Lesson 8.01 Soil Erosion and Human Impact

• Introduction
• Learn
• Try It
• Task

Introduction

Soil blankets the Earth's surface. It is the basic foundation of ecosystems. Plants rely on soil as a substrate for plants to grow in and anchor to. The majority of vital nutrients needed by plants are supplied by and obtained through the soil. Soil type influences the type of plants that can grow in an area, which influences the type of animal life that exists. Soil is important to humans as the foundation of food sources. The ground is tilled and planted to grow plants that can be harvested for food. Soil also provides a natural filter for water. As rain water - or wastewater from septic tanks - infiltrates through the layers of soil, harmful pollutants are filtered out by the soil particles.

In this lesson, you will learn how soil can be eroded, how humans contribute to soil erosion, and what factors make soils vulnerable to erosion.