What term describes the movement of soil components, especially topsoil, from one location to another, usually by wind or water?

• A. Movement of soil components, especially topsoil, from one place to another, usually by wind, flowing water, or both.
• B. Compaction of soil by heavy machinery.
• C. Increase in soil nutrient content due to fertilizer.
• D. Formation of new soil layers through deposition.

Answer: (A)

Erosion is the movement of soil components, especially topsoil, from one location to another by wind or water. This process removes the most fertile part of the soil, which is rich in nutrients and organic matter, and can leave behind poorer subsoil, reducing productivity. Wind can lift loose particles, while flowing water can wash them away in sheets, or carve them out in channels like rills and gullies. When those transported particles settle somewhere else, that’s deposition—the placement of sediments—which is the opposite of erosion. Other terms describe changes in soil in place (like compaction from heavy equipment) or additions of nutrients, rather than the actual removal and relocation of soil.