About Different Types of Erosion

Erosion is ever present in nearly every landscape on earth. You may not notice, but the natural forces responsible for shaping our planet are agents of erosion. Erosion comes in many forms. Some types of erosion can be quick and observable in the shape of a mudslide or avalanche, but more often than not erosion’s progress is so inconspicuous that it can only be identified by the print it leaves behind. In fact, something as simple as water running downhill can eventually leave behind a print the size of the Grand Canyon.

Type

Two main types of erosion agents exist: water and wind. Essentially, what these types of erosion displace particles of sediment, soil or rock that have been separated through the process of weathering. This phenomenon is so effective it is known to be responsible for relocating the equivalent of mountains. Water erosion can come in the form of anything from a slow trickle of water that carries a particle of dirt away, to the effect of waves pounding on the shore causing the wearing of rocks. Wind erosion, which may be even more common, is responsible for creating deserts.

Features

The phenomenon of erosion has two main aspects, which are weathering and transportation. Weathering is a set of mechanical and chemical processes by which a rock decomposes. The process can be broken down into three stages: dissolution, abrasion and corrosion. Dissolution is the decomposition of a rock into fragments or parts. Abrasion continues the process of wearing down through friction, while corrosion is the deterioration of minerals inside the rock particles through chemical reactions with water or acid. The other aspect of erosion is transportation through wind or water. And, while it doesn’t necessarily occur after the weathering process has begun, the two definitely work hand in hand.

Identification

Numerous methods are available to identify the effects of erosion. Water, for example, can be responsible for the creation of grooves, flutes, troughs, potholes or the streamlining and sculpting of various types of landforms, depending on the type water erosion taking place. Wind can have a similar effect on mountainsides and is directly responsible for the creation of sand dunes, whether at the beach or in deserts.

Function

Erosion is an intrinsically natural process. A certain amount is, in fact, a healthy aspect of the natural balance. For example, gravels continuously move downstream in watercourses. Sediment is transported by water streams thereby disseminating nutrients where there would otherwise be none. Excessive erosion, on the other hand, can be quite disastrous. A problematic consequence of this is the degradation of agricultural land. In some parts of the world, this phenomenon could seriously reduce the lands’ ability to sustain human life.

Significance

The erosion process is responsible for how our world looks today. It is, in reality, part of a huge cycle that has not only helped to physically shape mountains, valleys, canyons and other land masses, but also helped determine the course of human civilization.