Vegetation and Soil Erosion

Vegetation plays an important role in keeping soil in place. For example, the root systems of grasses and trees growing along a riverbank help hold the soil together, allowing rainwater to absorb into the ground. The water that is not absorbed is called surface runoff because it flows (or “runs off”) downhill due to gravity. Runoff contributes to soil erosion by moving soil from one place to another.

Less vegetation leads to more runoff, and thus more erosion. Nutrients in the soil are also lost, which means less vegetation can grow, leading to further vegetation loss.