infections, which can then cause erosion.
4. It is necessary to visit a gynecologist regularly, or rather once every six months, in order to detect the disease in time and begin its treatment.
5. If you notice any changes, consult a doctor immediately, since even the slightest discomfort during sexual intercourse or just like that can signal the development of some disease.

So, if you follow these simple rules, you will be able to avoid the appearance of any type of cervical erosion. But we should not forget that no woman is immune from this problem, so you cannot be one hundred percent sure of your safety. Your main responsibility is to visit a specialist who can warn you about the problem in time and get rid of it. And remember, there is nothing wrong with this. After all a large number of Women are afraid of such diseases and do not go to the doctor, which they later greatly regret.

- (from the Greek erodo I corrode), destruction of rocks (weathering), soil and any other formations of the Earth’s surface by natural agents (water, wind, glaciers). As a result of erosion, the fertile layer of soil is destroyed, ravines and gullies appear... ... Ecological dictionary

EROSION, a change in the shape of the landscape as a result of the gradual destruction of the surface of hard rock and soil, accompanied by the removal of the resulting debris (as opposed to WEATHERING). Created under the influence of winds, water, glacier movement and... ... Scientific and technical encyclopedic dictionary

- [lat. erosio corrosion] gradual destruction, decay. Dictionary of foreign words. Komlev N.G., 2006. erosion (lat. erosio erosion) 1) the process of destruction of rocks, consisting of mechanical erosion, grinding and abrasion of the riverbed... ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language

erosion- and, f. erosion f. lat. erodere to corrode. 1. special In geology, destruction (of the earth's surface) by flowing water and ice. Glacial erosion. BAS 1. 2. In technology, destruction of a metal surface by mechanical influences (impacts, friction, etc.) ... Historical Dictionary of Gallicisms of the Russian Language

- (from Latin erosio corrosion) (medical), a superficial defect of the skin or mucous membrane, localized within the epidermis (epithelium) and healing without scar formation. Cervical erosion is one of the forms of precancer... Modern encyclopedia

The process of destruction of g.p. by water flow, which, together with gravitational movements (displacements), leads to the formation of valleys and a decrease in the surface of drainage basins. (see Swimming Pool). The E. process consists of: 1)… … Geological encyclopedia

Deflation, destruction, damage, denudation Dictionary of Russian synonyms. erosion noun, number of synonyms: 10 hydroerosion (1) ... Synonym dictionary

- (erosion) See: soil erosion. Economy. Dictionary. M.: INFRA M, Ves Mir Publishing House. J. Black. General editor: Doctor of Economics Osadchaya I.M.. 2000 ... Economic dictionary

erosion- In geology, a set of physical and chemical processes that contribute to the destruction of rocks by water flows. [Terminological dictionary of construction in 12 languages ​​(VNIIIS Gosstroy USSR)] erosion The process of destruction of rocks by water... ... Technical Translator's Guide

- (from Latin erosio erosion) (in geology) the process of destruction of rocks and soils by a water flow. There are superficial (smoothing out uneven terrain), linear (dismemberment of the relief), lateral (undermining river banks) and deep (incision of the riverbed... ... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

Books

• Uterine fibroids, endometriosis and cervical erosion: treatment with natural remedies, Tatyana Vladimirovna Pavlova. This book is about an independent and very real cure for the three most common diseases of women. The importance of this topic lies in the fact that only a healthy person can give birth to a healthy...
• Uterine fibroids, endometriosis and cervical erosion. Treatment with natural remedies, Tatyana Pavlova. This book is about an independent and very real cure for the three most common diseases of women. The importance of this topic lies in the fact that only a healthy person can give birth to a healthy...

The destructive effect of water, wind and anthropogenic factors on the soil and underlying rocks, the removal of the most fertile upper layer or erosion is called erosion. Erosion causes great harm.

As a result of its activity, the humus horizon is washed away, the reserves of energy and nutrients in the soil are depleted, and, consequently, the energy potential decreases and fertility decreases. Suffice it to say that every centimeter of soil washed away is a loss of about 167472 * 10 6 J of energy from 1 hectare of field. These factors lead to disruption of the stability of the ecosystem, and these changes can be profound and even irreversible.

Types of erosion. Based on the rate of manifestation of erosion processes, a distinction is made between normal, or geological, and accelerated, or anthropogenic, erosion.

Normal erosion flows everywhere under forest and grassy vegetation. It manifests itself to a very weak extent; the soil is completely restored within a year thanks to soil-forming processes.

