The Grand Canyon was created by the force of erosion from the Colorado River.
Erosion is a continuous process and can be caused naturally or by artificial means. Although many people associate erosion with negative things like landslides and poor soil conditions, it is an important part of the geological processes that make the Earth what it is. As soil and rock slowly erode, they circulate through the earth’s crust and the wider environment, creating a varied and constantly changing surface.
Sandstone slot canyon.
One of the most powerful causes of erosion is water. Water is sometimes called the universal solvent because it is so effective at dissolving and changing things. Rain and runoff contribute to erosion, as do glaciers, snow, and ice. Ice can be particularly insidious because it literally rips apart rock and soil as it expands and contracts. Numerous beaches dotted with spectacular examples of water erosion, in the form of huge rock terraces slowly eroded by the ocean.
Arch in Utah created by erosion.
Tectonic movement can also contribute to erosion, as can wind. Wind carries materials from one place to another and, in windy places, can contribute a powerful cleaning force to the erosion process. Materials also naturally tend to slide down a slope, in a process called mass loss. This downward pull is what causes mountains to slowly dissolve into hills and plains, and this happens constantly, though not always in the spectacular fashion of a landslide.
Exposed tree roots after soil erosion.
Humans can also cause erosion, usually through poor land management. Overgrazing, for example, is a serious cause of erosion. Cows, in particular, are known to cause serious problems, especially along riverbanks. Areas that have been heavily grazed for centuries show clear signs of soil erosion and depletion due to the demands placed on it. Deforestation can also cause erosion as it removes plants and trees from the protective surface of the soil. The roots and plant matter no longer hold the soil, so it slides off during periods of rain.
Deforestation can cause erosion.
One of the most famous examples of erosion is the Dust Bowl. The Dust Bowl was caused in part by human means, such as tilling the land to exhaustion, and also by weather patterns. The end result, however, was the loss of extremely valuable topsoil in many parts of North America. Modern farming techniques are remarkably similar to the techniques that increased the severity of the Dust Bowl in the 1930s, and this is an issue that concerns environmentalists.