Contact Science, Tobacco & You at: stu@magnet.fsu.edu
  |
||||
Erosion and Flooding
The wearing and washing away of soil by rain and running water is called erosion. The roots of plants in forests help prevent erosion by keeping the soil in place. The roots also loosen hard soil, which allows water to penetrate the topsoil then drain deeper into the ground. Also, trees are like natural sponges because they can absorb large amounts of water. When it rains on hills or mountains that have been deforested, the rainwater runs off instead being absorbed by the trees or the soil. This washes away topsoil. The soil continues to wash away until it ends up clogging rivers and waterways. The water that runs off the deforested and eroded hills can cause major flooding downstream. One of the causes of a terrible flood in Bangladesh in 1988 was deforestation due to cutting of wood.
Center for Integrating Research and Learning at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory.
| ||||