Accelerated erosion develops where natural vegetation is destroyed and the territory is used without taking into account its natural features, as a result of which the process of soil erosion is not covered by the processes of its self-healing. There are ancient and modern soil erosion. The ancient one is represented by a hydrographic network (hollow, ravine, ravine, valley). The ancient erosion has ceased to operate. Modern erosion occurs against the backdrop of ancient erosion; it is caused by both natural factors and human economic activity.

The most common types of soil erosion are: water planar (washout) and linear or vertical (washout);

wind (deflation); irrigation; industrial (technogenic); abrasion (collapse of the banks of reservoirs); grazing (soil destruction by livestock); mechanical (soil destruction by agricultural machinery).

Planar erosion - This is the washing away of the upper soil horizons on slopes when rain or melt water flows down them in a continuous stream or streams. Based on the degree of erosion, soils are classified into weakly, moderately and strongly washed away. Slightly washed away soils include soils in which the upper horizon A has been washed away to half its thickness, moderately washed away - horizon A has been washed away by more than half, strongly washed away - horizon B has been partially washed away. On slightly washed away soils, the grain yield is reduced to 25%, on moderately washed away soils - by 50%, and on heavily washed away soils. - by 70%.

Linear erosion caused by melt and rainwater flowing down in a significant mass, concentrated within the narrow confines of a slope area. As a result, the soil is eroded into depth, deep gullies and potholes are formed, which gradually develop into ravines. Depending on soil and climatic conditions, the growth and formation of a ravine occurs at a rate of 1-3 to 8-25 m per year.

Planar erosion is especially dangerous, giving impetus to the development of ravines, primarily because its manifestation is barely noticeable. If a layer of soil with a thickness of only 1 mm per year is washed away from an arable land of 1 hectare, i.e. approximately 10 tons, this goes unnoticed, although in many cases the natural regeneration of the soil is much lower. Another example is even more clear. If a ravine 100 m long, 5 m wide and 2 m deep has formed on a field of 100 hectares, then the loss of soil and subsoil is 600-800 m 3. The losses from washing away the most fertile top layer 1 cm thick from the same area (100 hectares) are equivalent to the loss of approximately 10,000 m 3 of soil. To more clearly imagine the magnitude of the damage, it should be borne in mind that the permissible level of erosion for thick chernozems is 3 t/ha, for ordinary and southern soils - 2.5, for dark chestnut soils - 2 t/ha. However, actual soil losses often exceed the specified limits of its natural recovery.

With the increase in arable land, the fight against this phenomenon is becoming increasingly important. Therefore, constant attention should be paid to the widespread protection of forests and all vegetation cover, especially in mountainous and hilly areas, and their proper exploitation.

Wind erosion, or deflation, observed on both light and heavy carbonate soils at high wind speeds, low soil moisture and low relative air humidity. Therefore, it predominantly occurs in the arid steppe regions of the country. Plowing light soils and loosening them is especially dangerous in the spring, when they are deprived of a protective green cover, which makes them vulnerable to deflation. Wind erosion manifests itself as daily or local deflation and as dust or black storms.

Dust storms, like winter snowstorms, scatter the loose layer, lift light and small particles and transport them to one or another distance. The lightest soil particles rise high into the air and are carried far beyond their location, while the heavier ones move spasmodically or waddle to the first obstacle. The greatest danger is caused by jumping soil particles. When they hit the soil, they destroy it, increase blowing, and when they encounter fragile crops or perennial grasses, they mark and cover them. In large open spaces, jumping soil particles, like a chain physico-chemical reaction as the hurricane moves forward, cause more and more destruction in the soil. Dust storms along their path partially or completely destroy crops over large areas, fill up roads, irrigation canals, various buildings, and irrevocably demolish the top, most fertile layer of soil. Dust storms polluting environment, water, air, negatively affect the health of humans, domestic and wild animals.

Wind erosion due to deforestation and plowing of new lands covers all new areas up to the forest-steppe and even taiga ^Ulyanovsk region, Kazan Trans-Volga region, Lena River basin.

Irrigation erosion often observed in areas of irrigated agriculture; in the zone of its activity, permanent and temporary reclamation networks are disabled. The main reasons for its erosion are weak fixation of the bottom and slopes of canals, an insufficient number of connecting structures when reinforcing them, an increase in slopes, weak infiltration capacity of the soil, subsidence of soil leading to disruption of the normal profile of canals, their clogging, increased water consumption in irrigation furrows or strips. When operating irrigation systems in certain areas, up to 20-45% of water is lost for various reasons due to filtration and leakage, which also contributes to soil erosion. Irrigation erosion manifests itself even in conditions of small slopes with increasing irrigation flow. Irrigation without taking into account irrigation norms and weather conditions of the growing season leads to the accumulation of salts in the topsoil, which sometimes not only reduces soil fertility, but also completely removes such areas from agricultural use.

