Colleen Barr’s Comps Talk

20 February 2012

Soil Erosion

Colleen Barr

Soil erosion was identified as a national environmental issue in the United States in 1930 and today is prevalent in countries with intensive agriculture or development.  Both wind and water erosion involve three steps: detachment, transport, and deposition of particles.  I will first talk about water erosion, discussing raindrop impact, infiltration, and surface runoff.  Then I will explain the three ways in which particles are moved by wind erosion.  Additionally, I will discuss the forces that act on airborne particles.   To conclude, I will present some methods to mitigate soil erosion on agricultural land.