The main culprit of erosion: the man
2005/04/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria
The erosion of the terrestrial surface is more influenced by human activities than by all natural processes. Researchers at the University of Michigan in the United States have compared the rates of prehistoric erosion with those derived from human activity, taking into account the plough of the earth, the creation of fields and construction works. And that has been the result.
To know the rate of erosion in nature, the sedimentary rock accumulated in the last 500 million years has been measured. After the calculations conclude that before the appearance of man the terrestrial surface has eroded 24 m per million years. The man, for his part, has eroded the land surface 360 m per million years, which means a rate of erosion 15 times higher than that of natural processes.
Its consequences are not negligible. For example, in the future there is a risk of running out of agricultural land if this erosion rate is maintained.