Industrial erosion arises as a result of mining, especially open-pit mining, construction of residential and industrial buildings, laying highways, gas and oil pipelines.

With erosion, called abrasion(collapse of river banks and other bodies of water), the area of ​​arable land and pastures is reduced, and water bodies become silted.

Due to the overload of pastures with livestock, significant areas are exposed to pasture (trail) erosion. It manifests itself when grazing norms are violated, it is carried out without taking into account the number of livestock, the capacity of pastures and meadows, when cattle are driven through the same areas, without watering the pasture areas with sprinkling in hot weather.

Erosion is the enemy of fertility. It is estimated that every minute on the globe 44 hectares of land go out of agricultural use. More than 3 thousand hectares are irretrievably lost from erosion every day, and in total more than 50 million hectares of fertile land have already been lost. As a result of soil washout, erosion and blowing away, the yield of all agricultural crops is reduced on average by 20-40%. However, the damage caused by erosion does not end there. The formation of gullies, hollows and ravines on the soil surface makes it difficult to cultivate the land and reduces the productivity of tillage and harvesting equipment. Soil erosion, and consequently the destruction of the habitats of plants and animals in biogeocenoses, leads to a disruption of the existing biological balance in natural complexes.

It should be noted, however, that accelerated erosion is not an inevitable process. A high level of agricultural technology ensures timely implementation of comprehensive erosion protection.

Factors of manifestation of erosion processes

relief. Alternation of flat plains and hills as a result of glacial activity.

Novogrudok – 330m, Minsk – 350 m, Grodno region. 200-250m climate

. 3 climatic zones (northern, central and southern)

Soil cover and parent rocks

(flat on loams, wind on peatlands) Northern and Central parts - water erosion, Southern - wind erosion

vegetation,

Fighting soil erosion.

Erosion occurs as a result of irrational economic activities, improper use of land, and poor agricultural practices in some farms. Grazing of animals without observing the norm of grazing and loading livestock on the slopes of gullies and ravines, plowing the soil and inter-row cultivation along the slopes, ill-conceived road construction, etc. Against the background of ancient erosion, they contribute to the emergence and rapid growth of new foci.

The washout and erosion of lands lead to siltation of water bodies, shallowing of rivers, and clogging of the irrigation network. Fishing, transport, and energy sectors also suffer losses. Damage in agriculture from drought, plant and animal diseases, etc. significantly less than from soil erosion.

The fight against this phenomenon is one of the leading links in a high culture of agriculture. For each natural zone, in accordance with its physical and geographical conditions (soil, climate, topography), farming systems have been developed. The success of erosion control depends largely on compliance with the basic agricultural practices applied in a particular area and on the nature of the land use.

In areas where water erosion develops, tillage and sowing of agricultural crops should be carried out across the slope, using contour and ridge plowing, deepening the topsoil, slitting and other methods of treatment that reduce surface water runoff; Soil-protective crop rotations, strip placement of agricultural crops, grassing of steep slopes, fertilization, cultivation of field-protective and anti-erosion forest strips, afforestation of ravines, gullies, sands, banks of rivers and reservoirs, construction of anti-erosion hydraulic structures (differences, ponds, terracing, embankment of the tops of ravines and etc.).

In mountainous areas, anti-mudflow structures, terracing, afforestation and grassing of slopes and alluvial fans, regulation of livestock grazing, and conservation of mountain forests are necessary.

All of the listed activities are usually divided into groups: organizational and economic, agrotechnical, forest reclamation and hydraulic engineering.

For the practical implementation of anti-erosion work, a number of organizational and economic measures are first required. These include proper organization of the territory. On collective farms and state farms, areas are identified that are subject to varying degrees of water and wind erosion, soil erosion plans are drawn up, on which categories of lands subject to water and wind erosion are applied for the differentiated application of anti-erosion measures.

In the United States, in the fight against water erosion, soil cultivation along horizontal lines or contour farming is widely and successfully used, which has increased the productivity of leading crops - corn, cotton, potatoes, etc. Contour farming on slopes of slight steepness ensures the conservation of moisture, the protection of soil from washout, and increased her fertility. In this case, some deviation from the horizontal lines is allowed in case of their strong tortuosity.

