Human Impact on Soil and Erosion  Human Activity is the main force of speedy (accelerated) erosion.  Land-Use Practices that can harm soil 1. Farming 2. Construction and Development 3. Mining

Farming  *Over-grazed or over-plowed soil will be less fertile and will most likely be carried away by water and wind (erosion)  Farmers often cut down trees and plow up the soil to plant crops  *Trees help in reducing soil erosion by holding the soil in place and preventing it from being washed away.

Construction and Development  People dig away soil to make roads, houses, or other buildings  The soil can be washed or blown away because it’s plant cover has been removed (no roots to hold it down).  Sediment often goes into rivers, streams or lakes and can make rivers and lakes muddy  This can harm organisms, flood rivers, and fill up lakes

Mining  Digging of mines involves the removal of plants and soil from the surface of the ground  Rocks and minerals are then exposed to the air and rainwater, which speeds up chemical weathering  Mines that expose sulfide minerals will mix with water and air to produce acid water drains from the mines, which pollutes the soil around the area

3-door Book: Human Activities  Create a 3 door book describing 3 of the human activities or land-uses that affect soil  On the outside:  Put the land-use practice and draw a picture  Farming, Construction and Development, Mining  On the inside:  Describe how this human activity weathers rock or erodes soil  Describe how does this affect our environment?  USE YOUR NOTES!