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Earth’s Silent Crisis: The Unseen Threat of Soil Erosion

While the definition of soil erosion is taught in school, what it means, how it impacts our world, and how humans are affected by it are all left out. All of us know the basic definition. Soil erosion is a gradual process that occurs when the impact of water or wind detaches and removes soil particles, causing the soil to deteriorate. Hidden behind these simple words is the effect it has on our world.

Soil consists of mineral particles, organic matter, and numerous minerals. Removing access to living organisms that depend on their presence, like plants, will decrease agricultural productivity and lead to lower crop yields. This will affect plant wildlife worldwide, depriving them of key nutrients required for their survival and growth, destroying habitats, and reducing biodiversity worldwide, which eventually will have a massive harmful impact on all creatures on Earth. It also poses future food security threats, considering how the world population is increasing, so more food consumption and therefore production will need to happen, and the loss of the main source of food will result in worldwide hunger.

Soil erosion is an obstacle to be confronted with immediately before it becomes impossible to deal with. Not only can it result in economic hardships for the country experiencing it due to the displacement of farming communities and extra spending on artificial fertilizers to compensate for the loss of soil, but flooding is also a massive issue to be tackled. Without sufficient topsoil to absorb rainfall, runoff increases, leading to higher risks of flooding and reduced groundwater recharge. It goes without saying that because erosion has left civilization vulnerable to yet another disaster—flooding—we must act now.

Each one of us can play our separate part in this war against erosion. Education and spreading awareness is one thing we all can do. We should share knowledge about soil conservation with friends and neighbours to spread awareness and encourage others to take action! We can do small actions like avoid overwatering and water our garden or plants only as needed to prevent runoff and soil erosion; pick up trash, making sure they don’t land on any soil contributing to erosion.

Governments should impose laws that forbid overdevelopment, deforestation, and negligent land management methods that aggravate erosion, as well as finance and support initiatives that encourage soil conservation strategies like reforestation projects, wetland restoration, and sustainable agricultural methods. We should enact zoning regulations that encourage sustainable land use and promote corporate support and investment in neighbourhood-basedinitiatives that prioritize environmental sustainability and soil protection. They should collaborate with nearby groups to put erosion control strategies into action. All in all, soil erosion is a potential threat to humanity’s existence itself; it is crucial we address this issue and raise awareness of its solutions as, as time passes, its impacts start to become increasingly visible and alarming.

References:

https://crops.extension.iastate.edu/encyclopedia/soil-erosion-agricultural-production-challenge#:~:text=Soil%20erosion%20is%20a%20gradual,causing%20the%20soil%20to%20deteriorate

https://www.worldwildlife.org/threats/soil-erosion-and-degradation

https://www.wri.org/insights/causes-and-effects-soil-erosion-and-how-prevent-it#:~:text=Soil%20erosion%20decreases%20soil%20fertility,more%20likely%20to%20happen%20again 
https://byjus.com/biology/soil-erosion/