The retention of precipitation and the transfer of surface runoff into intrasoil flow is facilitated by the deepening of the arable layer. As a result of this technique, surface runoff in our country was reduced by approximately 25%, which reduced the destructive effect of melt and rainwater.

Vegetation cover plays a particularly important role in protecting the soil from both slope runoff and rainfall.

The high density of vegetation also ensures uniform distribution of snow on the fields. The root system of plants determines erosion resistance and soil structuring. Dead parts of plants and their litter also help reduce runoff and, in addition, improve the vital activity of microflora and mesofauna, and enhance the biological activity of the soil.

Perennial legume-grass grass mixtures stabilize the soil most reliably. They improve the physical properties of the soil and also enrich it with nitrogen, phosphorus, and calcium. Nodule bacteria that develop on the roots of leguminous grasses increase the nitrogen content in the soil by fixing it from the air. At the same time, the importance of annual crops in the fight against erosion cannot be denied, although they are less resistant to it and have less ability to restore the fertility of eroded lands.

All crops can be divided into three groups according to their anti-erosion properties. The first group, which best protects the soil from erosion, includes perennial drains, the second group includes annual crops, which are significantly inferior to them in this regard. Row crops have the weakest protective effect, and in certain cases, if they are placed along a slope, they can contribute to increased runoff and thereby erosion.

It is generally accepted that, compared with soil washout under perennial grasses, soil washout under grain crops is 4-5 times higher, and under row crops – 25 times higher. Of the annual crops, winter crops protect the soil relatively well, since in spring and autumn they form erosion-resistant vegetation cover. However, row crops in the second half of summer and early autumn provide high projective cover and at this time reliably protect the soil from erosion. On slopes, it is effective to create buffer strips across the slope from the same crop, but with an increased dose of fertilizers and an increased seeding rate, control snowmelt by strip compaction, etc.

Anti-erosion methods also include other methods: non-moldboard tillage with preservation of stubble, embankment and furrowing of plowed land, mole cutting, slicing, mulching with straw at the rate of 1-2 t/ha. For every ton of straw, 10 kg of nitrogen should be applied. Mulching the soil on slopes with substandard straw at a dose of 1-3 t/ha reduces erosion by 3-5 times. Mulch also reduces the depth of soil freezing, which means it promotes early spring runoff absorption, reduced runoff, and increased crop yields.

On erodible soils, the creation of a wind-resistant surface layer is important. For this purpose, special stubble seeders are used, and strip placement of crops and grasses is used.

The use of anti-erosion tools ensures the preservation of stubble on the soil surface, helps retain snow in the fields, improves the soil structure and sharply reduces wind erosion. Blow-resistant soil has 60% particles larger than 1 mm in the top 5 cm layer and persists even at a wind speed of 12.5 m/s at a height of 0.5 m.

On soils subject to deflation (blowing), soil-protective crop rotations with sowing buffer strips of perennial grasses have especially proven their worth. On sandy soils, the area under perennial grasses should be increased to 50%. On less deflated soils, it is advisable to occupy 30% of the arable land with them.

Creating curtains from tall plants (sunflower, corn) improves snow distribution in the fields, reduces the erosive energy of individual streams of water, i.e. reduces soil erosion in general.

In winter, to reduce erosion processes, it is necessary to create snow banks across the slope.

It should also be noted that the application of fertilizers on erodible lands is more effective, since as a result of the application of the entire complex of anti-erosion measures, the loss of soil, and therefore the nutrients added to it, is sharply reduced.

In the fight against water and irrigation erosion, slotting is effective, helping to increase the water permeability of heavy soils. Another way is to use sprinklers with low and medium rain intensity (up to 0.3 mm/min). This makes it possible to increase the irrigation rate to 700-800 m 3 of water per 1 hectare without the formation of surface runoff, save water, avoid salinization and decrease in soil fertility.

Forest reclamation is also an important part of the anti-erosion complex.

PROTECTION OF SOILS FROM SALINIZATION, ACIDIFICATION AND WATERLOGING

These processes contribute to a sharp disruption of the normal functioning of the soil-plant system.

Soil salinization - accumulation of soluble salts and exchangeable sodium in concentrations unacceptable for normal growth and development of plants. Among saline soils, there are solonchak soils with a high concentration of soluble salts; saline, containing more than 5-10% of exchangeable sodium; salt marshes and salt licks. Even with weak salinity, the yield of corn, for example, decreases by 40-50%, wheat - by 50-60%.

Every year, 200-300 thousand hectares of irrigated land around the globe go out of use due to salinity. Saline lands need to be washed with fresh water, but this raises another problem - the discharge of saline rinsing waters, which form huge salty swamps. The discharged waters are saturated with fertilizers, pesticides and defoliants that are toxic to humans and animals.

One of the salinity factors is wind. It captures salty dust and transports it long distances into the interior of the continents. A similar phenomenon is observed in the Aral Sea region, where the wind intensifies the removal of salts and dust from the dried seabed and their transfer to the region.

Soil salinization is possible due to improper agricultural practices, turning saline layers to the surface, and excessive livestock load on pastures. The cause of soil salinization may be the irrigation water itself if it contains elevated concentrations of soluble salts.

There have been cases of accumulation of easily soluble salts (up to 500 kg per 1 ha) under the influence of halophytic vegetation.

Most often, salinization occurs due to the enrichment of the soil with salts contained in groundwater. Simultaneously with the increase in their level, moisture rises through the capillaries into the rhizosphere zone, where salts accumulate as the water in it evaporates. The drier the climate and the heavier the soil in granulometric composition, the more pronounced this process is, the more pronounced the toxicity of salts to plants. An increased salt content in the soil causes an increase in the osmotic pressure of the soil solution, which complicates the water supply of plants, they are chronically starved, and their growth is weakened. This primarily affects the root system, which loses turgor and dies. Sodium carbonate is especially dangerous for plants. If the soil contains 10-15% of the exchangeable sodium absorption capacity, the state of the plants is depressed; when its content is within 20-35%, the inhibition is very strong.

With increased irrigation rates and losses of irrigation water from canals, the groundwater level also increases. The process when salt accumulation in the soil occurs as a result of disruption of the irrigation regime and water filtration in irrigation canals is called secondary salinization.

As a preventive measure to combat secondary salinization, area drainage is required using pottery, plastic and other pipes laid to a depth of 1.0-1.8 m with a distance between drains of 5 to 15 m. Irrigation by sprinklers with low to medium rainfall intensity (up to 0.3 mm/min) is also safe in this regard. Subsoil, drip, fine and pulse irrigation are promising. The common advantage of these methods is water saving. Thus, with subsurface irrigation, the irrigation rate can be reduced to 100-300 m 3 /ha. The water flow rate for pulse sprinkling is only 0.01 mm/min. Due to low irrigation rates, the likelihood of salinization and waterlogging decreases. An important advantage of new irrigation methods is the reduction of evaporation from the soil surface, and, in the case of fine irrigation, transpiration. With drip irrigation, water in the form of a drop is supplied directly to the roots. The use of these irrigation methods prevents irrigation erosion, so they can be used on slopes.

The creation of forest belts along canals also ensures a constant groundwater level, as trees intercept and transpire filtered water, acting as biological drainage. To remove salts from the soil, flushing with fresh water is used.

With an increase in soil acidity (pH below 7), its productivity also decreases: the concentration of mobile aluminum increases and at the same time the nutrient content decreases. Acidification depends on the absorption capacity, particle size distribution, water permeability, biological activity of the soil and the humus content in it. Physiologically acidic nitrogen fertilizers increase soil acidity. Therefore, liming and the application of fertilizers rich in calcium are recommended for such lands. Without the use of lime, the effectiveness of fertilizers decreases.

Waterlogging of the soil, leading to waterlogging, is widespread in a number of areas of the Non-Chernozem Zone, and is also observed in other areas near canals, reservoirs and undamped artesian wells. About 8% of the world's land is subject to waterlogging and flooding.

To drain wetlands, slot drains are installed, cut into the ground. On heavy soils, drains are created using mole plows. In the Far East, complex drainage is used, which is a combination of tubular drains with a network of molehills. Other preventive measures are effective: the optimal method of watering and strict adherence to the irrigation regime for crops. Closed drainage has an advantage over an open drainage network, since in this case the usable area is not lost.

However, drainage should be carried out within reasonable limits. A decrease in the groundwater level when draining swamps more than 1.5 m from the soil surface contributes to the rapid oxidation of peat and the removal of nutrients into drainage ditches. With a further decrease in their level, the root horizon becomes detached from the capillary fringe, which leads to the death of forests.

The development of new lands must be carried out taking into account nature protection. Sometimes there is still an opinion that swamps cause great harm, so it is necessary to drain them. However, it should be remembered that swamps perform an important water management function, feeding rivers and groundwater, and purifying polluted atmospheric precipitation.

Reclamation of wetlands must be carried out taking into account the protection of natural resources from depletion and undesirable impacts on the nature of the Non-Black Earth Zone. In this regard, great attention should be paid to environmental control and broad discussion of projects.